NBA Rumors: Carmelo Anthony may retire instead of joining Los Angeles Lakers
After an unsuccessful 2017/18 season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Carmelo Anthony signed a one-year, $2.4 million veteran's minimum contract with the Houston Rockets. The move re-united Melo with his former Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, and after 12 months of resistance in OKC, Anthony finally accepted a role from the bench.
Despite these positive signs, the Rockets suffered a disastrous start to the season, and after playing just 10 times for his new team, Anthony was told that he no longer featured in the Rockets' future plans.
Anthony was traded away by the Rockets ahead of the February trade deadline, although the veteran was quickly waived by the Chicago Bulls, and Melo is once again on the lookout for a new home.
While Anthony continues to be linked to teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers, the former Knicks man's recently sat down with the Huffington Post and revealed that retirement was on his mind:
I'd be sitting lying to you if I said it's not coming soon. I think I want it to come soon. I don't think I want to do this forever, but because you love it so much, it's hard to give it up. At the end of the day, at anything you do, when it's your time to go, it's your time to go. But as long as you feel good with that.
There is no doubting that Anthony's time in the NBA is coming to an end, and with each passing day, a final run for Melo looks increasingly unlikely. Ultimately, Melo is a ball dominant offensive player, who offers little on the defensive end, and it is doubtful that contending teams will take a shot on him amidst a tight race to make the playoffs.