Carmelo Anthony agreed to a one-year deal with the Portland Trail Blazers this offseason. Prior to him committing, there was some loose chatter about Anthony possibly reuniting with the New York Knicks next year.
This week, Anthony addressed why those rumors never came to fruition.
“At this point, it wasn’t really a lot [of consideration],’’ he said.
“The Knicks were making moves and were trying to figure out the direction they wanted to go in. They weren’t done making moves. I’m sure they have a plan. I don’t think me coming in and trying to mess their plan up was good for either party.”
New York is in the process of rebuilding, and a 36-year-old Anthony was a piece that simply didn’t fit with the puzzle.
“They are rebuilding and figuring out what’s in their near future,” he continued.
Marc Gasol responds to LeBron. https://t.co/BjR4FJGNhv
— Game 7 (@game7__) December 5, 2020
“It was me personally wanting to be part of a situation I was already comfortable with. I just finished playing with these guys [in Portland] two, three months ago. I felt it was the right fit at this point of time where I’m at right now this particular year.”
Over the course of seven years in New York Anthony averaged 24.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per outing.
Last year, after seemingly being temporarily blacklisted by the NBA, Anthony ended up signing with the Blazers. He averaged 15.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, and played a key role in their memorable NBA Bubble run.
Imagine breaking into a house thinking you’re gonna find Kylie Jenner and finding a 6’6”, 220-pound NBA star instead.https://t.co/ZRN9T2pjYM
— Game 7 (@game7__) December 5, 2020
This coming season, Anthony will take on a bench role for Portland.
“I had to swallow that pill,” he said.
“We had multiple conversations leading up to me coming back here. It was very honest and transparent from both sides. I was comfortable with the situation. They let me know I will still be a major part.”
— Game 7 (@game7__) December 3, 2020
And that is all that matters to the former Syracuse standout.
“If I had to sit here and say the thought of [not starting] wasn’t hard, yes it was. But I had to take a deep breath. We’ll figure it out. I’ll make it work. … As long as we’re all on the same page and the production is there, we’ll make it work.”
This is going to be a big year for the Blazers. Either they will recapture the magic they had in the NBA Bubble and make a serious run, or they’ll lose steam and start falling behind in a rapidly-improving Western Conference.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
