Toronto Raptors: Pursuing Carmelo Anthony would be a mistake

Carmelo Anthony is essentially available for the taking, but the Toronto Raptors should resist the urge to add the former All-Star to the team.

The Toronto Raptors have acquitted themselves as one of the best teams in the NBA this season behind the play of two superstars: Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry.

Most teams feel much more secure with a “Big 3” though.

Just last year, the Raptors had a player who would’ve fit the bill in DeMar DeRozan. They had to give the Raptors lifer up, however, to bring Leonard into the fold.

Now a player not far removed from his superstar days is available to any team who wants him.

Things clearly did not end well between Carmelo Anthony and the Houston Rockets. They didn’t even make it through a quarter of the season before deciding to cut bait with one another.

Anthony isn’t terribly far removed from his days as a lethal scorer and one of the 10 best players in the league. Considering the early struggles and injury problems C.J. Miles is dealing with, Anthony could be seen as a high-upside replacement for the veteran sharpshooting forward.

Let’s pump the brakes on that narrative.

For starters, the cost might be prohibitive for the Raptors if they attempt to sign Anthony rather than trade for him (he’s still under contract). The team doesn’t have any roster space and would likely have to convince Anthony to take a minimum deal if they clear room, something he doesn’t seem likely to do.

As for a trade, the Raptors shouldn’t sacrifice any of their important young players (i.e. OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam) for a one-year question mark.

If Leonard leaves this summer, having building blocks for the future will be essential, even at the risk of sacrificing the team’s first championship this year.

Of course, there’s no evidence that the contemporary version of Anthony could contribute in a major way to a title run.

His 10-game stint with Houston was disastrous. He managed to average 13.4 points per game coming off the bench for the first time in his career, but he never looked comfortable or found a perfect fit in his new role.

Anthony would take on the same bench role in Toronto, so his previous problem with that makes for an unfortunate fit.

Beyond that, it’s worth probing if Anthony would even be an upgrade over the current core of forwards on the roster.

He obviously wouldn’t displace Leonard anytime soon; the former San Antonio Spurs star has quickly rounded back into MVP form during a contract year.

There’s a good chance Anunoby is better than Anthony now. Even if he isn’t on the offensive end, he more than definitely is defensively. Plus, it’s important for his development to play as much as logically possible.

That leaves one potential substitution on the team: Anthony in place of Miles.

So far, this has not been a great year for Miles following a solid first year with the club. He started off missing way more 3-pointers than expected, then suffered an injury. He’s shooting just 25.5 percent from deep this year, which would be his worst mark since becoming a regular in the NBA.

Still, he was good for 2.9 win shares just last season, according to Basketball-Reference.

Anthony managed to shoot 32.8 percent during his brief stint in Houston, showing he still has some shooting touch at 34 years old.

But there’s something to be said about what happens when Anthony joins a team. Prior to his one-year stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder, he hadn’t made the postseason since 2013 (and his team flamed out spectacularly a year ago). The Rockets started off very slowly this season before picking up some steam after disavowing Anthony.

He’s simply too much of a defensive liability to help on one end of the floor, in addition to whatever baggage he brings to a locker room as a superstar struggling to accept the realities of his aging body.

Right now, the Toronto Raptors are one of the best teams in the NBA, far and away. There’s no reason to tinker with the core.

At the trade deadline, the team can reevaluate what it needs to get over the hump and win its first title.

Spoiler alert: Carmelo Anthony won’t be the answer.