The 2014 NBA Free Agency Rumors & Predictions have taken the limelight after the end of the NBA Finals. We have the most controversial figure of last year's offseason talking about this year's top free agent-that is, until LeBron opts out.

2014 was supposed to be the summer of Carmelo Anthony as no one was really entertaining the possibility of LeBron opting out. But after the embarrassing Finals loss to San Antonio, that could be in play. But in the meantime, Carmelo is the top free agent who has already declared his intention to opt out. Melo has stated that he wants to undergo the process that Howard went through last year.

Dwight Howard is hoping Melo will follow him all the way to Houston, and he's very confident. From USA Today: "I really believe that in this point in Melo's career, he just wants to win. He's done everything - we both have that kind of same mentality to where all the individual accolades, we've got them. We've got a gold medal, he has been in tops in scoring for a while, but those are all individual things. I think at this point he just wants to win, so it would be great to have him here because I know what his focus would be. It's up to him, where he's at in his career. But I want people on my team who are all about winning. That's my focus."

He also recalls a very distinct remark from Melo about him: "One thing he said in an interview a long time ago, I think my first or second year in the league, I remember him saying that if he could play with one guy in the league he would play with Dwight Howard, so you never know."

Now that he is the recruiter, not the recruited what will he do to convince Melo?

"I just think our attitude, and it starts with me. My attitude in the playoffs was a little bit different. I had my fun. I joked around, but I've got to make sure that for 48 minutes on the floor I'm dominating. "

It has been reported by ESPN before that Howard's refusal to play pick and roll spelled doom for the Lakers in the 2011-12 season. He has been a new man in Houston, with no publicized issues. Perhaps that will pull Melo to Texas.