NBA Rumors: Carmelo Anthony Reveals His Reaction To GM Daryl Morey When He Informed Him About Rockets Exit
Last summer, 10-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony agreed to sign a veteran minimum deal with the Houston Rockets with the belief that he could win his first NBA championship title alongside James Harden and Chris Paul. However, Anthony ended up being an odd fit on the Rockets’ roster, which made them decide to part ways with him after 10 games. When they made the announcement, Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey explained that the fit that they envisioned when they gave Anthony a contract didn’t materialize on the court.
After months of silence, Carmelo Anthony finally decided to speak about his controversial departure from the Rockets. In a recent interview with Stephen A. Smith of ESPN, Anthony admitted that he didn’t like how his conversation with Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey went down. When Morey said that they no longer need him to their team, Anthony felt like he was “fired” and started to question himself if he still wants to play in the NBA.
“That was an ego hit. That was a pride hit,” Anthony said. “I started questioning myself after that. Can I still do this? What did I do? I asked him this…. He just said it wasn’t working out. When somebody in power that tells you that they no longer need your services… I’ve been utilizing my services for a long time. For you to tell me you don’t need that no more. I honestly felt that I was fired. I felt like [what] other people go through on a day-to-day basis. People get fired. I honestly felt like I got fired.”
Carmelo Anthony won’t be considered as an option for Team USA basketball for the FIBA World Cup, per @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/NQHIvWKCQO
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) July 26, 2019
The past two seasons have been tough on Carmelo Anthony. When he demanded a trade from the New York Knicks, Anthony thought that teaming up with other NBA superstars would give him a clear path to title contention. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as Anthony expected as he struggled to make himself fit alongside Russell Westbrook and Paul George in Oklahoma City and Chris Paul and James Harden in Houston.
Despite all the things that happened to him last season, Carmelo Anthony has somewhat managed to regain his passion. Anthony revealed that he’s going to the gym every single day to make sure that he’s in perfect shape once a team finally decides to give him the opportunity to continue his NBA career. Anthony also explained that he decided to stay away from the spotlight in the past months to have time to reevaluate himself, his career, and his life.
