Carmelo Anthony on choosing Knicks over Bulls: ‘What’s done is done’
Before returning to New York, Carmelo Anthony almost signed with the Chicago Bulls this summer. It’s probably in his best interests to forget about it.
Forward Carmelo Anthony admitted the end of his free agency this past summer came down to deciding between the Bulls and Knicks. In fact, he thought he was about to sign with Chicago before ultimately remaining loyal to New York. These days, Anthony's Knicks are 5-22, and his comments regarding any reflection back to his free agency isn't the most comforting for Knicks fans.
“No, if I start (reflecting) and saying what if to myself and second-guessing and questioning myself, it won’t be right,” Anthony said. “For me, mentally, it won’t be right, so I’ll not allow myself to sway toward asking myself what if with this situation or that situation.
“What’s done is done. I kind of don’t look at it, I kind of don’t think about it anymore. That’s in the past for me, just a situation that I had to deal with, that I went through this off-season. As far as now and thinking about that situation, it doesn’t even come close to me thinking about that.”
Saying “what’s done is done” isn’t the most positive reflection about his decision to return to the Knicks, though it’s easy to understand where Anthony is coming from. What would looking back do for him other than making him regret his decision, if he’s not doing so already?
Anthony has already shot down rumors about his unhappiness in New York. The New York Post’s Marc Berman suggested the forward was thinking about dropping his no-trade clause in his five-year, $122 million contract that he signed this summer.
The Knicks-Bulls matchup on Thursday night will make those in New York wonder how the Knicks would look sans Melo. Meanwhile, the Bulls could also be wondering if their ceiling would be higher had they signed Anthony rather than going the Pau Gasol route. Arguably, Chicago decided that going down the fork in the road that included Anthony wouldn't have worked.
Anthony made his decision. He’s going to have to live with it for the time being.
