After a week filled with rumors, denials, and innuendo, the Houston Rockets confirmed that Carmelo Anthony‘s brief tenure with the team has officially come to an end. The exact details have yet to emerge, so it remains unclear when Anthony might clear waivers and be eligible to sign with another team.
In the interim, there’s been rampant speculation about his future. Though many believe there are still teams out there willing to take a flyer on Melo, some have suggested that it might be time to consider retirement or pursue other professional opportunities overseas. In fact, the oddsmakers at BetOnline.ag say the Chinese Basketball Association is the betting favorite to land the former All-Star forward.
But they also named both the Sixers and Blazers as having the best odds at securing his services if he does, in fact, decide to remain stateside. Beyond that, there have been some whispers that he could team up with his old buddy LeBron James in Los Angeles or maybe hitch his wagon to the defending champs in Golden State to try and get a ring before he retires.
The latter, however, is reportedly not very likely. Via Marc J. Spears of The Athletic.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green believes there is an NBA team out there for his old USA Basketball teammate that will be a better fit. Anthony previously turned down the Miami Heat and also the Portland Trail Blazers twice, sources said. As for Green’s Warriors, a source said the two-time defending champs have no interest despite having a roster spot open.
Melo’s future in the NBA will undoubtedly hinge on his willingness to accept a lesser role and come to terms with where he is in his career. It’s worked well for scores of former stars like Grant Hill or Vince Carter, but we’ve also witnessed how a reluctance toward that can derail a career unnecessarily. The question now is whether he’ll be more like Vince or more like Allen Iverson.
There’s also the option of playing overseas in a place like China, where former NBA stars are treated like royalty and where he could continue to indulge the notion of his stardom. Whatever happens, it’ll be fascinating to watch, as always.
