The Miami Heat are playing the Spurs in the NBA Finals, but that hasn't stopped the team from thinking about the future and ESPN reports that Carmelo Anthony could be a free agent target this summer for LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade to form a Big 4 after winning championships with the Big 3 and the team is poised to try and woo Melo away from the NY Knicks if he opts out this summer.
Anthony has the chance to opt out of his contract and according to ESPN.com, the Miami Heat have started discussing the idea of bringing in Carmelo Anthony while keeping James, Wade and Bosh in Miami as well. The report says that all three would have to opt out and re-sign with the team to make that work, but with the way the Heat operate, there is a chance they could make it happen. James and Anthony are longtime friends and James said he was interested in playing with Anthony, but the tough part is that Anthony can't speak officially to Miami until July 1 and he will have to inform the Knicks of his choice on June 23.
The Knicks are coming off of a terrible season and they missed the playoffs in a very bad eastern conference and now that Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher are in the fold, there is some optimism at Madison Square Garden, but all of that could hinge on Anthony. The Knicks still will be able to try and maneuver to sign players if Anthony leaves and it's not the end of the world, but the idea of Anthony leaving New York just a few years after getting traded from the Denver Nuggets would be devastating to the fan base. Jackson has met with Anthony and now that Fisher is in the fold he will as well.
Anthony has a major decision to make and it is within the realm of possibility that he could leave the Big Apple, especially the way this season went. The Knicks started the season 3-13 and it took all the way through the end of the year to even get close to getting out of that hole and the team still missed the playoffs, which was the first time in Anthony's career that he has missed the postseason. Anthony had another good season while averaging 27 points per game and he must be disappointed after the way the team performed after the success they had last season, winning the division and 54 games, their most in years.
Anthony has never had the chance to be a true free agent and even if the Knicks do keep him, Anthony could opt out to test the waters. Reports have suggested that Jackson also is holding out hope that Anthony will opt in for another year and delay his free agency until 2015, which would allow for some building and more time to get the ducks in a row for the team. The Knicks can offer Anthony the most money and the longest contract, but as he gets close to 30 he may want to start competing for championships and right now the Knicks appear to be a couple years away from that and with James in Miami, the Heat will continue to be the top team in the east.