Dave Hopla, a former assistant coach under Mike Woodson, who led the New York Knicks to the playoffs in 2012-13, still remembers Carmelo Anthony fondly and like many others, thinks he should still have a chance to play in the NBA.
“He should be playing. But, you know, he's got to also accept a lesser role,” Hopla told SNY's Ian Begley. “He's not going to the go-to guy with a team at this point. Unless he went to Charlotte, he could be the go-to guy. But he should still be in the league, the same with J.R. (Smith).”
Melo and J.R. Smith were part of that 2012-13 team that took the Knicks to a second-round exit that season, both without a job in similar situations. Anthony was exiled from the Houston Rockets after a 10-game stint to begin the season, consequently traded to the Chicago Bulls at the trade deadline and later waived by the team, receiving no substantial interest from teams in the waiver wire.
Smith had an ugly divorce with the Cleveland Cavaliers after the latter made a pledge to develop their young talent. The marksman cashed the checks all season long until the team decided to waive him ahead of the guarantee deadline after trade junctures were unsuccessful.
Hopla maintains his fondness for Anthony, despite the murky narrative surrounding him this offseason, which has played a part in his recent unemployment.
“I love Carmelo,” said Hopla. “He's unbelievable. He worked hard. He's a great person. I loved everything about him.”
Less than a handful of teams have real openings that Anthony could use to finish his career, and sadly enough it might just end before he gets one last chance to end it in the right note.
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