OKC Thunder: It is time to bring Carmelo Anthony back to Oklahoma City
Carmelo Anthony has not played an NBA game since November. The former All-Star's status in the NBA has declined at a rate rarely seen before, and as we head into the offseason, Anthony's future in the league is in immense doubt.
Nevertheless, the Oklahoma City Thunder's early exit from the playoffs last week demonstrated that Melo was not the reason for failure the year prior. NBA fans and analysts have spent the last 12 months blaming Melo for the Thunder's shortcomings last season -- when in fact, the Thunder looked like a better unit with the veteran star on the court.
There will be a major inquest into what went wrong with the Thunder this season, although the team simply does not have the trade assets and salary cap room to attract a third All-Star to play alongside Russell Westbrook and Paul George.
This will once again leave Sam Presti trying to bring in discarded players that can make an impact on minimum deals, and Carmelo Anthony is a player that fits the bill. No longer is the 34-year-old one of the highest earners in the league, and Melo has also finally accepted a role from the bench.
After a failed move earlier this year, a move to the Los Angeles Lakers now looks increasingly unlikely, and the Thunder would almost certainly face no competition to bring Melo in on a one-year veteran's minimum deal. Ultimately, the Thunder's bench is likely to be ravaged by the likely departures of Dennis Schroder and Nerlens Noel, and Presti has very little to lose by giving the 'OK3' a second chance.
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