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After Coming To Terms With Retirement, Anthony Is Thankful For Another Chance

Carmelo Anthony figured he was just about done. After being cut by the Houston Rockets 10 games into the 2018-19 season and subsequently sitting out the next 12 months, the 6-8 forward had started to prepare himself for the inevitable. Every NBA career has an end date, and after going unsigned for a full calendar year, Anthony was almost all the way to accepting the reality of his situation.

“I think I came to a point where I was willing to accept it either way,” said Anthony. “If this was going to be it, I was willing to accept it. I had to get myself mentally prepared for that, and I did, to be honest with you.”

But then the Trail Blazers called.

The team had previously tried to court Anthony to no avail, but declined to sign him during the 2019 offseason despite having an open roster spot going into the season. But between a seemingly never ending string of injuries, a lack of size and a 5-9 start, Portland almost had no choice but to consider adding a free agent to the roster. They likely had a few choices, but after weighing the options, they decided to go with Anthony.

So after a few days of preparation, Anthony joined the team in New Orleans. Less than 24 hours later, he started at forward, playing 23 minutes and finishing with 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting, four assists and a block in a 115-103 loss. While he would have liked to shoot a better percentage and didn’t get the opportunity to test out how well he’s able to take advantage of teams throwing multiple defenders at Damian Lillard, he didn’t look out of place or especially winded.

“As far as conditioning goes, I felt absolutely great out there,” said Anthony. “It was minor things, but more of the flow of things, get used to how the team wants to play. Plays, sets, getting used to the guys on the team. Also, the game is different. Within a year the game has changed. The physicality of the game has changed, the way that they call a game, the way that the game is played has changed, so you almost have to adjust, again, when it comes to that.”

With Zach Collins out until at least March and the team waiving Pau Gasol, who continues to rehabilitate his surgically-repaired left foot, Wednesday afternoon, there’s no reason to believe Anthony won’t be with the Trail Blazers for an extended period of time, up to and including the entirety of the 2019-20 season. There are plenty of minutes at both forward positions available, he was told he’d be a starter and Portland’s players have been enthusiastic about Anthony’s return to the NBA.

“I think the greatest feeling of it all was to feel wanted by a group of guys who believe in me and my talent and what I can bring to the game,” said Anthony. “It wasn’t just the players, it was the coaching staff, they really showed a strong level of belief in what I can still do for them.”

To state it plainly: Carmelo Anthony is not going to save the Trail Blazers. He wasn’t brought in for that purpose and the team isn’t expecting him to put them on his shoulders. Rather, this is a team simply going out and finding the best available free agent option at forward, and whatever happens next should be viewed through that prism. Perhaps it works out, perhaps it doesn’t, but either way, it was a chance worth taking, for both sides.

“I don’t think anyone knows what’s going to happen this year. I come into this game now with a totally different mindset, totally different motivation. The way that I see the game — not just the game of basketball, but just overall, the way that I see, the way that I approach it is totally different,” said Anthony. “I’m here now, that’s what’s important. I could have still been home. Portland pulled the trigger and no matter whatever happens, I will always appreciate that.”