Report: Knicks Not Interested In Sign-And-Trade With Bulls For Carlos Boozer
Expectations are that Carmelo Anthony will indeed opt out of the final year of his contract with the New York Knicks and become a free agent this summer, and the Chicago Bulls are the apparent frontrunner in potentially landing Anthony. In order to clear the necessary cap space to make room for someone of Anthony’s caliber, the Bulls will have to clear some salaries, unless there is a sign-and-trade scenario. That scenario would likely need to involve Bulls forward Carlos Boozer, although according to the Chicago Tribune, that’s not what New York wants,
However, league sources continue to indicate that despite Boozer’s expiring $16.8 million deal dovetailing with the Knicks’ plan for massive salary-cap space in 2015, the Knicks have no interest in acquiring Boozer as of now.
Thus, the Bulls might have to sign Anthony, whom everyone from coach Tom Thibodeau to Rose is on board with adding, via outright salary-cap space. Using the amnesty provision on Boozer only nets them roughly $11 million of space, depending on where the cap is set July 1. The Bulls would have to sell off other pieces for nothing in return to create more cap space and would prefer obviously to keep Taj Gibson. So would Anthony should he land with the Bulls.
Boozer averaged 13.7 points and 8.3 rebounds for the Bulls last season.
If Chicago were to pull off a blockbuster trade deal for Anthony, perhaps a three-team deal would be in order. Even with teams like Chicago, Houston, and even possibly Miami courting his services, there is still the possibility that Anthony stays in New York with Phil Jackson, who has the advantage of being able to offer an extra year and about $30 million more than anyone else.
