It’s official… but the saga is far from over.
Carmelo Anthony has been traded from the Houston Rockets to the Chicago Bulls in a deal that was first reported yesterday but, due to some technicalities with the draft rights traded, was not finalized until today.
About those cash considerations, it’s $1.57 million dollars to Chicago. After what they owe on the remainder of Anthony’s contract, the Bulls will make about $900,000 for facilitating this trade. The Rockets will save $2.6 million in salary and luxury tax. If/when Anthony signs with another team the Hawks would save money on their buyout of ‘Melo from the summer (his salary would count against what they owe him).
The Bulls don’t even give Anthony top billing in the press release announced they traded for him. Basketball can be a cold business.
Anthony will not suit up for the Bulls. For the next 18 days, Chicago will try to move him in a trade before the Feb. 7 deadline (‘Melo can only be traded one-on-one, his salary cannot be combined with others in a trade because he was just traded). It’s unlikely a trade is found, if there was a good deal out there the Rockets would already have made it.
After that, it is expected ‘Melo would be waived and become a free agent. Which means we’ve got weeks of ‘Melo drama left.
Anthony is reported to have options, but if they were good ones he’d already have taken them. The future Hall of Famer is reported to have felt entitled to more than a bench role in Houston due to his stature, even though his game no longer lives up to that (he has declining offensive skills and he is a defensive liability). In 10 games for the Rockets this season coming off the bench, Anthony averaged 13.4 points and 5.4 rebounds a game, shot just 40.5 percent overall and 32.8 percent from three. The Rockets’ defense was 10.4 points per 100 possessions better when Anthony sat at the time he left the active roster.
The Lakers have been rumored as a potential landing spot, in large part due to Anthony’s friendship with LeBron James. However, sources tell me the Lakers aren’t interested (they have a full 15 man roster and do not see the fit). Would Anthony accept a small role in Los Angeles, because the attacking 3/4 player ‘Melo wants to be is a role currently filled by Kyle Kuzma. The Lakers aren’t taking away Kuzma’s minutes for Anthony, and that would leave ‘Melo, Michael Beasley, and Lance Stevenson sharing a small role off the bench. That doesn’t sound like a situation that makes Anthony happy.
Portland has been rumored, but would Anthony go there and accept a role? Maybe a franchise going all in on the Zion Williamson chase brings him in? A team battling injuries and looking for help?
Some team will grab Anthony after the trade deadline, but where there is a fit remains a mystery.
