Carmelo Anthony may have to accept ‘reduced role’ with next team

Carmelo Anthony is not the player he used to be, and he could be faced with that reality if and when the Oklahoma City Thunder part ways with him this summer. While plenty of teams will be interested in the star forward, Carmelo will likely have to make a decision between contending for a title or being an offensive focal point.

With free agency well underway, teams won’t have a lot of money to spend on Anthony if he becomes a free agent. Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports reports that there is a good market for ‘Melo, but he may have to accept a “reduced role.”

#Carmelo certainly has a market —
there is no debating that. Whether or not he is willing to accept a reduced role however, will ultimately determine where the 10-time All-Star ends up, assuming a trade does not take place and Melo is bought out by #OKC. https://t.co/C8LT4rSpFF

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) July 8, 2018

We have already heard rumblings that Anthony wants to play with LeBron James, so he obviously wouldn’t be the focal point of the Los Angeles Lakers’ offense if that happens. The same would be said if he ended up signing with the Houston Rockets to join his close friend Chris Paul.

Anthony will earn just under $28 million next season pending a potential buyout, so perhaps money will not be a huge factor for him. That said, he seemed annoyed when his role was reduced down the stretch with the Thunder. Unless he changes his mindset, it might not make sense for Carmelo to team up with other superstars.