With the Rockets signing Carmelo Anthony, James Harden and Chris Paul said flattering things about their new teammate.
But they didn’t come close to matching Nene’s praise of Anthony.
Marc Berman of Fox 26:
.@NeneHilario42 on @carmeloanthony: "He can be whatever he wants to be. He's talented. It doesn't matter how old he is. When he commits to do the right thing and they use his talent, man get out of the way.Simple as that. For me he's a top-10 player in the league, still" #Rockets
— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) August 15, 2018
Follow-up question for Nene, who played with Anthony on the Nuggets: Which of these 10 players – listed in no particular order – is worse than Anthony?
- LeBron James
- Kevin Durant
- Stephen Curry
- James Harden
- Chris Paul
- Russell Westbrook
- Damian Lillard
- Kyrie Irving
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Anthony Davis
And that doesn’t even get into the dozens of other players better than Anthony.
At best, Anthony is a tough fit offensively on an efficient scoring team and a limited defender. His shot creation is still valuable, and I haven’t given up on his ability as a complementary offensive player – if he embraces that role. Not every team can take advantage of his lackluster defense. But the 34-year-old Anthony has declined considerably from his peak. It’s OK to acknowledge that.
I don’t at all blame Anthony’s teammates for adulating him rather than soberly evaluating him. That’s what they’re supposed to do.
But the level of Nene’s hyperbole just makes him look silly.
