We’re eight weeks out from the start of the 2019/20 NBA season and Carmelo Anthony remains unsigned. There’s a perception that Anthony isn’t willing to simply be a role player, something that he’ll need to accept if he’s going to join a new team, but efforts are being made to change that perception.
Anthony has made sports talk show appearances this summer claiming that he is willing to play any role a team asks of him. According to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, his camp is now lobbying for him behind the scenes as well. Those close to Anthony are fighting the negative perception “aggressively,” Deveney writes. Carmelo’s camp is contending that he won’t be a distraction if he doesn’t get scoring opportunities or even minutes on some nights.
Anthony’s last few stops in the NBA have not had storybook endings. He was made a scapegoat for the underachieving Thunder during the 2017/18 season and his run with the Rockets during the 2018/19 season lasted just 10 games. Those came after an uninspiring end to his Knicks career.
Anthony has shown he can handle being a role player, though it’s only come in small sample sizes. On many occasions during his four Team USA stints, he thrived without a high usage role. Can he do that over an 82-game season? He’s claiming he can.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, both of whom have played with ‘Melo during international contests, have reportedly lobbied for the Nets to sign him. GM Sean Marks and coach Kenny Atkinson have kept an eye on Anthony and the duo was reportedly impressed by the future Hall-of-Famer’s game.
Any team that adds Anthony will see an increase in its media attention. Reporters are going to ask him about his role and whether he is enjoying his time on the team among other topics. Anthony’s camp is arguing that he’ll be a net positive in this area.
“He’s got a lot of friends in the league, he is liked by other players. He’s got friends in the media. He doesn’t get into trouble off the court, he never has. [His camp is] really disputing this whole idea that he’s a team cancer,” a source tells Deveney.
Not many players could match prime ‘Melo on offense. Now, he’s seemingly ready to embrace the idea that there’s more to the game – both on and off the court – than scoring. Whether it’s with Brooklyn or another team, it would be surprising if the 10-time All-Star doesn’t get another chance in the league.
Raptors should sign him. Imagine the attention they would get and if he succeeds the kawhi type praise he’d receive.
/sarcasm
Carmelo is washed up and a headcase. There’s no fixing this perception. He is what he is. In Brooklyn or LAL it would be nothing but drama drama drama. Really hoping one of them gets it
Well that’s a really negative thing to say.
He should of thought about that all the time he has poured and/or demanded a trade. He never won anything. Complete locker room me first cancer.
I don’t get people calling him a cancer. That word is used too casually about players. There are players that are locker room cancers and Melo isn’t one of them. Save it for the players who deserve it.
He did everything he could to destroy the Knicks when he got mad. he didn’t care that everyone suffered and that the team still suffers today because he was angry and was going to have revenge no matter what.
He then poisoned Porzingis and blocked trades until he got Jackson fired and trashed his reputation even though Jackson is the only one of the two who has ever done anything in the NBA.
He cares more about his image and feelings than the team or teammates.
He defines cancer.
Please do not defend Phil Jackson to me. I might lose my mind.
Phil was a cancer. He did his part and then some to destroy the franchise.
His record doesn’t need my support just like Melos failures can’t be glossed over by your revisionist history.
The only problem with Phil is that melo is a cancer who invested everything in destroying Phil’s legacy which people like you were shallow enough to buy. Jackson trusted Melo had a soul of a winner hidden away somewhere and bet his job on it.
He was wrong and Melo thanked him for his faith by dedicating his NBA career to trashing him.
Delusional
Yea bc forcing the triangle offense down NYK’s throats worked. Phil took the 10M a year and didnt even go to see prospects he drafted.
If he was useful to someone, he would have a roster spot. Fact is, he’s not a good enough shooter to offset his glaring inadequacies on defense. He’s a dinosaur. And he’s finished.
Even after Nene turns 37 next week, he will have more to offer when he returns to the Rockets next season than Melo would no matter where he goes.
Oh boy! All the haters & trolls in this site are out in full force!!!
I bet more than half of them would still like to see him back somewhere, if only to react when he comes into a game.
He should re-sign with the Rockets they will be like a G-League team this year they haven’t won anything in like 78 years
Mid-90s. Learn your history.
Yeah maybe the 1890’s bruh
Wrong. Hakeem Olajuwon’s Rockets won 2 titles in the mid-90s.
Now you’re just making up names…that sounds like a Star Wars character not a basketball player come on bruh
Damn, what has happened to this site?
It’s full of people that obviously can’t detect sarcasm
Go to Reddit. Lots of people like you there. Do you have anything hoops related to say?
I’ve started this campaign because of a certain Rockets homer that does nothing but bash the Lakers on here and I’m sick of it…hoops related? Your calling Phil Jackson a cancer shows your hoops knowledge is lacking…the man is an 11 time champion head coach so when he implements something you follow it, if not you remain the doormat of the NBA
The triangle offense was so far out-dated when he tried to implement it. The entire league knew it. And the way he went after Melo publicly was cancerous. Phil had a good coaching career. But he was a nightmare as a GM. To not admit that totally discredits any opinion you would have. Him being a terribly GM was the consensus. You are his only defender as a GM. Rub your eyes. See what the rest of us are seeing.
His only defender? Doubtful…I would’ve ridden out the storm with him and let things play out a bit…they had a roster full of players that didn’t buy into the system and the real problem in NY is Dolan…I’m pretty sure if the triangle was so outdated the surprise would’ve worn off after maybe his first 3-peat
Really comes down to his dedication to play defence imo. If he can bring energy for ~12 minutes and actually play competitive defence, he could definitely be a stretch 4 in the league.
Considering that he’s got well over a decade under his belt of not showing any dedication to playing defense, I’d wager that he will not suddenly care about it.
There’s a reason he isn’t signed yet….
Winning trumps everything in the NBA.
The Melo haters always kill me. I am a Knicks fan, and wasn’t excited when they landed him, but he was nothing but classy in the City. His teammates like him, and the way he dealt with Phil Jax’s idiocy showed his ability to be the bigger man.
Rockets players, along with PG13 have come out and said the Melo took an unfair amount of blame for the failures of both teams.
I will listen to an argument over whether he still has value as a player, but cut the trolling garbage about him being a bad guy and a cancer.
Idk, drama does seem to follow the guy around. He may not a bad guy personally or anything, but there’s been a lot of questionable stuff surrounding him concerning coaching/team etc…
He does get into it with coaches quite frequently. George Karl (who may be a headcase himself) in Denver, Kurt Rambis while in NY, Phil Jackson (same, could possibly be a headcase himself) Maurice Cheeks in OKC. Widely reported from outside and inside the locker room that he didn’t really care for Jeremy Lin.
You either didn’t follow the team when he was he or you just aren’t being honest. that’s a bunch of baloney.
With the guard play Portland has. Melo would be a good fit on the stretch.
My advice to Melo (and his “camp”): Stop talking about Melo (what Melo wants, what Melo will accept, what Melo won’t be or won’t do). Start talking about the teams you think might be interested, and how you can help THEM achieve their goals. Since that’s all they’re really interested in.