Getty Is Carmelo Anthony's tenure as a member of the New York Knicks coming to an end?
Carmelo Anthony has not played in an NBA game since November 8th.
The third overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, Anthony’s last appearance was as a member of the Houston Rockets in aNovember 8th matchup against his old team, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Melo scored two points and hauled in five rebounds in the Rockets’ loss.
What’s next for Melo?
“When the time is right he will speak out,” a source close to Carmelo Anthony shared with me via e-mail recently.
“I’m sure [retirement is] coming soon. I’d be sitting lying to you if I said it’s not coming soon. I think I want it to come soon. I don’t think I want to do this forever, but because you love it so much, it’s hard to give it up. At the end of the day, at anything you do, when it’s your time to go, it’s your time to go. But as long as you feel good with that.”
Is Melo chopped liver? He’s a 10-time NBA All-Star with career averages of 24 points and 6.5 rebounds.
What’s the problem?
“Analytics is what did that to him,” Memphis Grizzlies swingman, CJ Miles told NBA reporter and Basketball Society Online scribe, Landon Buford.
“He is a bucket that is what he is. I understand the situation went a certain way, but he still is Melo. He still has a lot in his tank and he can still play this game. I think situations have gone his way, but the slander talk is crazy a lot of the time.”
Miles’ thought process mirrors Knicks captain Lance Thomas, a former teammate of Melo’s.
“I would just love for him to get the respect he deserves,” Thomas told me in December of Anthony.
“He’s a great player, he’s a great teammate, most importantly he’s a great human being and he’s always been a great advocate for the NBA as a brand. So I just want him to get back on a team and play the sport he loves that’s paved a way for him and his family, and he just loves to play basketball, so I really want him back on a team.”
“This is a guy who is probably to this day, one of the hardest guys to guard in isolation type of situations,” Portland Trail Blazers guard Rodney Hood said recently.
The Lakers had been leaning toward signing Anthony for the rest of the season — until a mound of losses occured that make it seem that there’s less of a chance the Lakers will make the NBA Playoffs this season.
Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:
“The Los Angeles Lakers and free agent Carmelo Anthony are pausing talks on a possible contract agreement unless the franchise makes a turn back toward pursuit of Western Conference playoffs contention.”
So if not the Lakers, then who could Anthony sign with?
Boston Celtics
Esteemed Boston Globe writer, Gary Washburn likes the idea of Melo to Boston.
Washburn’s case is simple. After a small revival before the All Star break, Gordon Hayward sprained his ankle and hasn’t been able to regain that momentum. Marcus Morris has also been a prolonged slump after starting the season white hot. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Anthony and the Lakers have paused talks on bringing him onto a sinking ship, but by all accounts, he’s healthy and in game shape. Melo doesn’t necessarily have to have positive effect on the floor; he’s widely considered a beloved player around the league and could mentor the young players.
Los Angeles Lakers
With news that LeBron James will be on a minutes restriction, would Melo be worth it?
It’s a reasonably high chance,” Bleacher Report contributor and NBA capologist, Eric Pincus told Scoop B Radio in January.
“If a roster spot does open up, you can pretty much lock up that Carmelo Anthony will end up with the Lakers.”
For context: Anthony was supposed to join the Lakers if Anthony Davis was traded to the LA Lakers.
That never happened.
Philadelphia 76ers
Carmelo Anthony has averaged 24 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3 assists in his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets.
“The Sixers would give it a lot of consideration,” NBA insider, Chris Sheridan told me on the Scoop B Radio Podcast back in the fall.
“Again Melo has to come off the bench.”
Lots have changed since Sheridan appeared on the Scoop B Radio Podcast.
The Sixers expanded their front four of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler are nightmares for opposing teams.
Some believe Philly has a chance to compete with the Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers added Enes Kanter to an already potent roster of Damian Lillard, Jusuf Nurkic, C.J. McCollum and Evan Turner.
TNT’s Charles Barkley and Kenny ‘The Jet’ Smith also believe that Rip City is the real deal!
Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith both think the Blazers are making the NBA Finals
Could Melo fit with Portland? He’s already got a fan in Blazers shooting guard, Rodney Hood.
“I think he can definitely help a team especially when playoff time comes,” Hood told Dallas Mavericks reporter, Landon Buford.
“He is a veteran, so I hope he lands on his feet.”
San Antonio Spurs
Spurs head coach, Gregg Popovich and Carmelo Anthony do have a relationship from their time together with Team USA Basketball.
“I think he will fit in there system,” NBA insider, Chris Sheridan told Scoop B Radio this fall.
“But I think he wants to go somewhere where he’s a difference maker. But if he wants a difference, chances it would be Portland.”
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Carmelo Anthony Free Agency: NBA Teams That Could Sign Ex Knicks All Star