The Los Angeles Lakers shocked everyone and moved Ivica Zubac and Michael Beasley for Mike Muscala, freeing up a roster spot for all kinds of viable options. So of course the first name floated out there by various reporters was Carmelo Anthony.
But Anthony isn’t guaranteed to fill the spot:
Those other options Shelburne is mentioning could include Wayne Ellington, Trevor Ariza and perhaps even DeAndre Jordan (or Wesley Matthews for that matter) depending on how things go in New York. All those names are objectively and thoroughly better than Carmelo Anthony right now. Every single one. It isn’t remotely close, either.
If the Lakers do indeed go down this line, it would signal that LeBron James has thoroughly taken over the direction of the organization, despite selling anyone who would listen only months ago on the idea of a partnership between him and Magic Johnson.
Melo hasn’t improved the situation around him in two years. A season ago, it was the Oklahoma City Thunder that he struggled to fit with, and only months ago, it was the Houston Rockets who exiled Anthony after only 10 games. Both teams have gotten legitimately better in his absence. This is all objectively true.
We’ll see how the Lakers actually fill this roster spot. It’s too early to freak out before we actually see what direction they actually go in. But the fact that they’re still interested at all is a concern for what it might mean for the organization moving forward. There are better options out there, and going with Anthony would be a move to prioritize making LeBron happy above improving the roster.
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