NBA star veteran Carmelo Anthony has left the Portland Trail Blazers this offseason and will be joining the Los Angeles Lakers. After struggling in the 2018-19 NBA season, it was believed Melo was heading towards retirement. However, the Blazers finally signed him in 2019 and Anthony remained on the team for the following two years.
After a career resurgence, Melo is on his way to Los Angeles to play alongside LeBron James. Carmelo Anthony took to social media to give his appreciation to the Blazers organization and the fan base for giving him the second chance he needed.
Thank you Portland, for letting me love the game of basketball again. Thank you for welcoming me into your community, and supporting me both on the court and in your city. These two years were some of the most important ones of my career, and for that I’ll always be grateful. pic.twitter.com/GBoVA52Tnm
— Carmelo Anthony (@carmeloanthony) August 4, 2021
The Blazers were unable to win a championship with Melo on the roster. However, he was able to change the narrative of his career while in Portland. The second chance put him back in good graces amongst the league, which has led to him signing a one-year deal with the Lakers.




During his time with the Trail Blazers, Carmelo Anthony averaged 14.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and a 42.5% field goal percentage. He's not the prolific scorer he used to be, but he gave Portland a boost when they needed it the most. Last season the Blazers dealt with injury problems and Damian Lillard led the way. Melo served as a solid sidekick on most nights, acting as a second scoring option until CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic's return.
The Portland Trail Blazers are moving on as they hope to build a championship-level team around Lillard, while Carmelo finds his way to LA to potentially help LeBron, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook win a championship of their own. Although he and the Blazers are going their separate ways, both sides played a vital role for each other in the last two years.
Portland gave Melo the career resurgence he needed, while provided solid play as a role player when they needed him. Anthony gives a much-deserved thanks to the Blazers organization and fan base, and that appreciation is more than likely given back.