Appearing recently on “The Breakfast Club,” Carmelo Anthony‘s trainer Chris Brickley said that Anthony is still hoping to sign with an NBA team and is being realistic about what sort of role he could play, as Jack Maloney of CBS Sports relays.
“I think teams are afraid of, ‘I want to be the star,’ or ‘I want this.’ That’s not the case, though,” Brickley said. “‘Melo just wants to have a final season, farewell season, do what D-Wade did. Do the jersey swap. He had a great career, he’s a Hall-of-Famer. So hopefully that can happen.”
While Brickley’s comments were well-meaning, they could open up Anthony to unfair ridicule, according to Frank Isola of The Athletic, who says that Carmelo would be better served by speaking for himself. The 10-time All-Star should also be focusing on ways he can help a contending team rather than a farewell tour, Isola adds.
“Can he still play? That’s what teams want to know,” an NBA coach whose team had internal discussions about pursuing Anthony told Isola. “It can’t be about a farewell tour.”
The question of whether Anthony can add value to a playoff team is on the mind of various team executives, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. As Charania explains, those execs want to know if the 35-year-old would be willing to accept a role where he sits on some nights and thrives in other games, based on matchups.
“‘Melo could fill a spot on most second units, but what kind of role works for both sides?” one executive said to Charania.
Charania’s look at Anthony’s future includes several more interesting tidbits, so let’s round up up the highlights…
- If the Knicks had landed two star free agents this summer, they would have considered bringing back Anthony, league sources tell Charania. Now that the team has gone in a different direction, that no longer looks like a viable option. However, some executives believe that if Anthony doesn’t find another NBA home, he could sign a one-day contract to retire as a Knick.
- The Lakers are the only other team that currently looks like a potential suitor for Anthony, due to his friendship with LeBron James, but that’s viewed as an unlikely scenario, given the team’s depth at forward and on the wing. The presence of Kurt Rambis in the front office may be a factor as well — Charania notes that Rambis was with the Knicks during Anthony’s final “tumultuous” stretch in New York.
- Anthony’s camp had conversation with USA Basketball about Carmelo being part of Team USA’s World Cup squad in 2019. Both sides ultimately decided not to go in that direction though, says Charania.
- Last season, a team in the Chinese Basketball Association was prepared to offer Anthony a deal that would have paid him nearly $1MM for several weeks of work, a source tells Charania. However, those discussions never gained traction and multiple agents who do deals with clubs in China are skeptical that Anthony would go that route, Charania writes. If he were interested in playing in the CBA, Anthony would likely receive lucrative offers.
You see, here’s what happens when you’re a Cancer and you get shipped out of town. You don’t have a home. There’s no farewell tour and Jersey exchange. What team gives him that? Who’s his home team?
And actually, not saying this is Carmelo’s attitude because it’s the trainer speaking, this shows more selfishness on his part as the New York writer points out. Rather than looking to help a team he wants a farewell tour for himself.
Well said.
If he wanted his farewell tour, then he should’ve suited up for the Bulls.
Why not a 1-yr deal with the Wizards? Close to home, play your one year, do your tour and then retire. No winning team is going to sign him and the Wizards won’t be winning this year so it makes a perfect fit
Cause he could go to the Hornets and be the best player on the team…by a long way.
Huh?
Melo would be the worst player on most teams.. by a long way.
OKC trades Chris Paul and Roberson to Minny for Teague and Dieng. Then Minny signs Melo for the veteran minimum so he can play with Paul.
Or better yet just fold the franchise.
How about the Warriors? They need some scoring until Klay comes back. He can’t give you 22, but maybe 12 per? If he comes in shape, gives an effort on d? I don’t know… makes some kind of sense?
I think they pass the ball under Kerr.
It’s just too bad he can’t play defense to save his life
Or offense
That’s a shame, the Team USA version of Melo was a national treasure
Raptors? They have enough guys that play D, and need another spot up shooter who can also ISO occasionally. Winning culture.
Would be an interesting project for the Champs.
Might be better just using Vince Carter as sparingly + he plays D
“I think teams are afraid of, ‘I want to be the star,’ or ‘I want this.’ That’s not the case, though,” Brickley said
Well that’s nice, but what I want to know is, what kind of shape is he in????
He’s always had baby fat or looked like he could spend a bit of time in the weight room.
If he is in the best shape ever, I would consider signing him
If he is a flabby man, then no dice.
The comments about a farewell season à la D-Wade are preposterous. It’s doubtful whether there was any team seriously thinking about hiring Melo, but such a statement surely won’t help.
He had his chance last year. Didn’t want to play.
The comments about a farewell season à la D-Wade are preposterous. It’s doubtful whether there was any team seriously thinking about hiring Melo, but such a statement surely won’t help.
Hard to feel sad for Carmelo since he made his own bed. He could have taken a sacrifice in pay to allow the Nix to get him some help, but he prioritized his own gain, after he did the same thing by demanding a trade to New York in the first place. One of the best pure shooters ever, but in some ways he deserves to go out not with a bang, but a whimper.
Hope Melo gets what he wants… he deserves it he is a first ballot HoF & a true legend of the game… why all the hate? Ahhh one forgets all the trolls under the bridge…
I don’t know… he is a hof’er. No doubt. But he’s always put himself above the team. His legend was greater in his own mind than in reality. He had a good thing in Denver… that was a fun team. New York never embraced him because he did not refuse to lose. He never sold out for the “w.” He goes down as a great scorer. Like Bernard King. But not an all time great player.
Melo was a great shooter that had a decent career. But he doesn’t deserve a farewell. He gave up what he had in Denver similar to what Wade had in Miami. He isn’t Dirk, beloved by a team and fan base. Tell me any young player that says he wanted to be Melo?
You get back what you put into game, end of story.
Never even came close to a title. What did he win like 1 playoff series his entire career?
Sad for Melo but nobodys buying. Most old guys who somehow find a home on a team at least add locker room morale. Melo is literally the opposite of that. Time to pay the piper
He obviously doesn’t want to play based on last year (quit on HOU, passed on suiting up for CHI, passed on signing with LAL)
More likely hes mad at Brickley for running his mouth.
Retire today melo so you can start your farewell tour! Goodbye!!
Back to Rockets? Magic?
I hear Oklahoma really misses him
Chauncey Billups said it best “Melo could win and have 20, 22 pts and be mad he didn’t score 30 and lose while having 36 and be in the locker lifting the other guys up”.
Shouldn’t he be more concerned about trying to win a title rather than pumping up his ego with a farewell your? Not surprised though since that’s always been his problem-me first,team second.maybe he should sign in Memphis and team up with Dwight Howard.
I always think of old-timey “per-game” stats when I think of Melo. That, and snitches, and the ’03 title.