Jim Jackson: Chicago's The Best Fit For Carmelo
(CBS) Former NBA standout and current TV analyst Jim Jackson believes there's a most logical place for Carmelo Anthony to go in free agency.
It's Chicago, which can offer him the opportunity to win big on a relatively youthful team while still being the man, Jackson told the McNeil and Spiegel Show on Thursday morning.
"If you want to win, your options are limited today in where you can go to actually win and fit in," Jackson said. "You really want to win? Chicago is the place right now where you can still be the No. 1 option offensively, but you still don't have to carry the load. Think about it, how good of a passer Joakim Noah is from the post position. How much easier is that on Carmelo Anthony? Derrick Rose comes back. I don't care if he's not completely healthy. How much easier is that to be effective on Carmelo Anthony? Think about it -- you're fresher in the fourth quarter, you don't have to carry the load. Defensively, you're going to have help.
"You have a chance to win right away. You go to Miami or L.A., you're not going to be the first option. It's not going to happen ... From my perspective, if I wanted to win, Chicago is a very viable No. 1 option because the pieces to the puzzle are in place. They just need to sprinkle in a little bit more talent, a guy that can go get it."
Jackson also believes that coming to Chicago would work wonders for Anthony's reputation.
"It helps Carmelo's career," Jackson said. "He comes in, he turns (down a little money) and he's an unselfish player. He's a team player. He doesn't have to carry the load like he does in New York. He's going into his 12th year. So now the perspective changes because now you're considered a winner and you scarified. So in the long run, I think it helps a guy like Carmelo because of what's being built in Chicago. If you ultimately want to win, Chicago's the place right now that's right on the cusp of taking that next step. They're just a player or two away."
Listen to more of Jackson's interview below.