J-Speaks: Rockets Possibly Parting Ways with Melo

For two summers the Western Conference runner-up from a season ago the Houston Rockets tried to bring perennial All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony into their fold. They finally signed him but things have not panned out well and now there is a possibility that this experiment with him and their dynamic All-Star backcourt of Chris Paul and James Harden might conclude very soon. 

Anthony who has missed the Rockets last three games because of illness has been notified by the team he will be waived very soon according to a report from Marc Stein of The New York Times. 

Through his own source, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported on Monday that several Rockets players and members of the coaching staff believe that the 10-time All-Star has played his final game with the franchise. 

That last game was an unforgettable one as Anthony scored just two points going 1 for 11 from the field, including 0 for 6 from three-point range in the Rockets (6-7) 98-80 loss at the Oklahoma City Thunder (8-5) on TNT. 

The entire Rockets’ structure despite the team’s struggles on the hardwood as a team and for Anthony individually, they all to a man stated repeatedly before and after their 115-103 win versus the Indiana Pacers at Toyota Center that he has been nothing but great.

Rockets’ general manager Daryl Morey stated that the reports of them parting ways with Anthony were “inaccurate.” 

“He’s sick tonight. That’s pretty much the update,” Morey added about Anthony not being in the lineup on Sunday night. “It’s just a lot of unfair rumors and everything going around about him.” 

“He’s been great with us as coach said yesterday. His approach has been great. He’s accepted every role coach has given him. Starting, coming off the bench, whatever’s its been. I would expect Carmelo to be playing when he’s healthy.” 

Rockets’ head coach Mike D’Antoni, who Anthony had a contentious relationship with when the two were with the New York Knicks a few years ago also said on Sunday, “Melo been great and he’s done everything we’ve asked from starting two games, didn’t start,” he said. “Playing a lot of minutes, little minutes. He’s been super in whatever we’ve asked.” 

Coach D’Antoni did say though to reporters that the organization is exploring all options and seeing where they team stands after getting off to a slow start this season after having the best record in the West a season ago with a franchise best 65 wins.

Anthony joined the Rockets as mentioned earlier after a difficult one season with the Thunder, who acquired him from the Knicks last summer. 

To bring the now 16-year veteran’s declining offensive numbers into context, in Anthony’s last season with the Knicks, he averaged a solid 22.4 points on just 43.3 percent from the field. In his only season with the Thunder, he averaged career-lows of 16.2 points on 40.4 percent from the field in 78 starts. So far this season with the Rockets he is averaging only 13.4 points on 40.5 percent from the field.  

“Someone close to Melo said this was a gut punch to him. He’s probably beating himself up for not going to Miami,” “The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears said on Monday’s edition of “NBA: The Jump” on ESPN about Anthony being blamed for the Rockets’ rough start to the season. 

“The Rockets new what they were getting with him. This isn’t a surprise. So, I do think he’s a scapegoat in this situation.”

The Rockets issues, which are now being laid at the feet of Anthony really go back to this summer when their two best defensive players in starting forward Trevor Ariza and reserve forward Luc Mbah a Moute left in free agency to sign with the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers respectably. 

On top of that, lead assistant Jeff Bzdelik, who coordinated the Rockets’ defensive scheme that was very successful a season ago retired before the start of this season. He will be back with the team at the conclusion of this month. 

Also, some the players that the Rockets front office brought in to replace Ariza and Mbah a Moute in James Ennis, Michael Carter-Williams, Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss have struggled or in the case of Knight and Chriss have not played at all yet or barely. 

It has not helped that reigning Kia MVP James Harden has missed three games from Oct. 26-Nov. 2 because of a hamstring injury and Paul was suspended for two games because he got into a scuffle with Los Angeles Lakers (7-6) All-Star lead guard Rajon Rondo in the Rockets 124-115 win in the “City of Angels” on Oct. 20 where punches were exchanged between them. 

This season has not gone the way the Rockets had hoped after winning a franchise record 65 games in 2017-18, which earned them the best record in the Western Conference. They took the now back-to-back defending champion Golden State Warriors to Game 7 of the Conference Finals on their home floor, which they lost. 

Now that the team has struggled out the gate, the blame instead being laid at the doorstep of management, the players and the coaching staff has been pointed at Anthony, who basically has been a shell of himself to this point. That said, he has not only gotten support from Paul, but some of his peers across the league through social media. 

His very close friend and member of the same 2003 draft class in Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat said on his twitter page @DwyaneWade, “Tyring to make my guy@carmeloanthony the fall guy huh!? Man y’all need to stop. That’s the easy way out instead of addressing what the real problem.” 

Portland Trail Blazers swingman Evan Turner said @thekidet, “They need to put more respeck on melo’s name. I’m not buying that he’s a cancer.” 

Turner’s teammate in All-Star lead guard Damian Lillard said @Dame_Lillard, “Respeck is the key word.” 

Late into the night, four-time Kia MVP of the Lakers, and very good friend LeBron James @KingJames simply tweeted, “#FACTS,” answering a tweet from Tim Reynolds of “The Associated Press,” stating “Melo deserves better than this.” 

Paul echoed all of those sentiments from his NBA peers when he said to reporters in the Rockets’ locker room after their win versus the Pacers, “Melo been great here. That’s like a brother to me.” 

“I don’t know what’s being said and what not but Melo been great. Working hard everyday So, we’ll see what happens.” 

While that may be true, Anthony new what he was getting into when he decided to move on from the Thunder, who granted him his wish. He was traded to the Atlanta Hawks, who did buy him out of the final year of his five-year deal he signed with the Knicks in the summer of 2014 worth $27.9 million, which he originally opted in. 

He could have signed with a team like the Miami Heat but he wanted to join the Rockets and have an opportunity to fill the only void in his resume, a championship. 

Unfortunately, Anthony has the same issue that he did a season ago with the Thunder, where he refuses to accept a secondary role in coming off the bench. He did not want that with the Thunder a season ago and while he did accept that with the Rockets, he has basically been a shell of himself. 

He is not a three-point shooter; a guy that will attack the rim at will or a catch and shoot player, which is what the Rockets offensive philosophy is based on. Anthony is a guy who scores from the mid-range and the mid-post.

Aside from the three times he has scored over 20 points, Anthony has only scored in double figures one other time when he put up 17 in a win at the Chicago Bulls (4-10) in a 96-88 Rockets victory on Nov. 3. 

When this future Hall of Famer does not consistently see the basketball and find his offensive rhythm, he cannot be the productive player that he has been when he played with the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks. 

While no decision has been made on Carmelo Anthony’s future with the Rockets, he will conduct himself like he did when his time was ending in the “Big Apple,” in a professional manner that has earned him the kind of respect from his peers who as mentioned earlier came to his defense. 

As far as a possible landing spot if he and the Rockets do cut ties with one another he could possibly land with the Philadelphia 76ers or the Miami Heat.

No matter what happens, Carmelo Anthony when his basketball career is over will be in the Hall of Fame, a First Ballot selection most likely. He has to come to the understanding though that his days of being the leading man on a team or in the mix as one of the Top Three are history. 

If he cannot accept that and adjust whether that is with the Rockets for the rest of this season or if he is waived by them and picked up by another squad, then he will have to close the book on his basketball career. Whether that happens or not remains to be scene.

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of 11/11/18 www.nba.com story, with information also from “The Associated Press,” “Rockets GM Denies Report That Anthony Will be Waived, Calls Speculation Unfair;” 11/12/18 3 p.m. edition of “NBA: The Jump” on ESPN with Rachel Nichols, Jackie MacMullan, and Marc J. Spears; www.espn.com/nba/standings; www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/3992/james-harden; and www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/1975/carmelo-anthony.