Anthony pens 1-year deal with Rockets
HOUSTON: Carmelo Anthony, who is coming off the lowest scoring season of his career, signed a one-year contract with the Houston Rockets on Monday.
The deal is worth a reported US$2.4 million and means the former all-star forward will be joining his fourth NBA team in just over a year.
The Rockets announced the move by posting a photo on Twitter of Anthony signing the contract.
The 34-year-old Anthony averaged a career low 16.2 points i n 78 games last season with the Oklahoma
City Thunder.
He was traded from the Thunder to the Atlanta Hawks last month before the Hawks released him.
Anthony joins a team led by MVP James Harden and star point guard Chris Paul and is expected to play a bench role for the Rockets. The third overall pick in the 2003 draft has averaged 24.1 points and three assists in a 15-year career that also included stints with the Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks.
A 10-time all-star, Anthony has won three Olympic gold medals with the United States. He is USA Basketball’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder.
Meanwhile, Rockets guard Harden allegedly was involved in a nightclub incident that is under investigation by the Scottsdale Police Department.
The incident took place around 2.30am on Saturday, police said.
A TMZ report said a member of Harden’s entourage got into a fight at the club, and when a woman started to record the scuffle, Harden grabbed her wrist and threw her phone onto a nearby roof. The woman, who was treated for a wrist injury at a local hospital, said one of Harden’s associates offered her $200 for the phone and that Harden later gave her $300 to pay for a replacement. Police confirmed on Monday that they are looking into the allegations but told the Arizona Republic that it was “far too early in the investigation” to know Harden’s role in the incident.
Harden, who played at Arizona State in nearby Tempe, is the NBA’s reigning Most Valuable Player after averaging 30.4 points, 8.8 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game.