Carmelo Anthony joining LeBron in Los Angeles?

Free agency is always a time for teams to look to better themselves for the upcoming season and possibly try to make the playoffs, but for the Los Angeles Lakers, free agency is a time where they try to win another Larry O’Brien Trophy. With LeBron James, Anthony Davis and now Russell Westbrook, after trading for him on draft night from the Washington Wizards, the Lakers now have a “Big 3” that they will be looking to surround with other high-level talents. 

Seeing as James, Davis and Westbrook are making a combined $120.6M for the 2021-22 season, the moves that they can make in free agency are very limited. Dennis Schroder is likely gone, as is Andre Drummond, but there is still the possibility that Los Angeles could bring back both Alex Caruso and Talen Horton-Tucker, that is if they are willing to take less money than they could get from other teams. 

This means the Lakers will be targeting experienced, veteran guys who want to “ring chase,” which is why Carmelo Anthony is the perfect target for them. The former 10x All-Star and 6x All-NBA forward may not be the highlight reel performer he once was, but he is definitely not a “washed” player like many believe him to be after the 2018-19 season in Houston. 

Anthony has spent the last two seasons in Portland and has resurrected himself, averaging 14.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and shooting 39.9% from three-point range over the last two years. LeBron James is best friends with Carmelo and LeBron has been trying to recruit him for years now. 

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The interest in Carmelo from the Lakers has been around for months now, as our own Evan Massey of NBA Analysis Network reported back in June about Los Angeles’ interest in the veteran forward.

Carmelo Anthony has done everything in his career except wing a ring and the best place to do so could very well be next to his best friend in Los Angeles. Out of all the teams that will pursue the veteran this offseason, his former team in the Knicks included, there is no reason why Carmelo Anthony should not sign with the Lakers on a one-year, minimum deal.