Carmelo Anthony has a number of potential suitors for next season, but according to Mitch Lawrence of SiriusXM NBA Radio, the Houston Rockets are not certain that Anthony would be a good fit for the team. Lawrence also reports that if Melo really wants to head to Houston, he may need Chris Paul to vouch for him.

At first glance, Anthony looks like the perfect replacement for Trevor Ariza after Ariza signed a deal with the Phoenix Suns. Melo can be a big-time threat as a spot-up shooter. He would get ample opportunities to shoot when James Harden and Chris Paul break down the defense with the dribble.

The problem with Anthony is that his defense has regressed to such putrid levels that he would not be able to replace Ariza's defensive presence. The slow-footed Anthony can't defend on the perimeter and his lateral quickness is almost non-existent.

Not to mention that Melo is a former superstar—yes, former. He's made it clear that he isn't willing to sacrifice his ego for the betterment of a team. He is unwilling to take a diminished role and come off the bench. The Rockets may not want to take on the baggage that comes with a former superstar.

Of course, playing with his longtime friend Chris Paul could help keep Melo's ego in check, but his presence on the team could create more problems than it would solve.

There are positives and negatives to the Rockets signing Carmelo Anthony. It's clear that the Houston Rockets are trying to figure out whether the positives outweigh the negatives.