It's always a great idea to tune out negativity and think of positive thoughts. Most players do this by avoiding specific writers or analysts known to deliver hot takes or overtly-critical comments intended to stir the pot. But for Portland Trail Blazers swingman Carmelo Anthony, he started ignoring the press as early as his trade to the New York Knicks — and he went so far as to abstain from all articles.

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It certainly made sense given how the New York media could be merciless, but the downside to this revelation is that he was unable to catch a glimpse of Blazers' superstar and teammate Damian Lillard's touching piece for the rather objective website, Players Tribune. In it, Dame paid tribute to his Oakland roots and the importance of loyalty. A virtue that certainly rings true as the team decided to guarantee Anthony's contract way ahead of its deadline as a form of gratitude for his efforts keeping the Blazers competitive amid the string of injuries.

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The 6-foot-8 forward was in basketball limbo for a while after being waived by the Chicago Bulls with several teams opting to ignore the perennial All-Star in their playoff roster and later during the summer free agency. Despite rumors of interested suitors, a deal never materialized for Anthony with several players vouching for him by expressing their frustrations at the lack of any contract offers. The Blazers eventually came out of nowhere and scooped up Anthony as their injuries piled up and he quickly made an impression as a viable scorer.

The 35-year-old hopes he could help the 10-15 Blazers make a strong push for the final seed and pull off an upset in the first round.