Carmelo Anthony loves Knicks but wants to explore options, says agent
By Bryan Rose
It’s not known if Carmelo Anthony has officially informed the New York Knicks of his decision to opt-out of his current contract and become a free agent, but it’s pretty clear they’re aware of his intentions regardless. If they weren’t, they certainly are after Melo’s agent, Leon Rose, offered a less than impressive suggestion as to why Anthony decided to opt-out of his deal.
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Speaking to members of the media, Rose informed reporters that while Carmelo Anthony loves the New York Knicks, the city and the fans, he needed to test the waters of free agency at this stage of his career.
“Carmelo loves being a Knick, he loves the City and the fans,” says Rose (via Howard Beck). “At this stage of his career he just wants to explore his options.”
Nobody is going to harp on Anthony for deciding to opt-out of his contract. It’s well within his right however there’s not much more irritating than an agent suggesting the player ‘loves’ the franchise, city and fans that he is open to leaving. I’m not saying Anthony doesn’t think highly of the Big Apple and the Knicks if he is to leave in free agency, but there are things more lustful (like winning) that he holds in a higher regard. And at the end of the day, that’s fine. The NBA is a business and if Anthony doesn’t treat it like such, he’ll be eaten alive. But at the end of the day, nobody really buys into the typical ‘love’ speech we so often hear from pending free agents.