Melo stays with the Knicks
MELO STAYS. New York Knicks' Carmelo Anthony smiles during the final minutes the Knicks’ game. The free agent small forward decides to stay with the Knicks. File photo by Jason Szenes/EPA
MANILA, Philippines – After being considered as the top free agent most likely to switch cities, high-scoring forward Carmelo Anthony opts to stay with the New York Knicks.
READ: Holding Court: Melo may be staying, but LeBron may not
Anthony will sign a five-year deal worth over $120 million-plus contract to return to the New York Knicks. Ken Berger of CBS first broke the news on micro-blogging site Twitter.
League source confirms to @CBSSports that Carmelo Anthony has decided to re-sign with the Knicks. "Melo is staying," the person said.
— Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) July 12, 2014Chicago had been in the thick of things since the start of free agency as many believed the Bulls offered him the best chance of winning the title. But after listening to pitches from the Los Angeles Lakers, the Houston Rockets, and then the Knicks, the All-Star forward opted to stay in New York.
The Bulls have since moved on, acquiring the services of Spanish big man Pau Gasol, who spent the last 7 seasons with the Lakers.
Anthony, who has bought in to the vision of Knicks President Phil Jackson, is expected to announce his return on Sunday.
The 30-year-old Anthony is a seven-time All-Star. He has finished top 6 in scoring in the NBA every season since joining Knicks, and top two each of the last two years.
He posted his best-scoring game as a Knick when he set a new Madison Square Garden record of 62 points in a regular season game against the Charlotte Bobcats.
LeBron two-year deal with Cavs
After announcing that he will return to his hometown team Cleveland, LeBron James will sign a two-year deal worth $42 million with the Cavaliers.
THIS JUST IN: LeBron James' deal with Cavaliers will be for 2 years, $42.1 million. (via @WindhorstESPN) pic.twitter.com/5MqJNezHjb
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 12, 2014ESPN reports the deal also gives LeBron the option to become a free agent next season but said that the four-time MVP is fully committed to the Cavs and that the deal was done with the future salary cap in mind.
The goal was for LeBron to re-sign with the Cavs "before the 2016-17 season when a new television deal is expected to create a large jump in value of the maximum contract," the report said. – Rappler.com
