After Carmelo Anthony was waived by the Houston Rockets during the 2018-19 season, there was a long period of time where not a single franchise wanted to sign him. However, he ended up showing that he can still be a contributor on the Portland Trail Blazers, becoming a solid scoring 6th man.
The Los Angeles Lakers recently beat Ja Morant and the surging Memphis Grizzlies behind Carmelo Anthony’s 28 points. There is no question that him being the 6th man suits him and gets the best out of his abilities at this stage in his career. Anthony has previously said that he was fine in any role for the Los Angeles Lakers, and it’s clear that he’s fine with being an offensive spark as a backup.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis have both lauded Carmelo Anthony after his performance against the Grizzlies, which put him at 9th on the all-time scoring list. When speaking with Dave McMenamin of ESPN, both expressed amazement at the fact that “nobody wanted him” a few years ago.
“A couple of years ago, nobody wanted him,” Anthony Davis said. “He was counted out. Doubted. And he stayed the course. Stayed a professional and got a shot in Portland. Made a name for himself again. And he’s here now and doing the same thing, picking up where he left off. It’s an honor to have him on our team, an honor to play beside him.”
James, who along with Anthony make up the first pair of 19-year veterans to play together in league history, also was sure to bring up how the league recently turned a cold shoulder toward Anthony.
“He’s been doing it for quite a while, and it’s just beautiful to continue to see, especially when, you know, they gave up on him,” James said.
It is obvious that the league made a mistake giving up on Carmelo Anthony, even if he isn’t the scorer he was in his prime. A lot of great scorers have transitioned into being 6th men, and Carmelo Anthony has done the same.
The goal for Carmelo Anthony is now to win a championship with a longtime friend in LeBron James, and perhaps they’ll be able to do so. Hopefully, we continue to see Anthony keep scoring efficiently, and his scoring will certainly help the Lakers in the regular season.
