Subscribe
Follow Us
Carmelo Anthony to the Brooklyn Nets?
Why not?
This idea has been discussed lately, especially after reports came out that Nets players were impressed by Melo's physical condition since the 10-time All-Star joined the team's informal workouts in Los Angeles last week. In fact, news broke on Thursday that the team's biggest stars, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, are pushing the front office to sign Anthony, possibly after what they've seen during those scrimmages.
But even if the Nets' interest in Melo has significantly increased, bringing him on board wouldn't be easy. Brooklyn has 15 players with guaranteed contracts, meaning it will have to waive someone in order to make room for him. That's essentially telling someone to do nothing and paying him afterward. So the Nets will have to get some kind of assurance from Anthony if a deal is going to take place.
And how will they do that?
By doing the same thing that the Los Angeles Lakers did when they signed Dwight Howard.
The Nets should conduct several meetings with Melo and his camp, find out if they're telling the truth about his willingness to accept a bench role. Then, conduct formal workouts to see how good he still is. Doing these will allow the Nets to have an idea as to how Anthony will fit with their system, their team, and their culture.
If they're impressed, offer him a contract.
A non-guaranteed one.
It might be unfair for Anthony, who is going into the Hall of Fame someday. But remember, he's the one who has to prove his worth to the Nets, not the other way around. If Melo is serious about making an NBA comeback and proving the rest of the world he's already a changed man, he will accept this kind of deal.
Dwight Howard was able to convince the Lakers that he is focused on helping them win a championship next season. Accepting the non-guaranteed offer was one of his ways of saying he has changed.
Article Continues Below
Melo can do the same thing, if he's dead serious about everything he said during his appearance on ESPN's First Take a couple of weeks ago.
A non-guaranteed deal will not only allow the Nets to fully assess Anthony's commitment, but it will also give them leverage. If Melo fails to meet their expectations or if he becomes a distraction during the season, they can just waive him without shedding a significant amount of money.
This is a low-risk, high-reward move for Brooklyn. Anthony is still capable of scoring 15-20 points on a nightly basis, which is going to help in a lot of ways, especially since Durant is expected to be out for the 2019-20 season.
Carmelo Anthony will be a good fit for the Nets' second unit, since he will be able to keep the team's offense going when the starters are resting. He's still capable of creating his own shots, and Brooklyn should have the advantage over most opposing teams' reserves if Anthony is still half as good as he once was.
However, Carmelo Anthony is a liability on the defensive end. That has been one of his weaknesses ever since and it might have gotten worse, especially now that he's 35 years old. If the Nets sign him, they will need to figure out ways to cover him up on defense, like what the Boston Celtics did with Isaiah Thomas a couple of years ago.
The one factor that will determine whether Carmelo Anthony will be a good fit for the Nets is his locker room presence. Brooklyn has a bunch of young players who still need more experience before they can take over as the franchise's stars. If Melo will mentor Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Jarrett Allen, it will be a huge bonus for the team. This will also allow him to change people's perspectives about his negative reputation as a leader.
***
Whether with the Nets or somewhere else, if Melo wants to get back into the NBA, he needs to change. Judging by the things we've been hearing about him, it sounds like he may have. He seems to finally understand he is no longer the unstoppable offensive player he once was. Right now he's just like any other veteran who has to make the necessary changes to his game and personality in order to stay relevant in the NBA.
