NBA 18/19: Jalen Rose believes Carmelo Anthony's NBA career is over
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported last week that several NBA executives had informed him that Carmelo Anthony was unlikely to find another team in the league, due to the player's inability to defend. Since this initial report, several prominent NBA figures, both past, and present have weighed in with their thoughts on Anthony's future.
Former NBA star, Jalen Rose, today added his opinion to the growing debate over if Anthony still has a future in the league. During an appearance on the Jalen and Jacoby podcast, Rose stated:
I don't think Carmelo will play in the NBA again, just because of how it ended.
Carmelo Anthony was released by the Houston Rockets in mid-November, after playing just 10 games with the Rockets. Despite Anthony being regarded as one of the best scorers in NBA history, Rose says that other NBA franchises will be put off by the 34-year-old's recent failure to adapt in both Houston and Oklahoma.
Carmelo Anthony can still score the ball, but General Manager's and coaches look at it as, OKC have an MVP in Russ (Westbrook) and all NBA performer in Paul George, and Anthony couldn't make it work with them... while he can be a productive player, he cannot be a gamechanging player.
While Jalen Rose doesn't see a future for Carmelo Anthony in the NBA, there are few better players currently available than Melo. The 34-year-old averaged 13.4 points and 5.4 rebounds in 29.4 minutes a game during his brief stay in Houston.
Melo's veteran's minimum contract makes also makes him more appealing to prospective franchisees, so despite Rose's comments, it is still too early to rule out Anthony's return.
You can find Jalen Rose's full appearance on 'Jalen and Jacoby' below.
Let us know below whether you believe that Carmelo Anthony still has a future in the NBA. Also visit our dedicated basketball section for the latest news, rumours, and analysis.