Rumor: Carmelo Anthony Houston-bound after Hawks buyout agreement
By Kareem Gantt
Melo’ is expected to take his talents to Houston.
Carmelo Anthony wanted no part of the Atlanta Hawks. In return, the Hawks wanted no part of Anthony.
Thus, it was no surprise to anyone that the two parties agreed quickly to part ways.
As soon as Anthony was traded to Atlanta as part of a three-team deal that was mostly aimed at the Oklahoma City Thunder ridding themselves of a terrible mistake. Now, it seems, it will be up to the Houston Rockets to restore any magic Melo has left in him.
It is probably the worst kept secret in the NBA, but it was well-known in league circles that once Anthony was traded, he would be bought out and would be on his way to Houston to team up with James Harden and Chris Paul.
That’s the thinking, but the question we should be asking is if the investment in Anthony will be worth it.
Playing with two ball-dominant players, it was a recipe for failure in OKC. Though he did average 16.2 points per game, he just simply didn’t fit there. In a lot of ways, the Rockets are built the same way, with the exception that Chris Paul is more of a pass-first point guard than Russell Westbrook.
So, it could work in Houston, but only if Anthony comes to the realization that he would be a much better asset to the Rockets as an instant offense guy off the bench rather than a starter. His game is built for an NBA that no longer exists, and just like in OKC, the Rockets know internally that starting Anthony would be a mistake.
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The question is, does Anthony realize this?
The answer to that question is key to whether Carmelo will be an anchor or an asset to the Rockets’ quest to dethrone the Golden State Warriors next season.