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Carmelo Anthony revealed he was nearly traded to the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2010-11 NBA season, a move that would have paired him with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol fresh off the Lakers’ 2010 championship run. The recently inducted 2025 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer shared the story during a conversation with Dwyane Wade on an iHeart Radio podcast.
Anthony, then a member of the Denver Nuggets, recalled ongoing trade discussions and his frustration with the uncertainty surrounding his future.
“I’m not saying I want to get out of here, but y’all gotta show me y’all cards,” Anthony said. “The deal was done with the Lakers. Me and Nene for Lamar Odom and [Andrew] Bynum. That deal was done. I never thought about New York.”
Wade reacted in disbelief.
“The Lakers though?” Wade asked.
Anthony explained that when the trade was turned down, the Nuggets shifted their approach.
“When they turned that deal down… now it’s like y’all don’t want me in the West,” Anthony said. “You’re gonna send me to the East – get me to New York. The deal was never with New York, the deal was with [the] New Jersey Nets.”
Anthony revealed then-Nuggets coach George Karl had an interest in acquiring Derrick Favors from the Utah Jazz, viewing him as a future cornerstone at power forward. “He wanted him to be the next Nene,” Anthony added.
Carmelo Anthony’s near 2011 Lakers trade ultimately sent him to Knicks in blockbuster deal
Ultimately, Anthony was traded to the New York Knicks in February 2011 in exchange for Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov and a 2014 first-round pick. The Knicks also acquired Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter and Renaldo Balkman in the deal.
A potential Lakers core of Anthony, Bryant, and Gasol never materialized, but Anthony eventually played for Los Angeles in the 2021-22 season, his final year in the NBA. In 69 games, he averaged 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.0 assist while shooting 44.1% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range.
Anthony’s Hall of Fame enshrinement is scheduled for September 6 in Springfield, Massachusetts. He has chosen Wade and Allen Iverson as his presenters, a nod to two close friends and influential figures in his career. Anthony, a 10-time All-Star and one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, will also appear as the cover athlete for the NBA 2K26 Superstar Edition, releasing September 5.
His reflection on the near-trade adds another “what if” to NBA history, particularly for a Lakers franchise that went on to reach the 2012 Western Conference semifinals but did not return to the NBA Finals until 2020. For Anthony, the path ultimately led to Madison Square Garden rather than Staples Center, but the possibility of joining the Lakers in his prime remains one of the league’s most intriguing missed opportunities.
