When a story in The Athletic this past week said LeBron James had interest in bringing Carmelo Anthony to the Lakers, it seemed to make perfect sense. Every year for James is win-now, and the longtime friend of Anthony's seemed to be just what the suddenly fading star needed to rekindle a career in limbo.
But before the story could even gain traction, there were denials from the Lakers. Anthony remains in waiting, hoping for another team to take a chance on him. It's such a fast and precipitous slide from the 22.4 points per game he put up two seasons ago for the Knicks.
In Oklahoma City, the fit with Russell Westbrook never really took. The hopes for a renaissance in Houston alongside Chris Paul and James Harden ended after only 10 games this season, with Anthony taking the blame for the Rockets' struggles.
So the question is this: If his old pal LeBron, the most powerful player in the NBA, can't bring him on, could Carmelo Anthony be done?
The strange thing is that while there is conjecture that the game has passed him by, Anthony still was averaging 13.4 points per game and shooting 40.5 percent from the field and 32.8 percent from beyond the arc this season.
For sure, the numbers pale when compared with what he previously put up in his career. His offensive rating is the same as last season in OKC and his defensive rating is the worst of his career.
But out of the game?
Consider the player who has taken his place as the top scoring threat for the Knicks this season, Tim Hardaway Jr. While Knicks coach David Fizdale has pitched Hardaway for an All-Star spot this season, his shooting percentage and defensive rating are worse than what Anthony put up before the Rockets parted ways with him.
So is there still a team _ and maybe a role _ for Anthony? Scottie Pippen, appearing on ESPN on Friday, said, "I think this would be a great fit for Carmelo. LeBron is the one player that can kind of revise his career, can set him up for success. And I think Carmelo has to now take a step back and realize where he is as a player. Be willing to come off the bench, be willing to sacrifice. I think some of the things that he's said has caused him not to be in the league today. I don't feel like his play has played him out of the game yet."
