Carmelo Anthony is no longer that NBA superstar that he once was. The Los Angeles Lakers signing knows that fully well. But it remains to be seen if he'll be part of the starting lineup or coming off the pine for the purple and gold.

The whole idea of coming of the bench was entirely foreign to an All-NBA talent in Carmelo Anthony just a few seasons ago. Who could forget his animated reaction to a reporter suggesting he might come off the bench during his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder?

But a lot has changed for Carmelo Anthony in the last few seasons. From struggling to find a team before joining the Portland Trail Blazers to now joining a stacked Lakers squad where he might not even be in their closing lineup. The realities of the game have come hard and fast for Melo.

The 10-time All-Star recently spoke out about the huge adjustment from first-option to no longer starting, a reality he might have to face now with the Lakers.

Via Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times:

“So, you go for 16, 17 years and you’re the guy on the team and you’re the star, and then all of a sudden somebody is like, ‘Listen, come off the bench.’ I had to swallow that ego,” the Lakers forward said. “I had to swallow that pride. But I also had to use that ego and that pride to keep me on edge and keep me motivated. And I’ve accepted that. It played out well in Portland.

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Carmelo Anthony has had time to fully adapt to the role with the Blazers. He embraced that challenge of contributing in spurts behind Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Now he'll get to do it again alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

“Again, that was my first time doing it and experiencing that at that level. But I enjoyed it. It was fun, it was basketball, and I was still able to do my thing and play ball and have fun and have the love for the game again. So, I don’t know what’s going to happen [with the Lakers], you know what I’m saying? I just know I’m prepared, like I’m ready, you know what I’m saying? I’m ready to go play basketball. I know what’s at stake here and I’m totally locked.”

It remains to be seen if Carmelo Anthony indeed will come off the bench or actually start for the Lakers. But at least he won't be laughing at the suggestions this time around.