Carmelo Anthony has been rumored to the Lakers and rumored to the Lakers and rumored to the Lakers and rumored to the Lakers and rumored to the Lakers.
Now, he’ll finally land in Los Angeles.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:
Free agent F Carmelo Anthony has agreed to a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, his manager Bay Frazier tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 3, 2021
Free agent G Malik Monk has agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 3, 2021
Keith Smith of Spotrac:
And check that, appears all of the Lakers FA additions have been for the minimum.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) August 3, 2021
Taxpayer MLE of $5.9M sill available for LA to add some more talent. https://t.co/PgvgBa0iGw
LeBron James has long wanted to play with Anthony, a close friend. Anthony also reunites with former Thunder teammate Russell Westbrook. Though Anthony enjoyed his time in Oklahoma City, it’s worth remembering how poorly that ended.
Anthony is a big name, and playing on the Lakers only amplifies the attention he receives. But his on-court contributions lag behind his reputation.
Though he got into better shape with the Trail Blazers to become a tolerable defender, he still can be exposed on that end, especially in the playoffs. Though he has improved as a spot-up shooter, he still commandeers too many possessions with self-creation, especially for his lack of passing.
Still, if Anthony continues to evolve his style as he ages (mainly getting into rhythm off the ball without taking too many turns on the ball), the 37-year-old could help Los Angeles in a narrow role. His shooting touch offers that upside.
Monk will probably help more.
The scoring guard came into his own last season as his 3-pointers began to fall. The Hornets – who already had LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier in the backcourt then drafted James Bouknight – didn’t extend Monk a qualifying offer, letting him hit unrestricted free agency. With no playoff experience, 23-year-old Monk could face challenges as the Lakers make their desired deep playoff run. But a minimum contract is a bargain for someone who was already solid, fits well and should be expected to keep improving.