NBA Rumors: Carmelo Anthony To Brooklyn Receiving Strong Support From At Least Four Nets Veterans
After exceeding the expectations from them in the 2018-19 NBA season, the Brooklyn Nets became more aggressive in upgrading their roster this summer. Entering the 2019 NBA free agency period with enough salary-cap space to chase big names, the Nets successfully added three All-Star caliber players on their roster. With the acquisition of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and DeAndre Jordan, the Nets have managed to turn themselves from a mediocre team to a legitimate title contender in the Eastern Conference.
However, there are still some roster issues that the Nets need to address in order to have a strong chance of achieving their main goal in the 2019-20 NBA season. With Kevin Durant set to miss most of the season recovering from injury and both Wilson Chandler and Rodions Kurucs facing possible suspensions, the Nets have a major problem in their frontcourt. According to Brian Lewis of the New York Post, the Nets are currently being linked to two veteran forwards who remain available on the free agency market — Joe Johnson and Carmelo Anthony.
Unfortunately, for the Nets, Lewis revealed that he’s heard rumors that the Detroit Pistons are the top favorite to land Johnson in free agency, increasing the possibility that Anthony could be on his way to Brooklyn before the start of the 2019-20 NBA season. Though the Nets have yet to offer Anthony a formal contract, the idea of bringing the 10-time NBA All-Star to Brooklyn is reportedly receiving strong support from some of their veterans.
“With injured Kevin Durant expected to miss most, if not all, of the season, Wilson Chandler suspended for 25 games for PEDs and Rodions Kurucs facing a possible suspension after being charged in an alleged domestic assault, the Nets have dire needs at forward. That makes Anthony more of a position fit. Sources had told the Post that several veterans were lobbying the front office on Anthony’s behalf.”
Stop playing with my boy CARMELO ? @carmeloanthony @Cbrickley603 pic.twitter.com/MZTEYfiMQs
— Overtime (@overtime) September 8, 2019
Some of the players who are backing the Nets’ potential signing of Carmelo Anthony include their three new signees — the aforementioned Durant, Irving, and Jordan — who played alongside the veteran small forward when Team USA won the gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics. As Lewis noted, Taurean Prince is also showing some support to the Anthony-to-Nets rumors.
Having played with Carmelo Anthony in some pickup games this summer, Prince can’t help himself but wonder why the former NBA scoring champion is having a hard time finding a new home. Prince said that Anthony is the same player on the offensive end of the floor and the only difference is the narrative people are throwing on his name.
According to a previous The Inquisitr article, Carmelo Anthony’s camp is currently doing everything they could to change the way most NBA teams see the 16-year veteran. Anthony’s camp wants to convince NBA teams that he’s a “positive distraction” who can help them with the media and not a “team cancer.”
