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Carmelo Anthony has put together quite the second act in his NBA career. After being out of the league for most of the 2018-19 season, Anthony latched on with the Portland Trail Blazers and found a new role for himself as a secondary scorer who usually comes off the bench.
Everyone thought Anthony was done for when it was announced that he and the Houston Rockets were parting ways, even though the team hadn't technically released him. But he has found a role for himself as a bench scorer, and you can't have enough of those on your roster nowadays. That has made Anthony a valuable commodity around the league, and he is one of the top remaining free agents as a result.
Anthony is most likely going to be looking to win a ring at this stage of his career considering he's 38 and hasn't won one yet. That could impact his decision of where he goes next in his esteemed NBA career. There are a couple of contenders that could certainly use a player of Anthony's caliber, so let's take a look at three teams that should look into signing Anthony this offseason.
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3 teams that should sign Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony just spent the 2021-22 season with the Los Angeles Lakers, and he has been reportedly discussing a potential return there recently. It's safe to assume the Lakers will bounce back next season considering they still have LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook on their roster. Maybe bringing back Anthony as another bench scorer would help L.A. get back on track.
Anthony was one of the few solid options the Lakers had off their bench last season. He averaged 13.3 points per game on 44.1 percent shooting while also chipping in with 4.2 rebounds per game. Los Angeles was always struggling to find lineups that worked for them last season, and it's not surprising to see that many of their best lineups involved Anthony and his scoring prowess.
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The fit here makes sense since Anthony already has familiarity with the Lakers. Los Angeles has worked on revamping the bench this offseason, but so far that hasn't involved Anthony. He could be the final piece for them as they look to reestablish themselves as a Western Conference powerhouse in the 2022-23 season.
If Carmelo Anthony wants to win a ring before he retires, joining the Golden State Warriors may make sense for him considering the Warriors just won the 2022 NBA Finals. The Warriors could certainly look to beef up their bench after losing a pair of their bench guys in Otto Porter Jr. and Gary Payton II in free agency.
Anthony would be the perfect fit on the Warriors' bench as a wing scorer. He can create shots on his own when needed, and he's still a good enough shooter that teams can't ignore him from behind the 3-point line. Anthony also isn't atrocious on defense, and he could usually hold his own if teams were to try to attack him.
As of right now, the Warriors are going to have to rely much more on their starting five than they did during the Finals run last season. Adding Anthony would take some of the scoring burden off of their shoulders and allow coach Steve Kerr to play around with his matchups more than he probably would be expecting to right now. Anthony is running out of time to win a ring, and joining the Warriors may provide him with the best opportunity to win one before he retires.
Maybe it's time for Carmelo Anthony to have a homecoming of sorts. Anthony had an extremely successful six-and-a-half season run with the New York Knicks, and it may be time for him to put the finishing touches on his legacy in New York. With the Knicks trying to make big moves in the Eastern Conference, maybe Anthony could be the bench piece that helps push them over the top.
The Knicks have already spent big to land Jalen Brunson in free agency this offseason, and they appear to be close to pulling off a blockbuster deal for Utah Jazz star guard Donovan Mitchell. If they do that, they are suddenly one of the top teams in the East. But it's going to cost them a lot to land Mitchell if they eventually do, which is why their bench may need some help very soon.
If that's the case, adding Anthony is a move that the Knicks would have to make. You can already make a case they need another wing scorer on their bench, which would make Anthony the perfect target to begin with. But if the Knicks end up pulling off a move for Mitchell, bringing Anthony back to New York would be of the utmost importance, as it could be the move that solidifies their bench and their status as a de facto playoff contender in the East.
