No Regrets: Despite Expected Cap Increase, Melo Happy With Long-Term Deal
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Carmelo Anthony has no regrets.
As much money as the superstar forward made this offseason -- and he made plenty of money -- he likely could have made even more in the long run if he had signed a short-team deal.
Anthony signed a five-year, $124 million contract in July -- less than the $129 million maximum -- to stay with the Knicks.
LeBron James decided to sign a short-term deal -- $42.1 million over two years -- with his hometown Cavaliers. When his contract expires and he becomes a free agent in 2016, the NBA's salary cap is expected to rise significantly as a result of the league's new nine-year, $24 billion television contract.
So yes, Melo potentially left some money on the table. But he's more than happy to not have to worry about free agency again for a long, long time. And signing a short-team deal was never on his radar.
"I never thought about it," the seven-time All-Star said on Monday. "I didn't want to go back and do what I did this summer (as a free agent). There was stuff on the table, (but there) wasn't a two-year deal discussed. I'm good, man. Five years, I'm good. I don't want to speak on a two-year deal right now. I don't even know why I'm sitting here talking about a two-year deal.
"I'm good. The organization is good. Everybody is in a good place."
The Knicks will finally have some cap space next summer when the contracts of Amar'e Stoudemire ($23 million) and Andrea Bargnani ($12 million) expire.
You May Also Be Interested In These Stories
