In 2010, the Miami Heat made a big splash by signing LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, but there was a time when Carmelo Anthony could have joined them too. The ‘what if’ scenario was painted by the 10-time NBA All-Star and revealed the reason why he didn’t join his 2003 NBA draft batchmates.
The Denver Nuggets after the 2009-10 season were coming off an NBA Western Conference Finals finish. They were defeated by Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers that went on to win the NBA title that year. Seeing this progress from his own team, Carmelo Anthony thought of staying with the team that drafted him as third overall in the 2003 NBA draft behind LeBron James and Darko Milicic.
After the dust have settled, the Miami Heat pulled off one of the biggest free agency moves in NBA history and many are going to Anthony saying that he could have been part of the ‘Heatles’.
Admittedly, teaming up with his friends in Miami came to Anthony’s mind but can’t fathom the fact that he would be the fourth option in that squad.
“Imagine me at 23– 24 years old being the fourth option on the team when I’m leading my team every single year. I’m finding my want in this league- and you want me to leave that and go be a fourth option?” questions Anthony in Paul George’s podcast. “I don’t know mentally how I was going to be ready for that exactly. It ain’t got nothing to do with money.”
Melo revealed that he had the opportunity to team up with LeBron, D-Wade, and Bosh, but he wasn’t comfortable being the fourth option in his prime 😲
(🎥 @PodcastPShow ) pic.twitter.com/i06SXlwjfZ
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 22, 2024
Carmelo Anthony eventualy leaves the Denver Nuggets the following season
Unfortunately, the Denver Nuggets 2010-11 season and the Colorado-based franchise traded the disgrunted forward along with point guard Chauncey Billups to the New York Knicks during the trade deadline.
Carmelo Anthony went on and became the face of the Knicks franchise for the next six and a half years. In his tenure with New York, he has appeared and started in all 412 games and averaged 24.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.0 steals. Anthony also helped the Knicks get to the playoffs thrice with their best finish in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals in 2013.
Credit: Getty Images
The fomer Syracuse standout finished his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers being teammates with LeBron James in 2022 but before that, Melo got bounced on different stops with the OKC Thunder, Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers.
Even without winning a championship, his personal achievements had him selected in the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
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