Getty Houston Rockets forward Carmelo Anthony
When the Houston Rockets opt to part ways with forward Carmelo Anthony, it seems his potential list of suitors is beginning to round into shape. Not only that, but he apparently is drawing interest from quite a few strong teams and specifically a few clear-cut playoff contenders as well.
As ESPN’s Marc J. Spears and The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor revealed (h/t Hoop Central), the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers are among a list of five teams interested in Anthony.
The Lakers, Heat, Blazers, Pelicans, and Sixers are said to have interest in Carmelo Anthony if he is waived by the Houston Rockets, per @KevinOConnorNBA/@MarcJSpearsESPN.
This news is interesting considering Spears was recently on ESPN’s ‘The Jump’ and said something quite a bit different when it comes to the Lakers. He did mention both the Heat and the 76ers, though.
“I’d keep my eye on Miami, Philly. Philly’s interested. I am hearing that, not the Lakers. I think the Lakers are done.” Spears stated.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski revealed an update on the Anthony situation, citing that the Rockets will indeed part ways with the forward. Interestingly, he also points out that Houston won’t waive Anthony immediately.
Carmelo Anthony’s brief stop with the Houston Rockets is over, league sources tell ESPN. Anthony will part ways with team, although there are no immediate plans to place 10-time All-Star on waivers. Team announcement is expected before Rockets play Golden State tonight.
While the Rockets have yet to waive Anthony to this point, it’s likely due to the fact that they could be attempting to trade him. By dealing him instead of waiving him, it’d save the team money which could be used to potentially add another player.
Carmelo Anthony’s Best Potential Fits
The Sixers make a fair amount of sense from a need standpoint, but it’s tough to envision Anthony coexisting with Jimmy Butler and Joel Embiid, two scoring-focused players. While Ben Simmons is an exceptional passer, that may just be too many players and too few shots to go around. Anthony’s tenures with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Rockets didn’t pan out for a variety of reasons, but both teams also had players who could score early and often.
It’s tough to ignore the potential fit with the Lakers, simply due to the relationship Carmelo has with LeBron James. Although previous reports have pointed to this not being the expected outcome, we know LeBron has major pull within the organization. If he were to want Anthony in purple and gold, there’s a good chance the front office would at least try to make it happen.
The Blazers and Pelicans seem like two solid options for Anthony, primarily due to their need for second-unit scorers. Either team could be a solid fit for the 34-year-old forward, but the Blazers specifically make sense due to their lack of outside scoring beyond Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.
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Carmelo Anthony Has Strong List of Teams When Rockets Waive Him