Carmelo Anthony, as has long been rumored, has opted out of the final year of his New York Knicks contract. The small forward will officially become a free agent as of July 1. Clearly money is not the issue for Anthony would earn $23.5 million with the Knicks for the 2014-’15 season. Winning, however, is.
Earlier this year he said, “Championship is the only that’s on my mind, is the only thing I want to accomplish, I want to achieve, and I’m going to do to get that. That’s my motivating factor. Nothing else even motivates me anymore, just that.” Reportedly newly appointed Knicks coach Derek Fisher, who has five rings with the Lakers and played against Anthony when he was with the Denver Nuggets, was instructed by Knicks president, the legendary Phil Jackson, to wear his rings when speaking to Anthony to show what would be possible if he stayed.
Although Miami and L.A. have been mentioned as possible fits for Anthony, most sources think the Chicago Bulls or the Houston Rockets are more likely picks. But the real question is: How will wife LaLa feel about leaving the more high profile NYC for Chicago or, worse yet, Houston?
Since coming to NYC in 2011, where both have substantial roots, the Anthony’s, particularly LaLa, have been fixtures on the social scene. LaLa, who is also known for her VH1 reality series, LaLa’s Full Court Life and her previous days as a MTV VJ and urban radio personality, is currently on a high with her film Think Like a Man Too topping the box office. She even said on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live earlier this year that she thought her husband would “definitely” stay in New York. Now that it’s looking otherwise, can she and her husband both realize their dreams by leaving NYC?