What to do with Anthony?
Carmelo Anthony looks to be on his way off the Thunder roster.
The Thunder appears to be inching closer to a split with Carmelo Anthony.
Anthony is due $27.9 million this upcoming season, but is headed for an exit from Oklahoma City via either a buyout or stretch provision, the stretch provision itself or a possible trade, The Oklahoman confirmed Friday. The Thunder and Anthony's representation working on a mutual split was first reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Royce Young.
Anthony has a no-trade clause that carried over from his five-year contract with the Knicks. He can veto any trade, but teams may be intrigued with taking on his salary in the hope of clearing salary cap space in 2019. Marc Stein of The New York Times reported that Houston was interested in signing Anthony once he clears waivers and becomes a free agent again.
The Thunder has until Aug. 31 to use the stretch provision on Anthony's contract and have it apply to this season. Stretching his contract would dock the Thunder $9.3 million on its salary cap in each of the next three seasons, potentially altering cap flexibility. The Thunder can still negotiate a buyout with Anthony or trade him after Aug. 31, but wouldn't be able to stretch his salary.
The Thunder will be a team operating above the $123.7 million luxury tax with or without Anthony, but by stretching his remaining salary over three seasons, it can save around $94 million this year, bringing its tax bill closer to a more manageable $50 million.
The Thunder's tax situation without Anthony makes it far more justifiable to seek out a veteran contract with the $5.3 taxpayer mid-level exception. With Anthony's full $27.9 million on the books, it would cost the Thunder a minimum of $25 million in tax and salary combined for one player on the midlevel exception.
But could a potential replacement fill the void left by Anthony's 16.2 points per game?
The Thunder finished with a Top 10 offense and had one of the best starting lineups in the NBA with Anthony, outscoring its opposition by 14.2 points per 100 possessions with Anthony, Paul George, Russell Westbrook, Andre Roberson and Steven Adams. In a new role, Anthony shot 37 percent on catchand-shoot 3-pointers and provided a third-scoring option for the Thunder a year after OKC struggled to generate offense. But Anthony also shot a careerlow 40.4 percent from the field and was a defensive liability at power forward.
Anthony was a positive presence in the locker room during the regular season, forging relationships with Westbrook and George. But he expressed frustration with his role as a catch-and-shoot specialist after the Thunder was eliminated in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs by Utah.
"It wasn't anything that was planned out," Anthony said at his exit interview in April. "It wasn't no strategy to me being here, me being a part of the actual system and what type of player.
"As far as being effective as that type of player, I don't think I can be effective as that type of player. I think I was willing to accept that challenge in that role, but I think I bring a little bit more to the game as far as being more knowledgeable and what I still can do as a basketball player."