It has been more than three weeks since the Chicago Bulls waived Carmelo Anthony, but the 10-time NBA All-Star is yet to find a new home as an unrestricted free agent. Though some people are suggesting that it’s time for him to retire, Anthony knew that he still has lots of gas left in his tank, believing that his NBA career is far from over.
Carmelo Anthony may have struggled to make himself fit with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets, but he could still be a great addition to a team who needs to boost their bench scoring. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated thinks that Anthony is currently the “biggest name” available on the buyout market.
“The biggest name out there: Carmelo Anthony. Will someone take a chance on ‘Melo? The Lakers are mentioned often, but all has been quiet on that front lately.”
Unfortunately, Mannix revealed that the team, the Los Angeles Lakers, who is considered as the top destination for Carmelo Anthony hasn’t made a significant move since he parted ways with the Bulls. Anthony is a close pal of Lakers superstar LeBron James, who publicly expressed his desire of having the veteran small forward on his team. However, James said that he will let Lakers President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson and General Manager Rob Pelinka decide if they will claim Anthony from the buyout market or not.
According to Mannix, another team that “makes sense” for Carmelo Anthony is the Miami Heat where another member of the infamous Banana Boat Crew, Dwyane Wade, currently plays.
“Miami makes sense—the Heat love reclamation projects, and believe they can extract more from players than any team in the league.”
Carmelo Anthony investing in high school basketball network https://t.co/FcETwm0mCV pic.twitter.com/tkdsGQslX6
— New York Post (@nypost) February 14, 2019
Though Dwyane Wade’s farewell tour is currently dominating the Heat’s season, it does not mean that they are no longer aiming to earn a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. As of now, the Heat are tied with the Detroit Pistons in the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference with a 26-30 record. In order to strengthen their chance of making it to the NBA Playoffs 2019, the Heat should consider finding ways to improve their current roster.
There may be some issues regarding Carmelo Anthony’s fit in Miami and his performance on the defensive end of the floor, but the Heat must be aware of how the 10-time NBA All-Star could boost their offense that currently ranks 24th in the league, scoring 103.8 points per 100 possessions, per ESPN . It’s worth noting that the Heat expressed interest in acquiring Anthony when the Atlanta Hawks bought out his contract, so it’s highly likely that they are really exploring the possibility of adding the veteran small forward to their roster.