"If he's going to test it, he's got to test it. That's on him," Woodson said on Thursday. "But at this point he's got to worry about this season and this season only because that's what's staring him in the face."

Anthony has indicated that he will opt out of the final season of his contract with the Knicks and test free agency this summer.

He said earlier this season that he wouldn't discuss his plans for the summer. But he addressed the topic on Thursday after a New York Observer story quoted Anthony as saying he wants to be a free agent.

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"It's definitely an opportunity that I'm willing to explore and experience," Anthony said on Thursday. "That not whatsoever means that I'm not coming back to New York or I don't want to be here in New York. So I don't want nobody to get that impression."

Woodson doesn't think Anthony's pending free agency will be a distraction this season. And he hopes it doesn't impact Anthony's performance on the court.

"It shouldn't weigh on him. Melo's going to be fine. He's put himself in a great position. ... We're expecting big things from Melo. It's been that way since I've been here and it's not going to change," the coach said. "He's a major centerpiece of what we've done here the last few years I've been here. That's important. (His performance) weighs heavily on this season."

Woodson had said that he thinks Anthony won't ditch the Knicks in free agency.

"I don't see him leaving. That's just my thought," Woodson said.

Anthony has two years remaining on his contract but can opt out of the final season, worth $23.3 million.

If he decides to opt out, Anthony can make more money if he re-signs with the Knicks instead of another suitor. With the Knicks, he could ink a a five-year contract worth $129,135,806. If he signs with another team, the maximum he can earn is $95,897,372 over four years, according to calculations by ESPN salary-cap expert Larry Coon. Those numbers are based on the assumption Anthony, one of the top scorers in the NBA, will sign a max contract.

The Knicks can begin negotiations with Anthony on an extension in February. But if Anthony decides to opt out, New York will likely have plenty of competition for his services.

ESPN.com reported over the summer that the Los Angeles Lakers would target Anthony and LeBron James in the summer of 2014 if both stars decide to explore free agency.
Other teams with the requisite cap space would surely target Anthony as well. The 10-year veteran led the NBA in scoring last season with 28.7 points per game.

Some have speculated that Anthony would consider leaving New York after this season if the Knicks failed to make it out of the second round of the playoffs in 2013-14. In Anthony's first year in New York, following the blockbuster 2011 trade that brought him to the Big Apple, the Knicks were swept in the first round.

Last season, Anthony led the Knicks to their first postseason series win in 13 years. New York lost to Indiana.

Thus far, Anthony has declined to elaborate on how the team's performance this season may impact his decision.

He was asked late last month how he would define a "successful" season for the Knicks.

"I'm not going to put that pressure on myself or our guys to say that it's championship or bust," Anthony said. "I don't want to put a cap on what's a successful season or what's a failure [of a] season for us."

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/9839692/new-york-knicks-coach-mike-woodson-wants-carmelo-anthony-just-play

"It's definitely an opportunity that I'm willing to explore and experience," Anthony said on Thursday. "That not whatsoever means that I'm not coming back to New York or I don't want to be here in New York. So I don't want nobody to get that impression."

Papabear wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:To be honest i wouldnt be sad if he left. Melo is what he is. he is a top scorer however the other aspects of his game are flawed as well as his playoff record. I wouldnt give him a bloated contract that may hamstring us like during the isiah thomas days

Papabear Says

Who are you going to get to take his place? Names please.

Kyrie in 2014 would be an improvement in my opinion. But I'm
Not sure we can pry him from the Cavs. Maybe through a trade.

Papabear wrote:

Dagger wrote:

Papabear wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:To be honest i wouldnt be sad if he left. Melo is what he is. he is a top scorer however the other aspects of his game are flawed as well as his playoff record. I wouldnt give him a bloated contract that may hamstring us like during the isiah thomas days

Papabear Says

Who are you going to get to take his place? Names please.

Kyrie in 2014 would be an improvement in my opinion. But I'm
Not sure we can pry him from the Cavs. Maybe through a trade.

Papabear Says

Bing Bing bing wrong. He is not coming to New york.

I didn't realize you and him were so close. Are you part of his "inner circle"?

Dagger wrote:

Papabear wrote:

Dagger wrote:

Papabear wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:To be honest i wouldnt be sad if he left. Melo is what he is. he is a top scorer however the other aspects of his game are flawed as well as his playoff record. I wouldnt give him a bloated contract that may hamstring us like during the isiah thomas days

Papabear Says

Who are you going to get to take his place? Names please.

Kyrie in 2014 would be an improvement in my opinion. But I'm
Not sure we can pry him from the Cavs. Maybe through a trade.

Papabear Says

Bing Bing bing wrong. He is not coming to New york.

I didn't realize you and him were so close. Are you part of his "inner circle"?

yes he is... that is, when the ursine god is not preoccupied polishing his caddy rims, sipping hennessey, and studying the sex positions by astrological sign on his blacklight poster.

StarksEwing1 wrote:To be honest i wouldnt be sad if he left. Melo is what he is. he is a top scorer however the other aspects of his game are flawed as well as his playoff record. I wouldnt give him a bloated contract that may hamstring us like during the isiah thomas days

+1. Great scorer, but over-rated player. Rather have a 2-way player who is a top ten scorer than a guy like Melo. Plus, his scoring title is NOT based on efficiency.

Papabear wrote:Papabear Says

If Melo opps out and don't resign we a screwed. I know this is what the haters want. However they keep saying we can rebuild. When have the knicks rebuilt? If Melo left we will become a lottery team with no picks. The only way for us to get another star will be for Melo to resign. With him resigning he will attract other stars. If he leaves nothing but over paid has beens will come here.

StarksEwing1 wrote:

Papabear wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:To be honest i wouldnt be sad if he left. Melo is what he is. he is a top scorer however the other aspects of his game are flawed as well as his playoff record. I wouldnt give him a bloated contract that may hamstring us like during the isiah thomas days

Papabear Says

Who are you going to get to take his place? Names please.

I dont hate the guy or anything. However i am very weary of overpaying a player into his mid 30's when we havent had any real playoff success with him either

What choice do we have?? Rebuild?? no draft Picks? 40 years of nothing. What make you think that Dolan will change?? Melo is as good as it's gonna get. Now because of Melo our only hope is that if we really think that Melo won't resign after he opts out we will have to trade for first round picks this season but no one really knows what he will do. If Melo leaves this team after all we gave up which really ain't that much to get him except for picks I will be very disappointed.

Papabear wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:

Papabear wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:To be honest i wouldnt be sad if he left. Melo is what he is. he is a top scorer however the other aspects of his game are flawed as well as his playoff record. I wouldnt give him a bloated contract that may hamstring us like during the isiah thomas days

Papabear Says

Who are you going to get to take his place? Names please.

I dont hate the guy or anything. However i am very weary of overpaying a player into his mid 30's when we havent had any real playoff success with him either

Papabear Says

What choice do we have?? Rebuild?? no draft Picks? 40 years of nothing. What make you think that Dolan will change?? Melo is as good as it's gonna get. Now because of Melo our only hope is that if we really think that Melo won't resign after he opts out we will have to trade for first round picks this season but no one really knows what he will do. If Melo leaves this team after all we gave up which really ain't that much to get him except for picks I will be very disappointed.

Everyone knows how this will play out. Melo will opt out. Knicks will resign him. He will make his $25mm a year, Knicks will win their 48-52 games a year and get bounced in the first round when our star shoots 10-35 half the games, averages 30 points and cries because he has to do it all himself. We have seen this script for a decade plus now.

Its almost cute how some think its going to be different year after year, but papabear knows better as he mentions above.

Why try to draft and build? Just take your playof berth every year and be happy. Titles are for the Spurs or the Heat or the Bulls or the Lakers or franchises who actually build teams to win them, not just generate advertising revenue on their cable stations.