NBA: MELO IS ON THE MOVE, BUT TO WHERE?
Cousins is glad to be with the champs
Oklahoma City deals Carmelo Anthony to Atlanta, which plans to waive him and allow him to become a free agent.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Carmelo Anthony is done in Oklahoma City.
The Associated Press reports that the Thunder will send Anthony and a 2022 protected first-round pick to Atlanta in exchange for Hawks guard Dennis Schroder and Mike Muscala. Anthony will be waived by the Hawks, clearing the way for him to sign as a free agent elsewhere. ESPN, which first reported the trade, said the Thunder will send Muscala to the Philadelphia 76ers for Timothe LuwawuCabarrot, and Philadelphia’s Justin Anderson will be sent to Atlanta.
Schroder, a speedy 6-foot-1 guard, averaged a career-high 19.4 points last season for the Hawks in 67 games, all starts.
Anthony’s lone season in Oklahoma City was largely a bust. He averaged 16.2 points and struggled at times in his new role alongside Russell Westbrook and Paul George. The 10-time All-Star posted career lows in scoring average and field goal percentage, and the Thunder lost in the first round of the playoffs to Utah.
Anthony opted in earlier this summer to accept the $28 million he was due next season.
Once Anthony clears the NBA’s 48-hour waiver period, with no team in the league positioned under the salary-cap to make a claim, Anthony will become a free agent.
ESPN continues to list the Houston Rockets as the frontrunners for Anthony, despite his struggles in New York with current Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni. Houston this summer lost forwards Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute in free agency.
Schroder will likely fill a role for the Thunder similar to that of James Harden and Reggie Jackson in the past — explosive player who thrives as a lead scorer with the second unit. He also comes with some baggage. He was arrested in September following a fight at a hookah bar, an issue that has not been resolved. The Hawks at one point considered Schroder their future cornerstone, but they switched directions and drafted Oklahoma’s Trae Young in the first round of this year. The Hawks also added Brooklyn’s Jeremy Lin.
WARRIORS: DeMarcus Cousins spent his first eight seasons in the NBA chasing two things — peace and the playoffs. After signing with Golden State as a free agent, the four-time AllStar center has no doubts he’ll finally find both, and that those will help dispel the notion that he’s a bad teammate.
“Just a chance to play for a winning culture,” Cousins said Thursday. “I also have a chance to play with some of the most talented players of this era. Those two things alone, that pretty much sums it up.”
Looking relaxed while sitting on a stage next to Warriors general manager Bob Myers, Cousins was at ease during a news conference at the team’s practice facility.
Golden State’s fiery big man seems content in his new surroundings and wants the hardware to show for it.
“Every guy said let’s go get another championship,” Cousins said. “They are a well-established team and they could have easily been like, ‘No, we don’t need him.’ But they were excited like a team that’s never accomplished anything.”
Cousins averaged 25.2 points and career highs in rebounds (12.9), assists (5.4) and minutes (36.2) with New Orleans before getting hurt. He has been frustrated by the tediousness of rehab but is being cautious in his approach.
LAKERS: Forward Jeffrey Carroll has signed with the team. He played in six Las Vegas Summer League games for the Lakers, averaging 4.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in nine minutes.
CLIPPERS: Luc Mbah a Moute is back with Los Angeles, signing a free-agent deal. The 31-year-old forward averaged 7.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.18 steals in 61 games for Houston last season.