NBA Rumors: ‘Bleacher Report’ Lists Denver Nuggets As Potential Landing Spot For Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony has become one of the most talked about players in the NBA this offseason after a report broke that the Oklahoma City Thunder will either trade him or come to an agreement on a buyout of his contract. That would allow Anthony to choose his next team in free agency. Both the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets have come up as likely destinations, but there is another team that could make sense.
According to Bleacher Report, the Denver Nuggets could be an ideal destination for Anthony. That’s right, a reunion between Anthony’s first team might make sense for the veteran forward.
“Sure, defense would continue to be problematic. But the Nuggets could use Anthony’s enduring talents, both in the starting five and as a potential leader for the second unit. This isn’t only about sentimentality.”
In addition to those two points from the article, Anthony could be a great veteran leader for Michael Porter Jr. He slipped in the NBA Draft to the Nuggets after being projected to be a top-three draft pick before his injury at Missouri. Porter has big potential and Anthony could teach him quite a few things.
Last season with the Thunder, Anthony did not fit in with Paul George and Russell Westbrook. He had a rough season and most fans believe that age is becoming a factor for him. Anthony, on the other hand, has denied that and believes that he still has some good basketball left to play in his career.
He averaged 16.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game last season with the Thunder. As for his shooting percentages, he struggled a bit. Anthony shot just 40.4 percent from the floor and knocked down 35.7 percent of his three-point attempts.
Breaking: Carmelo Anthony and the Thunder will part ways sometime this summer, league sources tell @wojespn and @royceyoung.
OKC will work with Anthony's reps and evaluate options including trade, buyout and/or stretch provision, which could save the team over $100 million. pic.twitter.com/z9ITFoXlss
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 6, 2018
Those numbers may not look good, but returning to Denver might be exactly what the 34-year-old forward needs to get back to being a star.
Denver can offer Anthony an intriguing supporting cast as well. Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap are an excellent duo in the front-court, with the Nuggets also having great young guard talent in Gary Harris and Jamal Murray. Add talents like Will Barton and Kenneth Faried and the Nuggets could put together an intriguing team in the Western Conference if Anthony joined.
Only time will tell what the Thunder and Anthony end up doing. A trade could still happen, but if he hits free agency the Nuggets will certainly be a team to keep an eye on.
Fans in Denver would likely be excited to have Anthony back and it would certainly bring those fans back into the arena to watch the Nuggets play.
