Following a two and half hour meeting with the Los Angeles Lakers in El Segundo on Thursday, superstar free agent Carmelo Anthony met with the New York Knicks. Along with the Knicks reportedly offering Carmelo a five-year deal worth $129 million, the veteran forward seems to have liked Phil Jackson’s pitch to get him to stay in New York.
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According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, Carmelo seems to be favoring Jackson’s vision for the Knicks:
All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony probed New York Knicks management on the franchise’s plan to restore a contending roster and left his final free-agency meeting largely aligned with president Phil Jackson’s vision, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Anthony let it be known that he will take his time in making his decision on which team he will sign with. The perennial All-Star will have to weigh his options from a lot of intriguing destinations like Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles and New York.
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A decision is expected after the holiday weekend with the Knicks potentially being the frontrunner after the star forward talked to Jackson and company. New York is the only team that can offer Anthony $129 million with a fifth year which might weigh heavily on his decision that could come as soon as Monday.
As of right now, the Lakers are still in contention for Anthony’s services, but it remains to be seen if Carmelo is seriously considering a move to Los Angeles.
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