NBA Executives Feel Embattled Scoring Forward Still Has Shot At Playing Pro Ball

Carmelo Anthony is unsurprisingly making NBA headlines as one of the top names that could still play next season. However, some feel that it will be a different role and the 35-year-old needs to be ready to accept that.

Sources tell David Aldridge of The Athletic that Anthony remains a talent some teams would love to have. With his ability to score points in a hurry, coming off the bench would be a privilege for teams who would take a chance on him. However, there are adjustments needed, including the amount of money he could get. Obviously, this will be far from the multi-million dollar deals he has gotten in the past.

“It’s all about if he will accept a role. (He can be an) off the bench scorer and locker room positive influence. He could make $5-7 million,” said an unnamed NBA executive from the Eastern Conference.

The real question here is which team will take that risk. His past has caught up and pundits feel that this is one reason why some NBA ballclubs are holding out. Some were accusing him of not being a good teammate and others alleging that he would not accept a (backup) role.

In a previous post, Anthony mentioned that he is willing to accept any role on a team. Some feel that his All-Star playing years are well behind him although this is not something that will stop him from continue playing. The fact is that he is not alone when it comes to believing he can still keep in step with the NBA stars of today. The main issue is finding the right team where he would fit.

In the same post, it was mentioned how Melo was being singled out as the scapegoat of the Houston Rockets. He didn't exactly fit the team's needs but Marc Stein of the New York Times feels that he is not really the (only) one to blame. The fact is Houston got off on the wrong foot and chemistry issues (again about Anthony) became their reason.

Looking ahead, there is no doubt Melo still has a shot at joining an NBA team. The scenario may be different but at least he will get to play ball. So the guessing game is on as to which team will take a chance on the third overall pick of the 2003 NBA Draft.