Carmelo Anthony came to a desperate Portland team depleted by injuries last season and played solidly for them. He started 58 games for them averaging 15.4 points a night, he shot 38.5% from three (on almost four attempts a game), he tried on defense, and he played solidly filling a role for the Trail Blazers. He said he thinks he found a home in Portland and had nothing but praise for Damian Lillard.
Anthony is a free agent and other teams will have interest, but Anthony’s former coach George Karl said ‘Melo should return to Portland next season when the coach made an appearance on SiriusXM NBA radio.
Where will Carmelo Anthony play next season?
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) October 25, 2020
His former head coach George Karl tells Justin Termine and Eddie Johnson why the Blazers are a perfect fit. pic.twitter.com/3v8s21VWLU
If Anthony returns to Portland, things will different and Anthony will have to accept a smaller role. Zach Collins and Rodney Hood will be healthy and back in the rotation, and Trevor Ariza — who chose to skip the bubble — also will be in the mix. All of them take minutes that had gone to Anthony.
Would Anthony accept a smaller, maybe non-starting role to stay in Portland? Or will he go where he can get the most run and touches?
It all comes down to what Anthony prioritizes at this point in his career.