Carmelo Anthony to The Chicago Bulls: Why It Works
While rumors still say that Carmelo Anthony is going to end up signing a three-year, $65 million extension with the Nuggets, every passing day, it is becoming more and more likely he may start looking at other options.
One thing that we have learned this summer is that deals can emerge from nowhere—remember last year when we all thought LeBron would end up in South Beach?—yeah, me neither. So could we be surprised again by 'Melo ending up in a place like Charlotte??
Probably not, but other destinations are quite possible.
Rumors last week had Chris Paul off to New York and recruiting Anthony in the offseason to form a Manhattan version of the Miami Thrice. But the idea of Paul going to New York seems almost dead now and the Knicks would need some creative maneuvers to be able to land him. Without Paul, Anthony probably would have little interest in New York.
As Chris Broussard said about superstars looking for a new home, "People need to stop talking about New York and start talking about Chicago."
The Bulls could be the dark horse and are the best option for all parties involved.
If Carmelo does decide that his time in Denver is up, it will be because he wants to play in a bigger market, and feels that the Nuggets can't be anything more than a mid-seed in the West. The Bulls could provide both a more competitive team and that bigger market.
If Chicago acquired 'Melo, they would be the team to beat in the East.
Their "Big Three" of Rose, Boozer, and Anthony, along with Brewer and Noah in the starting five, and a bench consisting of Kyle Korver, C.J. Watson, and possibly, Tracy McGrady, would certainly be able to take on Miami in the East and perhaps even challenge the Lakers.
Anthony would be a perfect fit for the Bulls' current roster as a big wing who can score at will. With him playing off the pick-and-roll offense created by Boozer and Rose, they would be tough to stop.
Before we get ahead of ourselves though, how would this all go down?
The best part of this idea is that this would probably be Denver's best option too.
They are not going to want to let their franchise player go without any compensation, and therefore a trade makes the most sense.
Chicago, out of all the teams that could take on Anthony's salary, would be able to offer the most for him. The Bulls could send a package of Luol Deng, James Johnson, Taj Gibson, and a set of draft picks . While Deng's contract is hefty, he is still a young and above-average player who would be one of the better replacement options for Anthony. Johnson and Gibson are two young assets who would become instant role players and possible future starters.
While it still seems that Anthony will sign an extension with the Nuggets, if it falls through, it will make sense for Denver to get as much back for him as possible. And 'Melo would be hard pressed to pass up the opportunity in Chicago to be part of a team that could challenge his three friends in Miami.
