The Golden State Warriors have an open roster spot and Carmelo Anthony needs a new home, but new NBA rumors claim that the defending NBA champions don’t have any desire to bring the onetime superstar on board.
This week, the Houston Rockets announced that they plan to part ways with the 10-time All Star after just 10 games with the team. Anthony was a major offseason acquisition for Houston and had hoped to complement James Harden, but he struggled and the team got off to a poor start.
With Anthony turning 35 this year, there appears to be little-to-no path forward in the NBA and one of the best potential destinations just closed up, CBS Sports reported.
Many believed that the Warriors would take a chance on Anthony, whose output has dropped dramatically over the last two seasons, but had still hoped to be a contributor for the Rockets. But ESPN’s Marc Spears reported that Golden State has no plans to make a run at Anthony despite having an open roster spot.
“Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green believes there is an NBA team out there for his old USA Basketball teammate that will be a better fit. Anthony previously turned down the Miami Heat and also the Portland Trail Blazers twice, sources said. As for Green’s Warriors, a source said the two-time defending champs have no interest despite having a roster spot open.”
It will likely be difficult for Carmelo Anthony to find a spot on any winning team, CBS Sports added, and so far there have been no teams stepping forward to seek his services.
Though no NBA team may be beating down his door, Carmelo Anthony does have at least one outstanding offer on the table. As he prepares to be released by the Rockets, Anthony has gotten an “open invitation” from the Puerto Rico national team to play for them.
As Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday for ESPN , the team sees a good fit and a potential marketing opportunity in Anthony.
“With his connection to Puerto Rico, his NBA stardom and his experiences, our fans would love it,” Dallas Mavericks guard and national team veteran J.J. Barea told ESPN. “We tried a bunch to get him in the past, but of course nobody blamed him for playing for Team USA. But if he ever wants a chance to represent us, it would be awesome to have him.”
In order to play for the Puerto Rico national team, Carmelo Anthony would need a waiver from USA Basketball. There is no indication that Carmelo is considering the offer, however.
