Evening News: ‘Melo to test free agency; Iverson will officially retire as a Sixer

In today’s top NBA news stories, Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony says he will opt out and test free agency this summer, and Allen Iverson will officially retire from the NBA on opening night. 

Melo to opt out

In a recent interview with the New York Observer, Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony said that he will be opting out of the final year of his contract this summer, and testing the waters of free agency.

“I want to be a free agent,” Anthony told the Observer “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.”

Just because he is opting out does not mean that he will be leaving New York, however:

“I came to New York for a reason,” Anthony added. “I’ve been with you all my life, almost to a fault. I wanted to come here and take on the pressures of playing in New York. So one thing I would tell my fans: If you haven’t heard it from me, then it ain’t true.”

Put the sentimental reasons to the side for a second, this decision will come down to money. Anthony could make more money with the Knicks than with any other team. If he decides to stay in New York,  he could sign a max contract worth upwards of $129 million dollars, which would be $35 million more than he could earn playing anywhere else. One would think he would be hard-pressed to leave that much money on the table.

Anthony, 29, is coming off his best season as a pro in which he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 67 games for the Knicks. He also edged out Kevin Durant for the NBA scoring title.

There is no doubt there will be a ton of drama surrounding the superstar next summer, but we still have to play this season first, and Anthony and his Knicks are expected to contend for one of the top three playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.

To see where we think the Knicks will finish this year, check out our season preview.

Allen Iverson to retire on opening night

According to a tweet from ESPN’s Chris Broussard, Allen Iverson will officially announce his retirement from the NBA on October 30th at the Philadelphia 76ers’ home opener.

Iverson is widely considered one of the most dynamic scorers in NBA history, and his career mark of 26.7 points per game ranks sixth all time.

You could go on all day about his accolades. He made the All-Star team a ridiculous 11 straight times from 2000-2010, he won four scoring titles, and was even selected to be an All-NBA First-Teamer on three separate occasions.

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The Georgetown product played 10 seasons in Philly, even leading them to a NBA Finals appearance in 2001.

Iverson is one of the toughest players to ever pick up a ball, and his attitude changed the way people thought about the NBA — especially little guys. He was the ultimate warrior, and his will to win rivaled that of no other.

It will no doubt be an emotional night at the Wells Fargo Center on Oct. 30, as AI takes the floor for the final time. The Sixer faithful should no doubt give him a rousing ovation.

This year’s Sixers’ squad could certainly use him, as they will most likely be the one of the two worst teams in the league this year.  To check out our season outlook on them, click here.

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