Lakers Rumors: Carmelo Anthony was expected to join Lakers during 2018-19 season

Recent Los Angeles Lakers rumors suggest that former scoring champ Carmelo Anthony was expected to become a Laker last year.

There have been plenty of Los Angeles Lakers rumors during the last year involving Carmelo Anthony. The road Carmelo Anthony continues to walk along is a mysterious, winding one at best. The man has not played in a professional basketball game since November of last year.

Let that sink in for a moment. Yes, Carmelo Anthony, a 10-time All-Star, has not participated in any NBA action in close to a year.

The last time he was a donning an NBA jersey, he was a member of the Houston Rockets. Suffice to say, his stint with them was short-lived and he never quite fulfilled their expectations. Thus, after a measly 10 games with the squad, Houston essentially blasted him away forever.

Although the 2019-19 campaign was a murky one for Melo, there was speculation that other teams would pick him up to boost their scoring. Per Baxter Holmes of ESPN, recent Los Angeles Lakers rumors suggest that the Lakers were evidently expected to bring Anthony aboard.

Mike Chiari of Bleacher Report confirmed Holmes’ report in a recent piece he produced, revealing that Anthony was bound to be a Laker around the midseason mark.

Needless to say, Melo never joined the Lakers nor did any other team ever bother to give him one last chance. It is not like teams were unaware of what Anthony brought to the table. Everyone knew about his scoring capabilities and that he could turn into a microwave of sorts.

Be that as it may, folks were not confident about what Anthony could do on the opposite side of the hardwood. He could not keep up with the overall speed of the game. His athleticism was not at the same level it once was.

It was a rather unfortunate realization, but oftentimes the eye test does not lie. It got to a point where the future Hall of Famer was deemed more of a liability than anything. The man was far too one-dimensional.

The sad, yet understandable thing is that some outsiders continued to scrutinize Anthony with their hearts. Certain folks continued to have lucid flashbacks of Melo’s brilliant scoring performances over the years.

Thus, it begged the question as to whether one of the better scorers in league history would be signed. Melo’s lackluster defense aside, he was not a totally horrendous, unreliable guy with the ball in his hands.

On that note, it sheds light on why the forward was involved in various rumors throughout the 2018-19 season. There was no doubt Anthony could still be a decent scoring option for a team without having to be “the man,” so to speak.

Given that point, the Lakers were not necessarily an impossible landing spot for Anthony’s services. Led by LeBron James, Anthony would not have needed to be the center of attention and carry a huge load.

It would have been a treat in some measures for Melo for a different reason. James is a good friend of his, so the adjustment phase would not have perhaps been so bad for the former Syracuse hero.

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As Chiari exhibited, the same theme is true with respect to this upcoming season as well. Provided that Anthony Davis is with L.A. this time around, too, hypothetically getting Melo would mean he would not need to shoulder tremendous responsibility like he once did.

Frankly, that lone factor in itself says a mouthful. In the latter portion of his career, the ballplayer was primarily relegated to a bench role and he was never the biggest fan of it. He vocalized that displeasure.

Anthony was so used to being the No. 1 option on a team at any given time. Therefore, to go from that level to have a lesser role was probably not easy for him to adjust to.

Nevertheless, it sheds light on why teams have been hesitant to sign him. He wants to be given control, but teams are not willing to let him have it at this stage of his career.

That is arguably the central problem here. It is not to say Carmelo is not an NBA-caliber player. However, the dilemma is the self-centered reputation he became known for throughout his storied career.

Part of the issue, too, is Anthony’s style of play. He is the type of player who literally needs the ball in his hands to succeed. Before he puts up a shot, he generally likes to get into a groove and use his patented jabs to make it happen. Having a guy who stalls the offense is just is not an ideal thing for teams to put up with time after time.

At this juncture, the 6-foot-8 individual would not be a bad option off the pine. The fact of the matter is that he may not be willing to accept a small role with a team. As was stated before, he has been known to be a poor sport when things do not go his way.

For that reason, a player of his nature would be a potential distraction behind the scenes. A team vying to win a ring for the first time in a decade does not need one ounce of that.

It is not to say Melo would not be beneficial to an NBA team. He would definitely help a legitimate contender out if his ego was tossed aside. That is a big “if,” though.

Even if he was willing to sacrifice somewhat, Anthony is not the most compelling option for a team like the Lakers. He is up there in age, and, granted he can score the rock, he can be inefficient.

Actions are crucial to be mindful of as well. He has not generally shown he is okay with taking a backseat. Even if he were to tell a team that he was fine with playing, say, 15 minutes a game, whether he actually likes that deep down is another story. Teams will not tolerate a player who has all this built up aggression intrinsically.

Having an inefficient scorer who tends to sleep on “D” would not be a wise move. Likewise, having someone who can be selfish is not optimal. L.A. was wise to not sign Carmelo Anthony last year, and their stance on him should not waver.