The free agency frenzy this summer was one of the wildest ones on record, and when the dust finally settled, we saw a league that was barely recognizable. A total of eight All-Stars switched teams this offseason, which tipped the balance of power in all sorts of different directions and brought back at least some semblance of parity amid the dissolution of the previous regime.
Of course, not everyone got their desired outcome. Jeremy Lin has made headlines in recent days after publicly expressing his disappointment at discovering that there is apparently no market for his services at this point of his career. Lin is among a number of players whose services just have not been in demand now that the dust has settled.
Carmelo Anthony finds himself in the same predicament. Anthony hasn’t played in the NBA since his brief and ill-fated stint with the Rockets last year, and his prospects of finding a role on a team this coming season don’t look promising. But at least some of his former colleagues around the league still believe he deserves a proper sendoff, and Damian Lillard tried to take up that mantel on Monday when he lobbied on Twitter to get Melo back in an NBA uniform somewhere.
#VoteForMeloFareWellSeason #StopPlayinMelo
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) July 29, 2019
However, he wasn’t advocating for his own Blazers to take the plunge for financial reasons, but he does believe some other team totally should.
We don’t have money. But Melo should be playin https://t.co/E1chjpBlkn
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) July 29, 2019
In keeping with tradition, Melo has popped up periodically at a few pickup games in New York this summer. But naturally, looks can be deceiving in those settings, so it’s impossible to tell from a grainy highlight video whether Melo still has enough left in the tank to contribute to an NBA team this season.
As it stands, he doesn’t have any offers on the table, and to add insult to injury, USA Basketball is reportedly not even considering him for the World Cup roster, an environment in which he has arguably shined the brightest in the past. Still, it would be nice to see Melo honored for his contributions to the sport and for his many fans to have the opportunity to bring some dignity to his career as it comes to a close.
