LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 25: Carmelo Anthony #7 of the New York Knicks makes a pass from the floor as Metta World Peace #15 and Steve Nash #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers try to defend the play during the NBA game at Staples Center on December 25, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
Carmelo Anthony has the support of a notable Hall of Famer.
Insert Steve Nash.
“Melo’s a Hall of Famer,” Nash told Landon Buford of Fanactics View.
“One of the truly great scorers the league’s had. He’s still got something to offer and I hope he lands on a team.”
Carmelo Anthony hasn’t played NBA basketball since November 8, 2018, in a game against his former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Anthony signed with the Houston Rockets last summer after clearing waivers in a trade that shipped him from the Thunder to the Atlanta Hawks. After signing with the Rockets he was later dealt to the Chicago Bulls before the NBA trade deadline.
The 10-time All-Star averaged 13.4 points and 5.4 rebounds with the Rockets while shooting 40.5 percent from the field, 32.8 percent from beyond the arc and 68.2 percent from the free-throw line.
Etan Thomas, the 12th pick by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2000 NBA Draft suggested something similar to me late last month. “I think the media right now is trying to blackball him,” he told Scoop B Radio.” And I’m trying to figure out why.”
The Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony had mutual interests toward the end of last season — until a mound of LA losses occurred. The team has had quite a busy offseason thus far, and six players returned from last season.
That list includes: LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma, JaVale McGee, Rajon Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso.
Lakers newcomers include: Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, Dwight Howard, Danny Green, Avery Bradley, Jared Dudley, Quinn Cook, Troy Daniels and rookie Talen Horton-Tucker.
The Lakers also have a new head coach in Frank Vogel and assistant coach in Jason Kidd.
Carmelo has been working out with members of the Brooklyn Nets in Los Angeles this summer.
The Lakers do have one final roster spot and many believe that Anthony still has some game left in the tank to compete against many of the NBA’s elite.
“He is one of the best 300 players in the world that’s not playing,” TNT’s Kenny Smith told me in April. “You can’t say he’s not one of the best 300 players.”
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While he’s been away from the game, he’s been spending a ton of time going to his son, Kiyan’s basketball games.
“I don’t know if they remember how good of a player he was and still is,” Blake Griffin told Landon Buford last season. “Sometimes it’s the situation. It sucks to see as a basketball player to see people act [as if] he is something [that] he is not.”
Dwyane Wade told me that he wants to see Melo latch on to a team.
Where is that team? “The place that wants him,” newly retired NBA legend, Dwyane Wade told me.
“The place that’s going to allow him to be Melo and understand that he still can play the game of basketball.”