PORTLAND — Carmelo Anthony joked that the Lakers “got off easy” by re-signing Kobe Bryant to a $48 million contract extension on Monday, before the Knicks lost their sixth straight, 102-91, to the Blazers.  Indeed, it is difficult to place a monetary figure on Bryant’s value to the Lakers, but it is clear Los Angeles believes he can still perform at a high level.  The question is, does Anthony? The Knicks’ All-Star forward intends to exercise the opt-out clause in his contract and become a free agent on July 1. Last month, Anthony all but acknowledged that he’ll either play for the Lakers or re-sign with the Knicks, who can offer Anthony one more year and approximately $33 million more than any other team.  Anthony has to weigh if chasing a title with the Lakers is worth leaving a small fortune on the table in New York.  RELATED: WORST COAST: KNICKS START WEST SWING WITH LOSS TO BLAZERS, NOW 3-10  The Lakers will be under the salary cap next summer even though Bryant’s new deal takes up a large chunk of their space. It is believed that Anthony could receive upwards of $22 million annually if he were to sign a max deal with the Lakers.  BREAKING: The #Lakers and @kobebryant agree to terms on a contract extension. #GoLakers pic.twitter.com/1JiXnrTJ3h  However, the Lakers will have to do some creative maneuvering to put themselves in position to offer Anthony a max deal and remain competitive. According to ESPN.com salary cap expert Larry Coon, the Lakers could have approximately $22.2 million in available cap space in 2014 assuming the cap is set at $64 million and the Lakers decide not to re-sign all of their free agents, including Pau Gasol. The Lakers would also have to get out from under Steve Nash’s deal.  It doesn’t make it impossible for the Lakers to sign Anthony, but Bryant’s new deal certainly complicates matters. Early Monday, Anthony claimed he hadn’t heard the news about Bryant’s next contract but agreed that it was a good deal for both sides.  RELATED: JORDAN BRINGING PURPLE AND TEAL BACK TO CHARLOTTE  “He’s Kobe, man. They did a good deed to him,” Anthony said. “He’s been there his whole career. He wants to bow out there. I think they did him right. It worked out for both parties.”  Bryant is recovering from Achilles surgery and is expected to make his season debut sometime within the next two weeks. The 35-year-old guard has proven throughout his career to have a high threshold for pain. However, the injury he sustained last April was the most serious of his career and considering his age, no one, not even Bryant, knows how he’ll respond.  Few are willing to bet against Bryant but ultimately every player is defeated by Father Time. It happened to Michael Jordan and one day it will happen to Kobe.  “Only time will tell,” Anthony said. “I know Kobe personally. I know how hard he works. I know his mind-set. He definitely wants to come back.  RELATED: ROSE'S SEASON IS OVER AFTER LATEST KNEE INJURY  “I don’t want to say better than what he was before, but more refreshed, body healed and he’s a smart guy. If he wasn’t he would have been playing by now, so he understands the risks of coming back early. He’s going to take his time and when he’s ready to come back he’s going to come back.”  Anthony owns a home in Los Angeles and his wife La La is an aspiring actress who spends a lot of time in Hollywood. A move to the West Coast is possible, especially if the Knicks continue to struggle.  When asked on Monday how he tries to stay positive despite the Knicks’ awful start, Anthony said: “I have no idea. I’m just doing it. I honestly don’t know. That’s just me. I got to be positive. I got to keep a smile on my face. I have to be a rock for my teammates. I don’t know how I’m doing it. I’m just doing it.”  PANIC ‘ATTACK’ Mike Woodson didn’t meet with J.R. Smith to address Smith’s comments that he’s panicking over the Knicks’ slow start, but Woodson joked that he may “punch” the panic out of the shooting guard.  “I don’t like players feeling that way,” he said. “It’s a long season. I’ve been around this thing a long enough time to see where things can turn awfully fast. To be sitting here after 12 games talking about ‘I’m in a panic stage,’ I might need to go punch him out and get that out of his thought process.”
If Carmelo Anthony decides to leave the Knicks and play for the Lakers starting next season, he's going to have Kobe Bryant as a teammate.