Carmelo Anthony's Future: Assessing whether the Los Angeles Lakers should sign Carmelo Anthony this summer

Carmelo Anthony has not stepped on an NBA court since November. The 10-time All-Star was cast aside by the Houston Rockets after making just 10 appearances, and in the subsequent five months, Melo has been unable to find a new permanent home.

Ahead of the February trade deadline, Anthony was traded to the Chicago Bulls, although the struggling franchise immediately waived the veteran, leaving Melo free to find his own team. However, Anthony has struggled to attract interest and it looks increasingly unlikely that the 34-year-old will find a team ahead of the playoffs.

Nevertheless, it is possible that Melo could find a route back to the NBA next season, with the Los Angeles Lakers among his most likely suitors. The Lakers explored signing Anthony last month, and only the team's elimination from playoff contention put a pause on the move.

LeBron James himself has reportedly pushed hard for the Lakers to move for Melo, and here we will evaluate whether Anthony would be a good addition to Luke Walton's team.

Against Melo

Carmelo's stint in Houston with the Rockets lasted just 10 games

While few will question Anthony's continued ability to score with ease, there are major concerns that his game has aged badly.

Melo performs best in a high usage role, getting the majority of his points from isolation plays, and while this style has worked for him, the NBA has increasingly moved away from this tendency of play.

In the early part of the season, it was also evident that the Lakers wanted to push the pace, meaning Anthony is potentially a bad fit.

On the defensive end, Anthony is a total liability. With the veteran on the court, Houston's defense fell from 6th in defensive efficiency last season to 20th this year.

His defensive work with the Thunder was also widely criticized, and the Lakers would have to accept that his presence would make them a lot worse off defensively.

In Favour of Melo

While Melo was widely criticized, his season with the Thunder wasn't that bad

While we barely got a glimpse of Melo in Houston, his decline during the 2017/18 was widely overstated. Evidently, Melo is no longer his former All-Star self, however, during his year in Oklahoma City, he managed to average 16.2 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 36% from beyond the arc.

Throughout his brief spell in Houston, Anthony also accepted a role from the bench, and it seems as though he would be willing to accept a reserve role again next season.

It is needless to say that at this point in his career, Melo shouldn't be starting for a contending team, however, his ability to score with ease makes him an attractive option to utilize from the bench.

After years of being one of the NBA's highest earners, Melo will also be available on a veteran's minimum deal, and due to their pursuit of a second superstar, the Lakers will be seeking to fill out their remaining roster slots with cheap deals.

Verdict

With all factors considered, a move for Anthony makes sense

Anthony is a player who continues to split opinion, however, the Lakers have very little to lose in acquiring him for the 2019/20 season. If the Lakers successfully add a second superstar such as Anthony Davis or Kyrie Irving, the franchise will rely heavily on minimum salary players, and it is notoriously difficult to find individuals that can make much of an impact.

Yes, the Lakers can potentially bring in players such as Nerlens Noel or Noah Vonleh, however, the team will also need some experience to help with the development of a young roster.

Due to his poor defense, the Lakers would be wise to keep Melo off the court during tight fourth quarters, although there is no reason why he cannot average double digits from the bench.

Ultimately, Anthony may choose to retire this summer, however, if he does pursue another season in the NBA, the Lakers offer him the best chance for success.