Since the Knicks traded Carmelo Anthony in the summer of 2018, the 10-time NBA All-Star has struggled to find a new home in the twilight of his career.
In fact, it appeared as if the 35-year-old’s career was coming to a halt until the Portland Trail Blazers took a flier on Anthony for the veteran minimum back in November.
As the Trail Blazers season came to an end on Saturday night in a 131-122 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, Anthony seems to have found a new life in the Pacific Northwest and hopes to continue it there next season.
“I pray it can be Portland,” he told reporters following the game. “Honestly, I think I’ve found a home in Portland. I got comfortable with the organization, I got comfortable with the guys on the team, they got comfortable with me, and at this point in my career I do think that that’s the best fit for me, the best situation, especially having this experience now and kind of just getting my feet wet and just coming in and being who I am and staying true to myself.
Prior to signing with Portland, the rumor mill connected Anthony to team up with the Lakers and his friend LeBron James to take a run at an NBA Finals title – an achievement that has eluded him his career.
Some even suggested a potential Knicks reunion, but it is hard to fathom Anthony wouldn’t want to play for a non-contender.
The Trail Blazers certainly have the talent to be a darkhorse Finals contender next season.
They reached the Western Conference Finals in 2018-19, but a slow start combined with injuries put them at a disadvantage this season, although they caught fire when the NBA restart began in the bubble to secure the No. 8 seed in the West.
Anthony also seemed to fit in a complementary role with Portland. He averaged 15.4 points, 6.3 rebounds in 32.8 minutes per game in 58 games this season. He also shot 43% from the field, which he had not done since his last All-Star season in 2016-17 with the Knicks.
Anthony also played well in the first-round playoff series against the Lakers, scoring at least 20 points in two games, including a 27-point, seven-rebound performance in Saturday’s Game 5 loss with the Trail Blazers missing an injured Damian Lillard.
“I really hope that it can be Portland at the end of the day where we give ourselves a chance to keep this team together,” Anthony added, “get guys healthy, and get another run at it.”
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