Carmelo Anthony has yet to test the free agent market in his 11-years in the NBA, but that might change according to Rafi Kohan of The New York Observer.
“I want to be a free agent,” Anthony told Kohan. “I think everybody in the NBA dreams to be a free agent at least one time in their career. It’s like you have an evaluation period, you know. It’s like, if I’m in the gym and I have all the coaches, all the owners, all the GMs come into the gym and just evaluate everything I do. So yes, I want that experience.”
Testing the free agent waters doesn’t mean that Anthony will leave the Knicks, it’s only an attempt to maximize his value.
Anthony has two years left in his contract worth approximately $44.7 million. He also has an early termination clause for the 2014 season.
According to ESPN, Anthony is eligible for a five-year, $129 million deal if he decides to re-sign with the Knicks if he opts out this summer. He could leave to play for another team and sign a maximum deal of four years and $95 million.
Anthony made it clear to his fans that he’s not leaving the Knicks.
“I came to New York for a reason,” Anthony told Kohan. “I wanted to come here and take on the pressures of playing in New York. So one thing I would tell my fans: If you haven’t heard it from me, then it ain’t true.”
