Carmelo Anthony As Free Agent Reportedly In Chicago? Is He Already Negotiating With His New Team? Bulls Coach Thibodeau Also Checks Out Melo’s Former Coaches!

Carmelo Anthony has declared that he will opt out of his contract with the New York Knicks. No sooner has that been reported, he is now checking out Chicago as a possible landing spot and he's thinking of relocating to the Windy City.

A report from ESPN has the former scoring champion making his due diligence:

"New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony is doing his homework on the city of Chicago as the deadline to exercise the opt-out clause in his contract approaches.

According to league sources, Anthony has talked to at least one high-profile person who lives in Chicago about what it's like to be famous in the Windy City."

Changing teams in the NBA is not just about where you play, it also involves complete relocation for a player's family. This is why the other factors about the city like weather, culture and safety also play out in a free agent's decision.

A superstar like Carmelo has earned enough stature to have multiple options. Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles also beckon, and New York will gladly welcome him back with open arms.

But it takes two to tango and according to the Chicago Sun Times, head coach Tom Thibodeau is also making background checks with Melo's former coaches, who remained anonymous). The unnamed coach shared: "There's no question [the Bulls] would be better with [Anthony], with or without his defensive inconsistencies. As I told Tom: 'You're in the East, Tom. Remember, you're in the East.' ''

The East is not as competitive defensively as the West. The first hurdle is winning the conference, of course. The coach suggests that even with Carmelo's deficiency, they can march to the Finals.

''I even told Tom that there may be days he will want to blow his own head off when it comes to Melo's defense, but he keeps saying he knows he can make it work. It's not that Carmelo can't play defense, it's just how often. And he knows every trick in the book on getting around that.''

Is it a match? Will Chicago be 'glam' enough for Melo and wife LaLa? It's a big commitment that involves a boatload of money and a city's renewed hope for a title since Michael Jordan roamed their courts. A decision has to be made.