NBA Rumors: L.A. Lakers Considered As ‘Most Likely Destination’ For Carmelo Anthony In Free Agency
After suffering a huge disappointment in LeBron James’ first year wearing the Purple and Gold, the Los Angeles Lakers became more aggressive in upgrading their roster in the 2019 NBA offseason. The Lakers have made a big step forward with the successful acquisition of All-Star center Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans, and now, they’re focused on acquiring players on the free agency market that could complement Davis and James.
One of the potential targets for the Lakers this summer is 10-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony. Days before the 2019 NBA free agency officially starts, Ian Begley of SportsNet New York revealed that the Lakers are currently considered as the “most likely destination” for the veteran small forward.
“Let’s get this out of the way at the top: things can always change, but most executives monitoring Anthony’s free agency see the Lakers as the most likely destination for the 10-time All Star.”
When he was waived by the Chicago Bulls in February, the Lakers expressed a strong desire of signing Carmelo Anthony for the rest of the 2018-19 NBA season. During that time, Anthony was also interested in teaming up with LeBron James in Los Angeles, but he had a change of heart after the Lakers went on a losing streak and were removed from the playoff race.
It’s hardly a surprise why the Lakers are still considered as the favorite landing spot for Carmelo Anthony in the 2019 NBA free agency. At this point in his career, the 35-year-old small forward only has one goal in mind, which is to win his first NBA championship title. Joining the Lakers’ team that has LeBron James and Anthony Davis would force Carmelo to make a huge sacrifice in his game, but it will give him a strong chance of turning his dream into a reality.
NBA executives reportedly think the Lakers are the most likely destination for Carmelo Anthony ?
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— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 26, 2019
Aside from the Lakers, Carmelo Anthony is also expected to give the Knicks a strong consideration in the 2019 NBA free agency. Despite what happened in his previous stint with the Knicks, Anthony is still interested in a potential return and reportedly wants to finish his NBA career in New York. However, as Begley noted, the Knicks would only sign Anthony if they succeed in acquiring multiple superstars this summer.
“There may have been interest from New York in a reunion with Anthony if they had a roster with multiple stars ready to win immediately. But with Durant injured and the odds against the Knicks building that kind of team this summer, bringing Anthony back is not currently part of the team’s thinking.”
At the time of writing, Carmelo Anthony hasn’t given any official statement regarding where he plans to play next. Expect more rumors to circulate around Anthony as the 2019 NBA free agency approaches.
