Carmelo Anthony mentions the Bulls as one of the interested teams in the 2011 trade

Prime Melo almost became a Bull and formed a superstar duo with eventual MVP D-Rose.

© Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Carmelo Anthony’s time as a Chicago Bull has been short-lived. As he was acquired in the midseason of 2018-19 from the Houston Rockets, Melo was immediately waived by the Bulls as they didn't find any significant trade partner for his service.

That was the time when Carmelo was approaching the twilight stage of his career — from being a Hall of Fame talent into a role-playing contributor seeking to still prove his case. The Bulls were focused on rebuilding and had no use for a declining star like Anthony. In hindsight, it was just the wrong moment in time for both sides to unite.

But apparently, there could have been a perfect period for them to ignite a partnership and compete as a frightening powerhouse team in the NBA.

Almost a Bull

In the middle of the 2010-11 season, the league saw a blockbuster trade in which the Denver Nuggets sent Carmelo to the New York Knicks. But before the completion of this massive transaction, the Bulls were working behind the scenes in hopes of obtaining the superstar forward.

Landing an appearance on The Why with Dwyane Wade, Melo mentioned the Bulls as one of the teams that were trying to set up a trade for him out of Denver.

“There's some teams [like] Chicago. The deal was done with the Lakers. Me and Nenê for Lamar Odom and Bynum. That deal was done. I never thought about New York. … When they turned that deal down, now it's like: Oh, y'all don't want me in the West, gonna send me to the East. Get me to New York.”

“The deal never was with New York, the deal was with New Jersey Nets. When it was All-Star Weekend, the deal was with the Nets.”

Carmelo Anthony name drops the #Bulls as a team he was almost traded to in 2011 from the #Nuggets.

The Bulls would’ve acquired Carmelo Anthony coming off their Eastern Conference Finals run 🤯

pic.twitter.com/PrL3jxGzCU

— Die-Hard Chicago Bulls Fans (@DieHardCBfans) February 20, 2024

Melo as a Bull during MVP Rose's ascension

That 2010-11 season saw the meteoric rise of Derrick Rose towards superstardom as he eventually won the league's MVP award by leading the Bulls to a splendid 62-win season. They marched to the postseason as the East's No. 1 team and reached the Conference Finals only to get eliminated by the superteam Miami Heat squad led by their “Big 3” of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.

As it is, the Bulls were required to sacrifice most of their core units to fulfill a Carmelo trade. But with the all-time great scorer at their side, it would have been intriguing how they'll be able to contend for a title and contest their rival Miami squad for the next few years to come.

Report details that the Los Angeles Lakers had the green light from LeBron James to pursue Zach LaVine at this season's trade deadline