Getty Former New York Knicks player Carmelo Anthony waves to the fans in the first quarter against the Miami Heat.
Despite still not having a team as we inch closer to the start of training camp, Carmelo Anthony is hard at work in the gym trying to earn himself another shot. With his market looking barren despite his history as one of the most prolific scorers of his generation, it seems Melo has an uphill climb – though he has looked good in workout videos as the summer has gone on.
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Carmelo Anthony Dominates Lakers’ Danny Green [Video]
Going up often against the Lakers’ Danny Green, Melo flashed his vintage shot creation abilities and showed the ability to rise up and knock down jumpers from all over the court while still being able to put the ball on the court and get buckets at the rim. While Melo likely wouldn’t be handed this much offensive responsibility should he find another home in the NBA, the fact that he still has the skills to give a quality NBA defender the business should hold some weight.
Melo looks to be slightly trimmed down and despite his age, looks to have a bit more of an explosive first step. Given his conditioning concerns over the past few years, this is a much better look for the veteran scorer. While Melo has been known to put on incredible showings in the offseason only to disappoint in the regular season, he seems worthy of at least a veteran minimum flier for a team in need of a scorer off the bench.
Carmelo Anthony Lakers’ Fit
While the Lakers’ roster is currently filled, it wouldn’t be too difficult to create space to bring Melo onboard. That said, with Kyle Kuzma expected to come off the bench and capable of playing both forward spots, it doesn’t look like there would be all too many minutes to go around for Melo. That said, he might be worthy of an end of the bench flier that the Lakers can use on the second unit to get the offense going when things slow down.
Kuzma is a talented scorer but has typically done his best work playing alongside an elite playmaker. The second unit is loaded with three-point shooters and defenders so having a player capable of creating his own look when things go quiet could be extremely valuable. Given his upside, he could very well find himself moving up into a larger role. Especially if he proves he can provide competent defensive minutes and play in a more limited role.
Another possible option could be the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors lost out on some serious talent on the wing this offseason and while Melo is far from the caliber of player that Kawhi Leonard is right now, he could help fill the iso-scoring void that Leonard leaves behind. Without a reliable option they can hand the ball to and let get buckets, Melo could come in and fill a role that would ideally play a bit more to his strengths.