Should the Philadelphia 76ers have interest in Carmelo Anthony?
By AJ Iezzi
After a disappointing stint with the Houston Rockets, Carmelo Anthony has been traded. The Chicago Bulls will not utilize him, and unless anyone wants him in a trade, he will hit the open market. Should the Philadelphia 76ers consider adding Melo?
The decline of Carmelo Anthony‘s career takes another turn. Anthony has been dealt to the Chicago Bulls, who have no plans to use him.
Sources: Rockets and Bulls have completed trade: Carmelo Anthony, draft rights to Jon Diebler and $1.56 million to Chicago for draft rights to Tadija Dragicevoc.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 22, 2019
Since being traded from the New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony has struggled to find a foothold in the NBA. The Oklahoma City Thunder acquired him in 2017 and traded him the following summer. The Houston Rockets acquired Carmelo Anthony after he was waived in a three team deal, and now they have rid themselves of the NBA’s 19th all-time leading scorer.
If he becomes a free agent, Melo will certainly have suitors. It’s hard to imagine him not being able to find a roster spot in the league. With depth being an issue, should the Philadelphia 76ers think about bringing on one of the best scorers of the 21st century?
Why it makes sense
The Sixers currently rank 24th in bench points per game. Any scoring addition, regardless of position, would be a worthy gamble. The Sixers need more scoring from the wing positions, and Melo would be a scoring upgrade over pretty much any forward on the team not named Jimmy Butler.
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Carmelo Anthony has predominantly been a power forward for the past two seasons, but he could lineup as a three with Ben Simmons defending fours. According to Basketball Reference, only eight percent of Wilson Chandler‘s minutes this season have been at the small forward spot. The other two Sixers getting small forward minutes off the bench are Corey Brewer and Furkan Korkmaz. Not exactly fireworks off the bench. Melo would get the chance to breath life into a second unit that struggles to score consistently.
Carmelo Anthony signed a vet-minimum to join Houston, and would most likely sign a similar contract on which ever team he chooses. The risk wouldn’t be much financially.
Why it does not make sense
Brett Brown’s offensive philosophy is evident. Player movement is key. Isolations are rare, and with the exception of Jimmy Butler’s integration, pick-and-rolls are not a focus. Carmelo has made a living hitting shots that are hard to come by in the Sixers’ offense. Melo has never been shy about getting his shots up. His tenure with the Rockets was short and unsuccessful, yet he managed to heave 12 shots a game.
Houston’s offense fits Melo’s strengths; creation and shooting off the catch. Mike D’Antoni lets his plays virtually jack up any shot they can imagine, and yet Carmelo Anthony couldn’t find a way to sustain productivity. Why would his output improve in any other situation?
Offensive struggles aside, Carmelo Anthony is an absolute zero in every other aspect of the game. He can’t defend. He’s a mediocre rebounder. His passing is non-existent. Melo does not deserve to take minutes from any of the Sixers current rotation, let alone take touches away from the team’s primary scorers
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Verdict
Carmelo Anthony, the rights to a 30-year-old with no NBA experience, and cash were traded for the rights to a draft pick from 2008 without a second of NBA floor time.
The Rockets had to throw in the draft rights to a player who won’t sniff an NBA floor and cash just for the Chicago Bulls (!!!) to take Carmelo Anthony. The Bulls might be the biggest joke in the NBA and even they don’t want Carmelo Anthony.
This is a quick and easy: no
The Sixers have needs; a backup defensive big (Bolden may be lessening that need), a two-way wing, and a point guard that can shoot threes. Carmelo Anthony is none of them. The thought of him taking away minutes from developing players, or taking shots away from any of the team’s top scorers is befuddling.
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The Sixers are shaping up to be contenders in the East, and unless there’s a time machine nearby, Carmelo Anthony will not make a beneficial difference.