ESPN's Chris Broussard reports that Chicago center Joakim Noah tried to sell Carmelo on the idea of joining the Bulls in free agency, citing a source with knowledge of the conversation.

Broussard reports that Noah told Anthony over All-Star weekend, "Look, you could go to Los Angeles but ... if you want to win a ring, come to Chicago."

Anthony didn't offer any guarantees, Broussard reports.

But he did say that he admires how "hard" Noah and the Bulls play and how "hungry" they are. Anthony also added that Derrick Rose is his son's favorite player. Read into that what you will.

Any conversation Noah had with Anthony about coming to Chicago would, of course, be against NBA rules.

NBA players aren't permitted to recruit any other player under contract to play for their team. Though, it should be noted, that any violation of the tampering rule is extremely hard to prove.

Either way, Chicago is one of the most logical destinations for Anthony if he chooses to leave New York in free agency this summer.

The Bulls would have to cut a significant amount from their payroll to have enough salary-cap space to afford Anthony. They could also land Anthony in a sign-and-trade involving Carlos Boozer's expiring contract.

In order to create enough space to sign Anthony, the Bulls would have to amnesty Boozer and then trade either Taj Gibson or Noah to a team that could absorb the salary in order to have enough space to sign Anthony to anything close to a max contract.

Gibson is more likely to be moved if the Bulls were forced to choose between the two bigs. But the feeling from those who cover the Bulls regularly is that it's a long shot at best that the Bulls will clear enough space to land Anthony.

So Anthony would either have to agree to sign a contract worth less than max money or work out a sign-and-trade to land in Chicago.

For what it's worth, Carmelo has said that his first priority is to re-sign with the Knicks, who can offer him a max contract worth $33 million more and one year longer than any other team.

But he's also said he'd be willing to take less money from the Knicks or another team if it meant allowing them to attract other free agents.

The Bulls, with Rose, Noah and coach Tom Thibodeau, would have a nucleus in place to compete for a title.

The Knicks don't currently have the pieces in place to contend. Their hope is to rebuild in the summer of 2015 and surround Anthony with enough talent to make a run in the 2015-16 season.

gunsnewing wrote:Melo is not going to stick around for another year like this one. He will leave or force Dolan into making more bonehead bandaid moves that will set us back for decades

And I bet Melo is smart enough to sniff a bonehead bandaid move a mile away, and will de-rat rather than sink with Doolan.

gunsnewing wrote:Melo is not going to stick around for another year like this one. He will leave or force Dolan into making more bonehead bandaid moves that will set us back for decades

or he could do the right thing and ask for 12-13 million a year since he wanted to be here in the first place but allowed greed to cloud his judgement.

history will not be kind to him if he leaves. i wonder if he cares?

DrAlphaeus wrote:Man, Melo really has the keys, doesn't he? He's had the kind of numbers and health you want going into a contract year. A nice handful of options. From what I'm reading, front runners are Lakers, Bulls, Knicks: all NBA flagships. He can handle the media in any of them. Hard to see him go to a smaller market, the big city helps his bottom line too. Can he play for or Thibs though?

What is the best kind of coach for a guy like Melo anyway?

I really can't fault him for getting his money in the first place. Now he's entering his 30s, we'll see if he thinking about history. You know his old Cuse coach wants him to get some rings. Can he get there with the Knicks?

TeamBall wrote:

DrAlphaeus wrote:Man, Melo really has the keys, doesn't he? He's had the kind of numbers and health you want going into a contract year. A nice handful of options. From what I'm reading, front runners are Lakers, Bulls, Knicks: all NBA flagships. He can handle the media in any of them. Hard to see him go to a smaller market, the big city helps his bottom line too. Can he play for or Thibs though?

What is the best kind of coach for a guy like Melo anyway?

I really can't fault him for getting his money in the first place. Now he's entering his 30s, we'll see if he thinking about history. You know his old Cuse coach wants him to get some rings. Can he get there with the Knicks?

Don't know much about the Bulls but my buddy from Chicago says Thibs would definitely get on Melo if he's not playing how he should and, unlike here, Thibs has the backing of the higher ups and won't have to take it easier on some guys more than others for fear of being fired.

Maybe if Melo really had to hustle for Thibs it would be too hard for him and his game will suffer.

TeamBall wrote:

mreinman wrote:

TeamBall wrote:

DrAlphaeus wrote:Man, Melo really has the keys, doesn't he? He's had the kind of numbers and health you want going into a contract year. A nice handful of options. From what I'm reading, front runners are Lakers, Bulls, Knicks: all NBA flagships. He can handle the media in any of them. Hard to see him go to a smaller market, the big city helps his bottom line too. Can he play for or Thibs though?

What is the best kind of coach for a guy like Melo anyway?

I really can't fault him for getting his money in the first place. Now he's entering his 30s, we'll see if he thinking about history. You know his old Cuse coach wants him to get some rings. Can he get there with the Knicks?

Don't know much about the Bulls but my buddy from Chicago says Thibs would definitely get on Melo if he's not playing how he should and, unlike here, Thibs has the backing of the higher ups and won't have to take it easier on some guys more than others for fear of being fired.

Maybe if Melo really had to hustle for Thibs it would be too hard for him and his game will suffer.

Well I don't know about that. I'm just saying that he'd truly be able to be held accountable unlike here.

Nobody is changing him. Karl tried when Melo was young. He is who he is.

Now, surround him with good to very good players and he can win.

He has become such a lethal 3 point shooter now, he just needs someone who can create and dish for/to him.

Also, 35 minutes a game (max) should help him.