Getty Carmelo Anthony #7 of the Los Angeles Lakers talks with Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns.
There has been much speculation about whether the Boston Celtics will add Carmelo Anthony or not. On September 3, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe said Anthony coming to the Celtics was “starting to gain traction.” On September 6, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe said there was “no urgency” to make any additions like signing Anthony. Heavy’s Steve Bulpett provided an inside scoop regarding the Celtics’ interest in Anthony in his mailbag on September 8.
In short, it will depend on how long Gallinari’s recovery will take.
“I’m hearing nothing solid on this front, but if, after getting further word on Danilo Gallinari’s timetable post-surgery, that spot is open, I’d be in favor of bringing Anthony in.”
After Shams Charania confirmed that Gallinari had torn his ACL on September 2, he provided a timeline for when Gallinari could return from his ACL tear following surgery.
On September 2, Steve Hewitt of Boston Herald reported that Gallinari still wants to make his debut for the Celtics during the 2022-23 season.
“The typical recovery timeline for a torn ACL is six to 12 months, but Gallinari is reportedly determined to try to return at some point late in this season.”
As of September 9, Gallinari has not had surgery yet on his torn ACL. When he gets the surgery, his potential return being sooner rather than later could mean that the Celtics won’t sign Anthony as his replacement because they believe Gallinari will be back in time for when they’ll need him.
However, if he’s declared out for the season definitively, bringing in Anthony, who averaged 13.3 points in 69 games with the Los Angeles Lakers last season, might be something worth pondering about.
Bulpett’s Take on Carmelo’s Fit
When talking about the prospect of the Celtics bringing in Anthony, Bulpett compared his state of mind to the one he had when playing for the New York Knicks while bringing up how Anthony could fill in for Gallinari skill-wise.
“Carmelo’s mindset is miles away from the guy just racking up numbers in New York. I believe he’d fit in well with a team that could need some veteran minutes in the playoffs. And, as far as criticism for his defense, well, Gallinari was not exactly expected to be a stopper.
“What the Celts were looking for from Danilo — and can get from Anthony — is a shooter with a steadier hand.”
Anthony made the playoffs three times when playing for the Knick – 2011, 2012, and 2013 – winning a grand total of one playoff series in 2013 against the Celtics. Anthony led the league in points per game during the 2012-13 season, scoring 28.7 points a game. At 38 years old, Anthony’s no longer that player, but based on his stats from last season, he’s proven he can still score.
Bulpett Issues Caution With Hauser
After Himmelsbach said that there was “no urgency” for the Celtics to add someone like Carmelo Anthony, he added that the team will look at other options like Sam Hauser currently on the roster.
“I was told they’d rather see what they have in 6-foot-8-inch second-year sharpshooter Sam Hauser, give a few more minutes to their younger players, and see how some training camp battles unfold.”
Bulpett brought up that despite the Celtics’ optimism for Hauser, they can’t count on him just yet. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have brought in Gallinari.
“It would be nice if Sam Hauser can come in this season and play so well he forces the Celtics’ hand and makes Melo superfluous, but at this point, they can’t count on that. And if the club truly believed that would happen, it wouldn’t have acquired Gallinari in the first place.”
The Celtics have demonstrated their faith in Hauser after they re-signed him to a three-year deal this summer, but he’s only played 26 games and 158 minutes total in the NBA.