Unlike James, Anthony's freeze on free-agency talk has reached its end.
In an interview with the New York Observer (via ESPNNewYork.com), the New York Knicks forward, who can opt out of his contract at the end of the year, said he does have interest in free agency.
"I want to be a free agent," Anthony told the New York 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."
Anthony is one in a line of elite players who could hit free agency this offseason. James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, among others, are likely to be on the market this year.
Of that group, though, Bryant and Wade are pretty solid in their current positions. It would be shocking if either Bryant or Wade moved from the Lakers or Heat.
Anthony, James and Bosh's intentions are not quite as obvious, but Anthony has love for New York. He is well aware that rumors will circulate throughout free agency, however.
"I came to New York for a reason," Anthony said. "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."
One consistency throughout free agency cliches is that players are moving to win titles. Anthony's team isn't capable of winning a title as constructed. It's unclear what his thinking on that is, but he isn't putting title pressure on the 2013-14 season.
"I'm not going to put that pressure on myself or our guys to say that it's championship or bust," Anthony said. "I don't want to put a cap on what's a successful season or what's a failure [of a] season for us."
