Getty Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony still remains a free agent.
We’re roughly a month away from the start of NBA training camp and even Dwight Howard has somehow reunited with the Los Angeles Lakers before the start of the 2019-20 season. While some things continue to change, one thing remains the same — the 10-time All-Star and former scoring champion still remains without a job.
Although Anthony remains jobless, his name remains a talking point among media circles. Anthony’s name especially became a hot topic last week when former NBA player Royce White went in front of a camera and vouched for the 35-year-old veteran, criticizing the Lakers for signing Jared Dudley over Anthony, and even blaming LeBron James for not getting his good friend signed.
You can now add Stephen A. Smith to the list of people who hold it against LeBron for not getting Anthony signed by the Lakers. The ESPN analyst went all-in on the fact that Anthony is still not signed — and he took aim at LeBron for not at least trying to convince the Lakers to sign the veteran forward.
“Why not give him a shot, LeBron? Los Angeles Lakers? And by the way, Royce White, you saw how he wasn’t hesitant to call out LeBron, his Banana Boat buddy. Let me be very clear with what I’m saying. LeBron doesn’t owe Carmelo this. He doesn’t owe Carmelo, fighting for Carmelo to be a Laker. But it would be nice if he did.”
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Why Carmelo Anthony Was Let Go by Rockets After 10 Games
Anthony last played in an NBA game on Nov. 8, 2018. He played in just 10 games with the Houston Rockets before he was abruptly told by general manager Daryl Morey that the Rockets would no longer be using him. He spent months on the inactive list before the Rockets traded him to the Chicago Bulls — where he was then waived without playing in a single game for the franchise.
Smith also details how it’s no coincidence that Anthony was essentially let go after 10 games by the Rockets. He says that analytics people evaluate players on 10-game increments. Morey, the most notorious general manager in the NBA when it comes to sports analytics, is the one who made the decision to move on from the 16-year veteran.
“And by the way — it’s not an accident that it’s 10 games in. For those of you that don’t pay attention to analytics at all, let me explain something to you about the analytical boys. I’m told they analyze and compartmentalize games in 10-game increments,” Smith said.
“So 10 games in tells you a story. Twenty games in tells you a story. Thirty games, 40 games, 50 games in, tells you a story. So it’s not an accident that Carmelo Anthony was let go after 10 games, as opposed to eight or 13 or 14. That 10-game mark, with Daryl Morey being an analytics dude, that’s what they usually do. So if you’re telling me from that perspective, that Carmelo Anthony deserves to go out like that.”
Lakers Have a Roster Spot Open and Could Still Sign Carmelo Anthony
During Smith’s seven-minute rant regarding Anthony being blackballed from the NBA, he also brings up important points about how the veteran forward has gone on record as saying that he’s willing to come off of the bench — it’s just that no one has asked him to. That would seem to indicate that coaches and general managers are automatically assuming that Anthony has an attitude issue and wouldn’t be willing to play a lesser role.
The bottom line is this — Anthony is better than the majority of the players in this league. If he’s willing to take a lesser role, LeBron doesn’t owe it to Anthony, but he should convince the Lakers to sign his Banana Boat Buddy.
With Howard soon to be under contract, the Lakers still have one roster spot open.
Might as well use it on the 10-time All-Star.
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