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NBA roundup: Anthony to become free agent
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
As expected, New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony will opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Anthony will file an official notice on Monday, according to multiple reports. Anthony would have been paid $23.5 million for his final year with the Knicks. Instead, he will test the free-agent market and could land with the Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks or Miami Heat.
Anthony has been doing research on the city of Chicago, according to ESPNNewYork.com. Anthony has reportedly spoken to at least one high-profile person who lives in Chicago about what it is like to be famous there.
Likewise, the Bulls have reportedly conducted their own research of Anthony recently. Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau has contacted some of Anthony’s former coaches to ask about him, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
—Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay has decided to exercise his $19.3 million contract option for the 2014-15 season, Yahoo Sports reported.
The Kings acquired Gay from the Toronto Raptors in February. He averaged 20.1 points a game for Sacramento. In his eight-year career, Gay has averaged more than 18 points and five rebounds per game.
The Kings hope to build on a solid nucleus that includes the 27-year-old Gay, center DeMarcus Cousins and point guard Isaiah Thomas.
Gay has postponed talks of signing an extension until later this summer. He could be in line for a four-year deal worth between $50 and $60 million.
—Chicago Bulls star point guard Derrick Rose, who missed nearly all of the past two seasons with knee injuries, is playing 5-on-5 daily and has no practice restrictions, according to CBSSports.com.
One source said Rose “looks like the old Derrick Rose.”
Rose recently told the Chicago Tribune he would be ready to play if the regular season began now, fully recovered from his second season-ending knee surgery in two years.
Rose is shooting for a return to Team USA this summer.
