Hugo Vazquez 
Around this time last year, Carmelo Anthony played his last game in the NBA… Or so it seemed. The hopes for Anthony returning to the league and being any sort of productive player seemed extremely dim. I myself discussed whether or not he belongs in the league a while ago, and explained that the only useful role Anthony will likely have this deep into his career would be a role off of the bench, and hopefully being a bench star for instant offense. After the Portland Trail Blazers’ recent trouble with winning games (they have a 4-8 record at the date of this being written), they were desperate enough to try the Anthony move. Maybe it seems hard to classify the move as desperate, but it makes sense. After all, it wasn’t too long ago when Anthony was considered too toxic in the locker room to stay in the NBA. And while I don’t think this is going to work, I believe it is possible for this move by the Trail Blazers to end up in their favor.
Just very recently, with the signing of Dwight Howard to the Lakers, we saw that it is possible for a once-toxic player to change their mentality and to adjust their role to what a team needs and not to what they want. Howard was used to being a lone superstar in Orlando all the way back in 2012, and when he was no longer the only superstar on the team once he joined the Lakers and the Rockets, he was getting very upset to the point where his off-court issues were distracting the team. This would continue for a very long time for Howard. Now that he’s with the Lakers, Howard has turned around his career quickly by dropping his toxic behavior. He only does what the team asks of him and is now one of the better centers in the NBA again. While I don’t think Anthony could be that good, this gives me hope that Anthony can do the same kind of thing. If he can just stick to his role and humble himself as Howard did, he can become a productive player again. I doubt that the move will end up being anything significant for Portland, but hopefully, it lets Anthony go out on his own terms and on a sweet note.
As for what Anthony will do for the Blazers, he will likely just become a spot-up shooter off the bench with the occasional isolation play for himself to try to create his own offense. I say occasionally because Anthony is no longer good enough to do it consistently, but if it makes him happy to do it two or three times a game coming off of the bench then it’s alright.
This signing is certainly a surprise. Are you happy to have Anthony back in the NBA?
By Hugo Vazquez, Senior, Brooks College Prep
Instagram: Hugovazquez.14
