Lebron James (L) and Carmelo Anthony (R)
Carmelo Anthony's next stop could be the Lakers if a roster spot is available. Pictured: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Carmelo Anthony #7 of the Houston Rockets wait for and inbound at Staples Center on October 20, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images/Harry How

The Houston Rockets are finally dealing off Carmelo Anthony to the Chicago Bulls, but the said move will just be good on paper. According to undisclosed sources, the 34-year-old will eventually be shipped by the Bulls before the Feb. 7 NBA trade deadline. If this does not go down, Melo is expected to be waived, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The proposed trade deal between the Rockets and the Bulls is still hanging, but everything is expected to be ironed out on Tuesday. The only reason why it was not sealed on Monday is because the NBA office was closed to commemorate the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, the Associated Press reported.

Assuming the deal is made official on Tuesday, the next question is where Anthony will be headed. One team that has been mentioned yet again is the Los Angeles Lakers – a team that had previously resisted getting the high-scoring forward into the fold.

But according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Lakers have maintained interest in Anthony and are a possible destination. However, adding Anthony comes with a hitch. The only way he is joining the purple and gold is if there is an opening. The Lakers do not plan to create a roster spot for the 10-time NBA All-Star.

Hence, the next team that Anthony may play for may be on hold until the Feb. 7 trade deadline. LeBron James, Rajon Rondo and Lonzo Ball are injured but are expected to return at some point moving forward. From the looks of it, the only way Anthony will join James and company is if the Lakers decide to waive someone from the lineup. But the Lakers don’t have plans of doing such, according to the Silver Screen and Roll.

Despite a bumpy ride so far this season, the Lakers do not really have to trade for Anthony. The Lakers are a potential landing spot but so are other teams who are likely to wait for him to end up in free agency.

Some other team could come in and take a chance on Anthony. He is likely to get a veteran’s minimum or even a trial before sealing a deal. Being out since late last year, Anthony’s status remains the same. Retirement from the NBA is another option, but he could end up taking his act to the international scene.

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