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Carmelo Anthony Rumors: 'Nets Are Very Unlikely' to Sign Free-Agent Star

Rob Goldberg@TheRobGoldbergX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistSeptember 23, 2019

FILE - In this Nov. 2, 2018, file photo, Houston Rockets forward Carmelo Anthony reacts during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets in New York. The Rockets won 119-111. The addition of Anthony to the Rockets’ roster produced more thorns than fruit and now he is out. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
Mary Altaffer/Associated Press

Despite appearing to be a potential landing spot for Carmelo Anthony, the Brooklyn Nets are reportedly "very unlikely" to sign the veteran forward, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. 

Frank Isola of The Athletic reported in August that free-agent additions Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant were "pushing" the organization to sign Anthony, but it appears they were overruled by the front office.

The Nets have two roster spots remaining for their training camp roster, but they have 15 players with guaranteed contracts and would have to release a player to create roster space for Anthony.

The 35-year-old only played 10 games last season as a member of the Houston Rockets before being traded and waived by the Chicago Bulls, only to go unsigned the rest of the year.

He has been traded three times and waived twice since 2017.

This was a major change for a player who earned 10 All-Star selections in 11 years from 2006-17 with the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks. He also made an All-NBA team six times while winning one scoring title.

However, he set a career low with 16.2 points per game in his only season with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017-18 and was even worse in his short stint in Houston with 13.4 points per game. He hasn't appeared in a game since Nov. 8, 2018.

Despite the recent slide, Anthony has a lot of support from NBA players in addition to Irving and Durant.

"Melo is easily better than half the league right now," Kyle Kuzma said, per Arash Markazi of the Los Angeles Times. "There’s no question about it. He should be on a team right now. He’s still one of the best players."

"Hopefully he gets an opportunity to be with a team this season because he has a lot to still offer the right team in the right role and the right situation," Dwyane Wade added, per Markazi.

Per Charania, speculative fits like the Lakers and Knicks have full rosters and also don't plan to sign Anthony.