The last we saw of Carmelo Anthony, he was joining his Banana Boat compadres at Barclays Center in Brooklyn to help give Dwyane Wade a proper sendoff at the final game of his NBA career. Wade used the opportunity to swap jerseys with his old pal, continuing a postgame ritual between long-time friends and rivals that was all the more bittersweet given the way Anthony’s career had remained limbo after the Rockets parted ways with him earlier in the season.
But despite the lukewarm market for his services, Anthony apparently isn’t ready to call it quits on his basketball career just yet. His name has even popped up in recent rumors regarding a potential return to the Knicks, where he would ostensibly retire with the team of his second-longest tenure, though there are numerous obstacles standing in the way of that scenario.
At the same time, it appears a long-awaited union with LeBron James might once again be in the works. According to the latest rumors, anonymous executives around the league believe that Los Angeles is his likely landing spot if he does in fact make a return this season.
Via Ian Begley of The Knicks Blog:
Let’s get this out of the way at the top: things can always change, but most executives monitoring Anthony’s free agency see the Lakers as the most likely destination for the 10-time All Star.
There may have been interest from New York in a reunion with Anthony if they had a roster with multiple stars ready to win immediately. But with Durant injured and the odds against the Knicks building that kind of team this summer, bringing Anthony back is not currently part of the team’s thinking.
Anthony and LeBron — and the rest of the Banana Boat crew — have long discussed teaming up, and ‘Melo was reportedly close to signing with the Lakers last season before those talks quickly unraveled as their playoff hopes deteriorated.
The Lakers, for their part, are hoping to surround their top two stars with outside shooting, and it’s possible that they’ll talk themselves into believing that ‘Melo can fill that role next season. Beyond that, it’s unclear what other prospects he may have.
