Carmelo Anthony has revealed the reasons behind his decision not to sign with the Chicago Bulls in 2014.
Instead of joining the Bulls, Anthony returned to the New York Knicks.
Whispers of Disarray in Chicago
Speaking on 7 pm in Brooklyn, Anthony explained his decision. He said, “And a little birdie told me that s–t was about to break up in Chicago. So, I didn’t want to walk into that.”
Anthony elaborated, “You didn’t want to go to no bullshit. Yeah, it was just like, it was a lot of business that wasn’t handled. Contracts, people leaving, and coaches were leaving, it was whispers. So I didn’t want to deal with that. And I was already comfortable here, so the only place I’d have left for would have been Chicago.”
The Bulls, according to Anthony, had unresolved business issues. These included contracts, departures of personnel, and coaches leaving.
The Bulls’ Subsequent Struggles
The Bulls ended up firing Tom Thibodeau the following year after the Cleveland Cavaliers eliminated them in the playoffs. The core group of players also didn’t stay together that long after that.
Anthony’s decision might have been vindicated, but the Knicks also struggled. They didn’t make the playoffs for the rest of the time that Anthony was there.
What Might Have Been
The potential signing of Anthony represents a significant what-if moment for Bulls fans. It’s impossible to know how things could’ve turned out if Anthony decided to sign with them.
The Bulls are now in a different situation. They have some young players on the team who will continue to grow, and they have a chance to select a potential franchise player with the No. 4 pick in this year’s draft.