Carmelo Anthony joined the Houston Rockets prior to the start of the 2018-19 NBA season. It wasn't clear what sort of role he was to serve, and it quickly became evident as early as training camp that he would struggle to fit in the team's rotation, according to a report from Sam Amick of The Athletic.
As one story goes, Anthony was pitted against P.J. Tucker in a training camp scrimmage. Tucker, a muscular forward, got the better of Anthony, so much so that Carmelo waved a proverbial white flag. It was in this moment that Rockets management really began to question their decision to sign him.
Via The Athletic:
There was one practice, in particular, that seemed to prove that point: Sources say forward P.J. Tucker was pitted in a scrimmage matchup against Anthony to get a real sense of where his game stood, and the outcome was so one-sided that a gassed Anthony eventually headed for the sideline in white-flag fashion. Their concern was elevated right then, and the fact that Gerald Green and Gary Clark would quickly gain favor with Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni soon thereafter would eventually play a part in Anthony’s demise as well.
Ultimately, the Rockets decided to trade Anthony to the Bulls, who later waived him. However, after nearly a year away from the NBA, the former Syracuse standout was given the opportunity to play for the Portland Trail Blazers.
Melo is playing better than most expected with his new team. He has made 11 appearances thus far, racking up averages of 15.9 points on 40.6 percent shooting from the field (39.5 percent from beyond the arc), 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 31.2 minutes per outing.
Though his stint with the Rockets came to an unceremonious end, Anthony is proving that he can still contribute on an NBA roster.
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