Seeing that LeBron James is about to sign a contract with the Cavs that would allow him to opt out after three years, Carmelo Anthony is now thinking that he’d like to do the same. Deals can’t be signed before tomorrow, and Carmelo had previously agreed to sign a five-year deal with the maximum $80 million… but he may have had a change of heart.

By signing the deal with the opt-out possibility after three years, LeBron gives up some guaranteed money, but gives himself the option of seeing what the Cavs are going to look like in three years, and also the ability to cash in a little bit more if the salary cap goes up (as I’d expect it would) in three years.

And I am not one of the people who believes that it’s automatic that the Cavs are going to be winning titles soon. They’re not that close yet… it only appeared that they were, in part because the Pistons team that they pushed turned out to be wildly overrated. So I think LeBron has the right idea, but I don’t know if it’s the right road for Carmelo… LeBron will certainly make up for the lost money in endorsements, and Carmelo won’t have quite the same opportunities. And Carmelo doesn’t live in that same “make any team he’s on an immediate contender” neighborhood as LeBron, Dwyane Wade, and Darko.

And speaking of Wade, I think he’s the one with the most to gain from a shorter contract. What if Shaq retires after next year… and Wade’s on a team with no Shaq, no Alonzo Mourning, no Pat Riley. The present looks good for the Heat, but I don’t know about the future. That’s not to say that they can’t make some moves in the next three years, but if I was in Wade’s shoes, I’d make them prove it to me.