Carmelo Anthony & LeBron James Cavaliers Bombshell Revealed by Former Teammate

Carmelo Anthony

Getty Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James

LeBron James apparently doesn’t have as much pull as we think he does in NBA organizations.

One would assume that when LeBron wants a player on his team, organizations would immediately acquiesce James’ request and make it happen. And while it probably happens more often than not, even LeBron’s pull isn’t enough to get Carmelo Anthony a job.

According to Kendrick Perkins, a former teammate of James during the 2014-15 and 2017-18 seasons, LeBron had requested that the Cleveland Cavaliers add Anthony while he was in Cleveland — only to be rejected and told “no.”

It’s no secret that LeBron is the most powerful player in the NBA. He’s been the league’s best player over the past decade and is the most accomplished active player with three championships, five MVP’s and three Finals MVP’s. Not to mention he’s the wealthiest person in the league with a net worth of $450 million and countless off-the-court business ventures.

But assuming Perkins is telling the truth — and why wouldn’t he be — it’s interesting to see that the Cavaliers backed out on the idea of adding a 10-time All-Star forward. One can assume that this was likely around 2017 when Anthony was still being shopped by the New York Knicks.

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Cavaliers Could Have Traded Kyrie Irving For Carmelo Anthony

This was also around the time that Kyrie Irving had demanded a trade out of Cleveland and the possibility of Irving-for-Anthony was clearly there. Obviously, the Cavaliers didn’t have any interest in inheriting the veteran forward’s $27.4 million cap hit. Anthony would eventually be dealt to the Oklahoma City Thunder, spending one season there before signing with the Houston Rockets.

Anthony’s highly-anticipated tenure with the Rockets would last just 10 games before he was declared inactive until he was traded to the Chicago Bulls and subsequently waived by them before playing any games for the franchise.


Royce White Blasts LeBron James For Anthony Being Blackballed

Another bombshell involving both LeBron and Anthony was dropped just a few days prior when former NBA player and current BIG3 player Royce White went all-in on the idea that Anthony is being “blackballed” by the NBA. He further criticized James for not being able to get his good friend signed — which Perkins has refuted with his claims that James has tried to get Anthony signed, only for the idea to fail.

Here is what White said, courtesy of Landon Buford.

“He is one of those that isn’t like me. He doesn’t talk brash and straight forward like that, but has those morals and principles and he has given the game [a lot] for them not to allow him to play, for them to culturally a decision or an agreement that he is not good enough anymore.

All of us here that played the game at the highest level know how good Melo is and we know that there is no way that the Lakers would go out and sign Jared Dudley and not sign Carmelo Anthony. And another question is: ‘why a guy like LeBron is walking around like he is the face and the voice of the players?’

“How is he letting his Banana Boat Brother hang out there in the wings, and they go and sign Jared Dudley and not Carmelo? If anybody watching this thinks Jared Dudley can hold Carmelo’s jockey strap, I’ll slap them. That’s how I’m coming though!”

While it may appear to everybody else — including White — that LeBron has the power to get anybody signed, that doesn’t appear to be reality.

LeBron has plenty of power. But at the end of the day, his job description is as a player — he is not one of the executives making the final decision.

If Anthony does get a shot with the Los Angeles Lakers, it’ll be Rob Pelinka’s decision — not LeBron’s.

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