Oklahoma City Thunder: 3 reasons the season is over

1. The Carmelo Anthony trade

Nobody knew that this trade would go so poorly. Anthony’s first year in OKC was easily the worst of his career and a steep drop-off from the numbers he put up as a member of the New York Knicks last year.

Don’t be fooled by narratives and obscure stats; he’s the same old Carmelo with no new tricks. Anthony’s ability to score in isolation has all but evaporated, but that’s not his greatest shortcoming of the season. From his rookie season in 2003 through his last year in New York in 2017, Anthony averaged 7.2 free throw attempts per game (per Basketball-Teference). In his first season in Oklahoma City, that number plummeted to 2.5 attempts per game.

I’m not one to declare that Anthony is washed after just one bad season, but his inability to get to the free throw line is evidence that his age is taking a toll, and his struggles from the floor show that he may not be able to adapt.

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Anthony is owed $28 million next season, assuming he doesn’t opt out. He’s already expressed that he has no interest whatsoever in coming off the bench. If Paul George walks away this summer, the Thunder may need to wait out Anthony’s contract before trying to reload again through free agency. It could be worth it, but it could also mean wasting a year of Westbrook’s prime. This summer could define the next five years of Thunder basketball.