After an impressive season with the Lakers, 10x All-Star Carmelo Anthony is a free agent once again and has multiple options on the table for the next journey of his basketball career.
For a while, most assumed that Melo would just re-sign with the Lakers. He was a solid fit for the team last season and seemed to really enjoy donning the Purple and Gold.
But according to Lakers insider for The Athletic Jovan Buha, a Lakers return might not be in the cards for Anthony, who is mostly known for his offensive contributions.
“I haven’t heard much on the Melo front. It could be possible. I think, looking at the roster, they need more frontcourt depth now that Stanley Johnson is gone. They have a couple of roster openings. They need shooting, and that’s something Melo is still an elite player at. I do think defense remains a concern for this team. They’re light on perimeter and wing defense. That’s not Melo’s strong suit. I think had there been more initial interest earlier this summer, they probably would’ve re-signed him, and he would’ve been back as the second unit power forward. Signing Juan Toscano-Anderson and trading Johnson, I think it’s clear they’re going in a different direction. I wouldn’t completely rule it out, but I think it probably would’ve happened had there still been mutual interest. I think Melo probably ends up somewhere else.”
Anthony, 38, is far from the player he was in his prime, but he can still provide a major scoring punch. Last season, with averages of 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1 assist per game on 44.1% shooting, he was a bright spot for the Lakers in a nightmarish campaign.
Despite that, both sides are ready to move on, and it’s likely that Melo will be wearing a different jersey by October. The question is, which team will it be for?
Interestingly, the New York Knicks have emerged as big contenders to sign the veteran swingman.
“According to a source, Knicks brass has had internal conversations about Anthony,” said league insider Marc Berman. “Though more pressing concerns about how to rebuild a franchise that’s missed the playoffs eight of the past nine years have taken precedence.”
At this point, it’s still too early to say where Melo will end up. He seems to be deciding between a few teams right now, with a possible homecoming in the works.
But wherever Anthony goes, he’s going to help his team win, and in more ways than one. Even at 38, Carmelo Anthony is an elite scorer and leader who can make a real impact on the floor.
