After signing with the Houston Rockets as a free agent in August, forward Carmelo Anthony and the team parted ways in November, after the veteran played just 10 games with the franchise. Two months later, they traded him to the Chicago Bulls in a money-saving move, and Chicago will either trade him or waive him before he can play a game for them.
“After much internal discussion, the Rockets will be parting ways with Carmelo Anthony and we are working toward a resolution,” Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said on Nov. 15. “Carmelo had a tremendous approach during his time with the Rockets and accepted every role head coach Mike D’Antoni gave him. The fit we envisioned when Carmelo chose to sign with the Rockets has not materialized, therefore we thought it was best to move on as any other outcome would have been unfair to him.”
Anthony has thus earned the dubious distinction of being traded twice to teams that had no plans to keep him in the same year. He was dealt to Atlanta in the summer, who let him go so he could sign with the Rockets. Now, Chicago is expected to do the same.
Where will Melo end up? Here are some possibilities.
Carmelo Anthony’s stubbornness is ruining the graceful ending his career deserves
There was a time not long ago when watching viral videos of a hooded Carmelo Anthony running up and down a private court in the summer, getting up shots, and sometimes scrimmaging against other NBA players, elicited excitement and hope. Back then, there was still optimism around Anthony’s ability to be a capable player in the league. The idea was that all he needed was a change of scenery from the toxic environment of the New York Knicks.
Then came his unimpressive season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team he joined by reasserting his stance that he is too good for a bench role. By then, it was still logical to say that the team wasn’t a good fit for him. He was partnered with two ball dominant players in Paul George and Russell Westbrook, and there was little offensive identity beyond the three of them doing whatever they wanted when they got the ball. And within a team with a strong defensive identity, Anthony was often exposed for his lack of ability and physical mobility.
Read Article >Carmelo Anthony’s brief Rockets tenure is over after a money-saving trade to the Bulls
Brad Penner-USA TODAY SportsThe Carmelo Anthony saga in Houston has finally come to an end. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has reported the Rockets have agreed to trade Anthony and cash to the Chicago Bulls, ending a season that began with high expectations, only for Melo to be cast away from the team in the middle of the season.
Anthony will not play a game for the Bulls, according to Wojnarowski. If they can’t find a trade for him before Feb. 7, they will waive him, allowing Melo to become an unrestricted free agent and sign with any team who wants him.
Read Article >Carmelo Anthony should end his career as a Knick
Photo by Elsa/Getty ImagesCarmelo Anthony’s time with the Houston Rockets is over, and it’s ending much like his tenure with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Sides are “parting ways” as Anthony failed to fit into Houston’s system which thrives on three-point shooters and versatile defenders. The team is keeping him on the roster as he seeks a potential suitor, and one makes a whole lot of sense.
Anthony’s departure from the New York Knicks was messy, marring the brief success he brought to a franchise that hadn’t seen any for a decade-plus. The team reached the 2013 Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time in 13 seasons with Anthony as the star — a (somewhat depressingly) signature moment in recent Knicks history. Though there was little else to celebrate from a basketball standpoint, the way the city, the team, and Melo separated from each other deserved more closure.
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