According to several sources, including a teammate, Noah’s All-Star Weekend “conversation’’ with New York Knicks standout Carmelo Anthony didn’t end in New Orleans. They had discussions via text the rest of the season, including the day after the Bulls were eliminated in the playoffs by the Washington Wizards. “I was kidding Jo that they were boys now,’’ a source said in a phone interview Friday. “ ‘Well, get your boy to come to Chicago.’ ’’ When asked during the season about his heart-to-heart with Anthony, Noah was his usual coy self. “What are you talking about? The gossip going on?’’ Noah said. “I feel a lot of gossip. I think we all know that we’re in a good place. We’ve got a healthy group, it’s a healthy environment, and we’re not going to let gossip get in the way of what we’re doing. We’ve gone through so much this year, so it’s not going to be a little gossip that gets out there. “You want me to address that? I don’t feel like addressing it. I really have nothing to say.’’ Then after exit interviews Wednesday with members of the front office, Noah was asked if he expected changes this summer. “I don’t know,’’ Noah said. “That’s not my job.’’ But he’s obviously doing as much as he can to help the process along. Sources said Noah has been in Anthony’s ear as often as possible, and he has told other Bulls to push hard for Anthony this summer. But there is one condition: Backup big man Taj Gibson can’t be sacrificed. Read more http://www.suntimes.com/sports/2720...-recruiting-carmelo-anthony.html#.U2T5R_ldXe0
So what do you think are the chances that Melo joins the Bulls next season? I think they got a hell of a lot better when Phil Jackson announced he's wasn't going to offer him a max deal.
That's fair. I find myself continuing to be optimistic, like I was with Lebron James and Chris Bosh. I'm Charlie Brown running up to kick the football even though Peppermint Patty is almost certainly going to pull it away at the last minute. The thing about Carmelo, he might be one of those generational players. There's stuff that he does that's better than Lebron and Durant. And I keep going back to his time with Team USA. He was the best player on those teams through a couple of cycles. They ran a ton of offense through him. Carmelo's reputation among marginal fans seems to be pretty awful. He's known as not caring about wining when he's only played for franchises, New York and Denver, that are/were more interested in making a splash than fielding a contender. He's been known as a coach killer while he's played for a series of God awful coaches: Bzdelic, Woodson, Karl, D'antoni. He's been known as a chucker when his second fiddle was JR Smith, Bargnani and the ghost of Aamre Stoudemire. If we were being honest, he should have taken more shots last season. I don't do anything as well as Carmelo Anthony plays basketball. But if I were him, I'd be bothered by the fact that no one viewed me as one the very best in my profession. Bothered enough to leave what probably is the greatest city in the World if you have money? Not sure. But I'd be bothered.
I'd like to be optimistic. History tells me otherwise. I'll wait and see. I'm all in favor of acquiring him. Another situation where Rose's knee is holding the team hostage. If he was a bona fide stud and Melo was ready to choose winning over cash, I think the Bulls with Rose/Gibson/Noah/Thibs would be an attractive choice for him. The whole warm weather thing seems to always be an annoying aspect to this process as well.
Sam Smith wrote not long ago (and not for the first time) that it is no coincidence that so many FAs shop themselves then end up in warm weather climates in states (Florida, Texas) which have no state income tax. Not that Melo is headed for those destinations but applicable when discussing some of the stars we wanted but who signed elsewhere. Not their only motivation probably but enough that it shouldn't be dismissed. I love Chicago. When I lived in Florida I missed Chicago. But the winters can be lousy and the state extracts its pund of flesh from my check. As to Melo NY to Chi would be similar situations so a bit of a wash. It comes down to best chance for a ring or more money. And hoping Phil can't convince Melo that getting less than max raise will let the Knicks build a championship team. And that Chicago with Melo will have enough roster left to field a championship team.
When was the last time a superstar in his prime put winning before money and switched teams for clearly competitive reasons. Never I'm guessing.
That's why I used "clearly." Florida has weather and tax advantages. South Beach has, um other scenic advantages.
You said winning before money. Not winning + weather before money. Ohio state income tax rate for him in 2013 is 5.421%. Florida state tax rate is 0. MAX salary for Lebron would be 21,466,718 this year. He's making 19,067,000. Ohio state taxes on that MAX salary would be about 1,170,000. So based on this back of the envelope calc he left about 1.2 mil on the table post tax to go to Miami. I only bring it up since I agree with you for the most part and its very strange for a professional athlete to do this. Only thing going for the Bulls and Melo might be if he's really in his prime. Perhaps he's at the stage of his career where he's willing to leave a little NBA salary on the table for winning. The NBA salary perhaps isn't the biggest deal as much anymore for some of the big time guys given other income sources. That works to the Bulls advantage.
I agree he left money on the table, but a 25 year old single stud athlete moved from Cleveland to Miami. Can we say it was clearly all about winning? Oh hell, I'll give you James. Do you have another? Anyway, it's rare.
I agree. Sorry, wasn't trying to be a stickler, its just the James thing rankles me since before that I agreed with you. I think the other income sources are more important nowadays. An extra million+ take home from his take home salary isn't that important.
Karl Malone, Gary Payton for the Lakers. They took vet minimum. Surely they could have attracted MLE somewhere.
Wade and Bosh took less than MAX. Wade already lived and played in Miami. It looked like it was about winning .
It was totally about winning. In my mind, they circumvented the spirit of the salary cap. When the best player and a top 10 player decide to take less than market value in their primes, something is wrong with the system.
It's the only real precedent for a guy like Melo taking a pay cut for the pleasure of playing for the Chairman. I think no way he takes much of a cut. It can only happen if the Knicks facilitate a S&T. Why they do it, makes no sense unless the bulls seriously sweeten the deal. Like Boozer and Taj and draft picks and we take back Smith. Not sure even then.
