Carmelo: Knicks not signing Wade came down to bad timing

Timing is everything in NBA free agency, and if the New York Knicks had more of a concrete blueprint towards potentially signing Dwyane Wade, perhaps the three-time champion would be suiting up in The Big Apple next season and not The Windy City.

Talking after practice with the U.S. men's national team on Wednesday, Anthony mentioned how his Knicks "had a chance" at locking down Wade, but that they would have had to "pull a rabbit out of a hat" to make it happen, according to the New York Daily News' Frank Isola.

"If it was two days earlier, we probably would have had D-Wade," Anthony said.

The Knicks agreed to terms on a one-year, $5-million contract with point guard Brandon Jennings on July 4, which was two days before Wade committed to his two-year, $47.5-million deal with the Chicago Bulls on July 6. Two days prior to Jennings' agreement, New York landed shooting guard Courtney Lee for $48 million over four years to fill out the vacancy in the starting lineup created by a departing Arron Afflalo.

Wade was reportedly seeking a deal worth at least $20 million each season for two-to-three years, and with the Knicks spending their money on Jennings and Lee, it wouldn't have been feasible for the organization to give the 34-year-old what he wanted without moving some pieces around.

Along with the Knicks, the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Denver Nuggets were all reportedly in the fold for Wade, but the prospect of returning home, paired with his inability to find a financial middle ground with the Miami Heat, ultimately pushed him in Chicago's direction.

It's not as though the Knicks failed in their quest to revitalize their roster this summer by missing out on Wade, as they wound up trading for former league MVP Derrick Rose and signing 2014 Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah.