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For a third straight year, Carmelo Anthony will enter NBA free agency without clarity regarding his future, and the LA Lakers will again be a potential destination for him. Anthony has spent the last two seasons playing for the Portland Trail Blazers and performed decently as a role player off the bench.
At 37, stability might be one of the primary driving factors behind any decision that Carmelo Anthony makes. He's been adequately compensated during his career and has already achieved several All-NBA and All-Star selections. He was recently awarded the inaugural Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award too.
For the all-time great that he is, Carmelo Anthony still has a blip on his resume. He's never won an NBA Championship. The LA Lakers can offer him that opportunity. That and the California market make it a good deal for Melo.
Is Carmelo Anthony a good fit for the LA Lakers?
What's in it for the Purple and Gold, though? Is Carmelo a good fit for the 2020 champs? In a nutshell, yes. Let's look at three reasons why the LA Lakers should pursue Carmelo Anthony in NBA free agency this offseason.
#1 The LA Lakers need an impact scorer off the bench
As was evident during the 2021 NBA Playoffs, the LA Lakers need a reliable scorer off the bench to take some pressure off starters. Montrezl Harrell and Kyle Kuzma did a respectable job while playing that role during the regular season, but the duo fizzled out in the postseason.
That wasn't the case for Carmelo Anthony, who pretty much managed the same numbers throughout the 2020-21 campaign. Melo averaged 13.4 points per game during the regular season and 12.3 points per game during the playoffs. Kuzma and Harrell combined for 12.1 points in the postseason.
More importantly, both Kuzma and Harrell could be gone next season. Kuzma is expected to be traded while Harrell can either decline his player option or get moved after exercising it. In any case, Carmelo will be filling a need for the LA Lakers.
Even though his numbers have tumbled over the last five years, Carmelo Anthony remains a three-level scorer. He can create his own shots and get buckets from anywhere on the field. He can play in isolation and spot-up situations. The same cannot be said about any of the players on the LA Lakers' second unit right now.
#2 Carmelo Anthony will be a financially viable option for the LA Lakers
Carmelo Anthony has played each of the last three seasons at the veteran's minimum; there's no reason for him to decline a similar offer from the LA Lakers. This works out incredibly in the favor of the LA Lakers, who'll have roughly $121.9 million in committed salaries if they exercise the team option on Alfonzo McKinnie and Montrezl Harell opts into his player option.
The LA Lakers are potentially looking at eight-figure extensions for both Alex Caruso and Talen Horton-Tucker. That would put them over the luxury threshold. Even if they somehow avoid becoming a taxpaying team, the Purple and Gold would only have the mid-level exception to sign external free agents this offseason.
Carmelo Anthony will have to be offered a minimum of $2.3 million based on his playing experience. Even if the LA Lakers offer Melo a one-year $3 million deal, it would give them enough space to add another player on a cheap contract.
#3 Carmelo Anthony's leadership and camaraderie with LeBron James
A lot has been said about Carmelo Anthony's ego since his New York days, but he showed everyone in Portland that he's happy to buy into whatever role he's asked to play. He played second-fiddle to Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum but acted as a mentor when the need arose.
The situation is bound to get better in Los Angeles because Melo will be playing with his good friend LeBron James. You can almost guarantee that there will be no off-the-court issues and that's rarely the case with former superstars past their prime.
More importantly, Carmelo still retains his ability to take over games. There were several instances towards the end of the 2020-21 regular season where Melo carried the Portland Trail Blazers on his back with Lillard struggling from the field. He's still got that killer instinct to turn up when it matters the most. Suffice to say, the LA Lakers lack such names outside of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Also read: 5 most iconic moments of Carmelo Anthony's career
