Knicks' Carmelo Anthony wants to test free agency
Carmelo Anthony said he wants to test free agency after the 2013-14 season. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Knicks star forward Carmelo Anthony told the New York Observer he wants to opt out of the final year of his contract after the 2013-14 season and test free agency.
He has two years remaining on his current contract but can opt out of the final season and the $23.3 million he's due if he wants to become a free agent. The strategy could bring the All-Star more money even if he re-signs with the Knicks.
JENKINS: SI Cover Story: Kobe Bryant's Last Chapter
The Knicks can begin negotiating a new contract with Anthony in February. Knicks president and general manager Steve Mills said last month that his biggest priority is extending Anthony beyond this season.
Anthony told the Observer that becoming an NBA free agent would fulfill a dream:
"I want to be a free agent. I think everybody in the NBA dreams to be a free agent at least one time in their career. It's like you have an evaluation period, you know. It's like if I'm in the gym and I have all the coaches, all the owners, all the GMs come into the gym and just evaluate everything I do. So yes, I want that experience."
