Wednesday 2 July 2014

The Carmelo Anthony Sweepstakes

After being traded from the Denver Nuggets to the New York Knicks in 2011, it was thought that a new era of basketball would dawn in New York, the mecca of basketball. Well, that didn't happen. In the past three seasons, the Knicks, led by Anthony, have struggled to find their identity, failing to make it past the second round of the Playoffs. Although, Anthony has continued to shine during his time in the spotlight in New York, as he averaged 27.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg, and 3.1 apg last season. Anthony has opted out of his contract with the Knicks and is therefore an unrestricted free agent this summer. Ladies and gentlemen, let the show begin..

As of right now, the frontrunners in the Carmelo Anthony Sweepstakes are the Chicago Bulls and the Houston Rockets. The LA Lakers have also shown some interest. Of course, there is still a possibility that Anthony could stay with the Knicks (but who really believes that). This week, Carmelo will (or already has) meet with the Bulls, Rockets, Mavericks and Lakers. Of course, each of these teams has something very different to offer.

With the Bulls:

Carmelo would join a strong and battle-tested team, with the likes of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and Taj Gibson. Anthony would fill the need of a scoring (what he really does best), as the Bulls were ranked 30th overall in scoring. With Anthony in tow, the Bulls would instantly become an Eastern Conference contender. Paired with a deep bench and a great coach in Tom Thibodeau, there is reason to believe that Chicago would be the best fit for Carmelo Anthony.

With the Rockets:

With two superstars in James Harden and Dwight Howard already on the Rockets, the acquisition of Anthony would create a formidable Big 3 in a highly competitive Western Conference. In a team that is more offense-oriented, Anthony would flourish, given the ability operate freely. However, Anthony, who is notoriously known as a lackluster defender, would not help the situation in Houston on the defensive end.

With the Mavericks:

The Dallas Mavericks have always been active in the hopes of acquiring a marquee star player. In recent years, the Mavs have not had much luck. Instead, they have boosted their roster with quality role players such as Tyson Chandler, Vince Carter, Shawn Marion, and Monta Ellis. Not to mention Dirk Nowitzki, who will be instrumental in recruiting Carmelo. Even with Carmelo Anthony, it would still be difficult to succeed in a dominant Western Conference. Given Carmelo's intentions to play for a contending team, Dallas may not be the best option for him.

With the Lakers:

This is where it gets interesting. The Lakers have always managed to maintain a winning roster, no matter the circumstances. From Wilt to Kareem to Magic to Shaq to Kobe, the Lakers have had their share of star players. However, it appears that the well has run dry. Long gone are the days where the prospects of playing in LA would draw all the superstars. Instead, the Lakers are left with an aging Kobe Bryant paired with an incredibly underwhelming supporting cast, with the likes of Kendall Marshall and Ryan Kelly as headliners. With the score-first attidude of Kobe Bryant and the score-first attitude of Carmelo Anthony, Carmelo could cause more problems than he fixes by joining the Lakers.

You've seen all the options. Where do you think Carmelo should go? Voice your opinions in the comments below.


1 comment:

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