BREAK IT OFF
Why it’s time for Carmelo, Thunder to part ways
Carmelo Anthony will return to Oklahoma City.
He’ll just do it wearing another team’s jersey.
According to reports that surfaced Friday, the Thunder and Carmelo will part ways this summer. Representatives from both sides are working on an exit strategy. Could be a trade. Could be a waive and stretch. Could be a buyout and stretch.
We suspected this would happen, though the possibility of a trade is a bit of a shocker, but now, it seems much closer to reality.
So, whenever the end comes, how should we think about the Carmelo Experience? Unmitigated disaster? Stroke of genius? The truth lies somewhere in between. Which extreme the balance tilts toward likely depends on a question that Thunder types are remiss to answer— how much getting Carmelo mattered to Russell Westbrook and Paul George.
We don’t know whether one or both of those superstars requested or even pushed for the Thunder go after Carmelo. We don’t know how much the move played into Westbrook resigning, which obviously and ultimately played into George re-signing.
Clearly, those would be significant side effects of Carmelo’s time in Oklahoma City.
This much, we know: Carmelo was a great locker-room guy. Players seemed to absolutely love his presence, his personality, his panache.
But this much, we know, too: he was a poor fit on the court.
His offensive gamedoesn’t mesh well with today’s NBA. All the jab steps. All the iso plays. That works counter to the free-flowing, perimeter-oriented game that is most successful nowadays.
And defensively, he was ill-equipped to keep up. He was 33 years old last season, and while age is not the be all, end all— LeBron James and Chris Paul are 33, too— the years have done to Carmelo what they do to most of us. They’ve slowed him.
The Thunder could manage his defensive shortcomings early in the season, but when Andre Roberson went down, Carmelo became a liability, especially in pick-and-roll defense. At a time everyone in the league switches everything and versatile defenders are the way of the world, Carmelo was often at a disadvantage. Not athletic enough. Not quick enough.
Didn’t help matters that Westbrook consistently refused to stay disciplined defensively, but that’s a different column for a different day.
Sam Presti and his cadre of basketball savants had to know all the possible pitfalls of acquiring Carmelo. They understand the metrics of the game, that quick and versatile and agile are necessary for a winning formula.
Maybe they thought OKC could get the best out of Carmelo. Maybe Billy Donovan and Co. could convince Carmelo to shoot more floorstretching, catch-andshoot threes in the flow of the offense rather than hand-in-the-face, turnaround jumpers in isolation. Maybe they thought the grand potential of playing with Westbrook and George could turn Carmelo, long a lead dog, into a willing third wheel.
Instead, Carmelo became the squeaky wheel.
“I’m not sacrificing (by playing) no bench role,” he said in an incendiary season-ending exit interview. “That’s out the question.”
And now, Carmelo is on his way out.
Was the deal good? Nope.
Was it worth trying? Maybe.
The Thunder gave away Enes Kanter and Doug McDermott in the trade with the Knicks, and while Thunder fans miss Kanter’s personality every day, neither of those guys was the key to a title. Both had massive shortcomings, especially defensively, and neither was the athletic, two-way player that teams so covet.
Some might argue that Carmelo’s contract was too risky, but while it has become a huge issue now— the franchise will save a whopping $100 million on its luxury tax bill for next season even if the worst-case, waiveand-stretch scenario happens— it would’ve had a lot of salary wrapped up in Kanter.
Or some other player. The Thunder would’ve written a big check for someone. That’s what teams do nowadays. That kind of money causes us common folk to break into hives, but in the NBA, no one bats an eye.
Ultimately, I’m not sure the Thunder would’ve won a bunch more games last season had the deal to acquire Carmelo never been done. But who knows what young players might’ve developed with more playing time a year ago. Or what chemistry might’ve been developed with different lineups. Or how free agency could’ve been different.
Now, if the Thunder can somehow replace Carmelo with a difference-making player or two— Kevin Love, anyone?— there will be reason to re-evaluate.
But clearly, Carmelo wasn’t the right fit for this team in this era.
He’ll return to Oklahoma City next season with his new team, and there will likely be lots of smiles. Hugs from old teammates. Cheers from Thunder fans. But there will also be an understanding that breaking up was the right thing to do.