"If we do get Melo, when was Bron gone ever take over?" - Former Finals MVP reflects on what could have been if Pistons had drafted Carmelo Anthony

LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony will always be mentioned together as part of NBA history. On the "All The Smoke" podcast, Chauncey Billups said Melo's career would have been different if the Detroit Pistons had drafted him. The Pistons had the second pick in the 2003 draft. They passed on Anthony to select Darko Milicic, one of the biggest busts in league history.

Billups began by explaining that he and his teammates believed Anthony was coming to Detroit.

"We all thought we was taking Melo," Billups said. "We all was on deck. We was always on board. We all thought Melo. It was all Melo, Melo, Melo. We was excited. It was perfect.

"Obviously, we had a team. We took Tayshaun [Prince] the year before, but Tay would have been the perfect sixth man. He'll do whatever. I thought we was perfectly built to have Melo."

Then Billups got into the hypothetical situation.

"Here's the interesting question. I say this all the time, if we do get Melo, when was Bron gone ever take over?"

Billups believes that Melo would have been mentored early in his NBA career with veteran players around him. The Pistons had high-quality players, like Rip Hamilton, Ben Wallace and Billups. LeBron James might not have had the same success in the Eastern Conference if Melo had played in Detroit.

"That's what I'm saying. ... Now he can get raised right in the game."

James and Anthony are both members of the NBA's 75th Anniversary team. They also were part of the 2003 draft. James was selected as the first pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Carmelo Anthony went third to the Denver Nuggets.

James has undoubtedly had a better career than Melo. James is a four-time league MVP, four-time NBA champion and four-time Finals MVP. Carmelo Anthony has just one scoring title with his 10 All-Star appearances.

LeBron James has been an 18-time All-Star who, in his 19th year in the league, put up a 30-8-6 stat line. Melo has been coming off the bench in his last few seasons.

LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony played together on the LA Lakers last season

James and Anthony played for the LA Lakers last season. It was a disappointing season for the Lakers. However, 2021-22 added another exciting chapter to the friendship between LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.

It will be interesting to see whether both players also retire together. LeBron certainly appears to have a few more years left in the tank. Melo has yet to find a team for the upcoming season.