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Anthony would take less money to re-sign with Knicks
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony said on Friday that he would be willing to accept less money to re-sign with the Knicks if that would help the Knicks attract big-name free agents, ESPNNewYork.com reported.
“Without a doubt,” Anthony said. “Any opportunity I have to build that up in New York, I’d do it. I told people all the time, always say, if it takes me taking a pay cut, I’ll be the first one on (Knicks owner) Mr. [James] Dolan’s steps saying: ‘Take my money and let’s build something strong over here.”’
Anthony has said that he expects to opt out of the final year of his current contract to test free-agency after this season. However, he said on Friday that re-signing with the Knicks would be his “first priority.”
Under the current rules, Anthony could sign for up to $129,135,806 over five seasons in his next contract.
Anthony suggested Friday that may not be his goal.
“As far as the money, it don’t really matter to me,” he said. “If I go somewhere else, I get paid. If I stay in New York, I get paid. As far as the money goes, it’s not my concern. My concern is to be able to compete on a high level, a championship level, coming in this last stretch of my career. I want to compete at that level. “
By taking less money, Anthony could give the Knicks more cap space to pursue players who are expected to test free agency in the summer of 2015, such as Rajon Rondo and Kevin Love.
