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Carmelo Anthony Admits That He Initially Decided To Sign With Bulls

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- You remember it like it was yesterday.

In the months following the 2013-2014 NBA season, then-free agent Carmelo Anthony was wooed by numerous organizations.

At one point it looked as if the seven-time All-Star was going to join the contending Bulls.

It turns out that a deal with Chicago was even closer than you probably thought. It nearly happened.

"It was one part of time where I was just like, 'Yo, I'm going,'" the Knicks' forward revealed in "Carmelo: Made in New York," a documentary that aired on MSG Network on Tuesday night.

The dynamic scorer ultimately decided to stay in New York, signing a five-year, $124 million contract with the Knicks.

"It came down to Chicago and New York," Anthony said in the documentary. "Chicago was the one that, from day one, was something that I was very impressed with. They was looking for a person like me to come in and just take them to the next level. So it was perfect. It was a perfect setup, perfect fit for me in Chicago.

"But then also I had to think about just living in Chicago. Do I want to live in Chicago? Do I want to take everything that I created in New York and move all of that? It came down to that."

The Bulls are doing just fine without Anthony's services. Chicago is 12-7, tied with the Hawks for third in the Eastern Conference.

The Knicks, meanwhile, are in the midst of a nightmarish campaign after missing the playoffs last season. Heading into Thursday night's showdown with LeBron James and the Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden, New York is an embarrassing 4-15.

Anthony is having another stellar season, averaging 23.5 points, 3.3 assists and 6.1 rebounds.

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(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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