The Sad End of Carmelo Anthony's NBA Days

This really looks like the end of Carmelo Anthony. Rumors are swirling that he is going to be cut from the Rockets any day now. He has not been good this year, last year, or really, the past 5 or 6 years. He is too slow on defense. He is not a good three point shooter. He isn't really that good of a mid range shooter. He can't get to the rim. He doesn't like to pass the ball. He needs space to create his shot, and right now, he cannot get that space.

I used to love Carmelo Anthony. I was a big time fan of his when he was in Denver. His game was so fluid and fun. He still wasn't a great three point shooter, or a defender, he's never been a good defender, not even in college, but his offense offset all that. He was lethal from mid range. He could get to the rim, thus get to the free throw line. He still wasn't much of a passer, but when he did, it was nearly pin point. Even when Carmelo pushed his way out of Denver, he was still a very legitimate threat his first couple of years as a Knick. Hell, the last time the Knicks were good was one of his first couple seasons there. They won 50 plus games and made, I believe, the second round of the playoffs.

But then he did an interview with ESPN The Magazine, and it was all about his brand and how much more money he has made since he left Denver for New York. I read this cover story, and what stood out most to me was how little he cared about winning. He talked mostly about himself, or his brand. He talked about how much he was going to get paid very soon. He talked about how he has big plans after basketball. No mention of winning a title, or making deep playoff runs. No mention of being an MVP and surrounding himself with talented players that could have helped him. No mention of the kind of coach he wanted to play for that could put the Knicks, his team, over the top. The story was I, I, I and money, money, money.

That is when it all flipped for me, and I think it flipped for him too. He became a lesser player. He started to get more vocal with teammates. He hated Tim Hardaway Jr after the Knicks drafted him. He basically insisted they trade him, and they did. He didn't like many other teammates he had in New York.

This caused the start of the mess that the Knicks are in now. The Knicks then went out and hired Phil Jackson as the GM, and we all watched that disaster unfold. The start of that disaster, giving Carmelo a max deal. They could not get any other players of clout because they gave all their money to Carmelo. The Knicks started to tumble. They drafted Kristaps Porzingis, and the 2 people who disliked that move most, Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony. Jackson called him soft, Carmelo was worried he was losing the team, even though he already lost it a few seasons prior.

The Knicks eventually fired Jackson and got rid of Carmelo. He went to the Thunder last summer, after they stunningly got Paul George, and we all thought this was going to be great. I was fully on board with this at the time. The best Carmelo has been Olympic Carmelo, and I thought that was what the Thunder would get. But, when asked in the offseason if he would be willing to take a bench role, he scoffed and demanded he start. That was the crack for me. I instantly lost all good will I had. He was washed about 5 years ago in my opinion, but he still viewed himself as a star, a first option. Russell Westbrook and Paul George are so much better than he is at basketball, but he didn't see it that way. He struggled mightily last year too. He wasn't that lock down three point shooter. He wasn't hitting mid range shots. He complained that he wasn't getting the ball enough. He was even worse on defense. It was a mess. But, due to George and Westbrook, the Thunder still made the playoffs. Then they crapped the bed. All three of their stars played bad, but Carmelo was the worst. He might as well have not even showed up, that was how unimportant he was in that first round series last year.

The buyout eventually came, as we all expected, and he signed with the Rockets, as we all expected. What made me laugh most was hearing the Rockets fans talk about how they were going to get the best out of him. That was the same thing the Thunder fans said. I was skeptical of this move from the start. They were replacing defensive guys like Trevor Ariza with Carmelo Anthony. Those 2 guys are the same player. In fact, I think, where we stand right now, Trevor Ariza is much, much better, especially on defense. Carmelo has been downright dreadful this year. He is not the player he was expected to be. He is not the shooter that can help the Rockets compete with the Warriors, or Bucks or Raptors or Celtics or even the Trailblazers. He had one good game, against the Nets early in the season, and it shocked me. That is how far he has fallen. What was once expected is now a shock. And after that Nets game, he somehow got worse from the field. Then the stories started to come out that the Rockets were going to "reevaluate" his spot on the team. Then some Rockets players said they were going to start preparing for him to be cut. The GM came out and said they hadn't made a decision yet, but that is a kiss of death. He also didn't play the other night with an "illness".

Carmelo is cashed out. I agree with Tracy McGrady, that he should retire. He is of no use to a contender anymore. Those teams are all set. Also, if he still thinks he is a starter, when or if he gets cut by the Rockets, he is going to have to go to a bottom dweller. He can go to Atlanta or Cleveland or, hell, I don't know any other bottom feeder that would want him. I have heard that the 76ers and Lakers have expressed interest of he is cut. I hope the 76ers don't do that, especially after trading for Jimmy Butler. They don't need those 2 head cases in their locker room. And the Lakers, that would just be hilarious. Yeah, sign Carmelo so guys like Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart and Kyle Kuzma lose valuable playing time so LeBron's buddy can put up pointless shots that he will most likely miss.

I once loved Carmelo's game, but now, it is sad to watch him play basketball. He is not the same guy. The game has passed him by. He is a shell of his former self. I feel bad for him. Let it go.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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