In the 2018 NBA offseason, the Houston Rockets signed Carmelo Anthony with the hope that he could fill the huge hole Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute left in the wing. Unfortunately, despite doing everything Rockets Head Coach Mike D’Antoni asked him to do, the 10-time NBA All-Star still failed to make himself fit in Houston. After 10 games, the Rockets decided to officially remove Anthony in their rotation.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that the Rockets traded Carmelo Anthony and cash to the Chicago Bulls. The veteran small forward won’t play a single game with the Bulls, as the team is expected to waive or trade him before the February NBA trade deadline.
“The Houston Rockets have agreed to send Carmelo Anthony and cash to the Chicago Bulls, league sources told ESPN. Anthony, a 10-time All-Star, will not play a game for the Bulls, who will eventually trade or waive him before the Feb. 7 trade deadline, league sources said. The teams wanted to complete the deal Monday, but the league office was closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and a trade call couldn’t be executed to finalize the deal, sources said. The trade will be completed Tuesday, sources said.”
ESPN story on Carmelo Anthony’s trade to the Bulls and what’s next: https://t.co/RtxmKJDGmL
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 21, 2019
As Wojnarowski noted, the Bulls are not in a rush to waive Carmelo Anthony’s contract since they could try to use him in a one-for-one trade before the February NBA trade deadline. The Bulls are hoping that they could at least get a future second-round pick or a young player in exchange for the veteran forward. However, it remains unknown if there is a team who’s willing to sacrifice a trade asset for the aging superstar.
Most NBA teams who are interested in adding Carmelo Anthony to their roster could wait for him to become an unrestricted free agent after the February NBA trade deadline. The waiting game could be beneficial for Carmelo Anthony, as it could give him more time to survey which team best fits for him.
The Los Angeles Lakers don’t have plans to waive any of their players to create a roster spot, but Wojnarowski revealed that they remain interested in Carmelo Anthony. The 10-time NBA All-Star is a close pal of LeBron James. Since Anthony’s stint with the Rockets ended, James has expressed his desire to team up with him in Los Angeles. However, James made it clear that he will let Lakers President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson and General Manager Rob Pelinka decide if they want Anthony on their roster or not.
