2019 NBA free agency: 5 potential landing spots for Carmelo Anthony
By Jordan Foote
5. Golden State Warriors
With Kevin Durant departing and Klay Thompson likely to miss most or all of the 2019 season, the Golden State Warriors are no longer be a near-lock to make the NBA Finals. On the other hand, D’Angelo Russell is now starting alongside Stephen Curry in the backcourt and Thompson’s potential return in time for a playoff run is intriguing. Golden State is still a top free agent destination.
Enter Anthony. Still in search of a ring and clearly in the twilight of his basketball career, joining a contender would be in Anthony’s best interest. Curry, Russell and Draymond Green should still allow Golden State to be one of the better teams in the league. Should Thompson return at any point in the season, things get even more interesting.
The aforementioned loss of Durant is huge. Add in Andre Iguodala being traded and Shaun Livingston being waived and it’s easy to see why general manager Bob Myers may be on the market for a wing player. Players like Alfonzo McKinnie and Glenn Robinson III don’t seem quite ready to contribute in bulk. Thompson will miss over half of the season, even in the best-case scenario. Depth is a question mark.
By joining the Warriors, Anthony not only gives Steve Kerr a new toy to play with, but he also gives himself another shot at redemption. A shot at winning a ring. A shot at going out on a high note. This move makes a lot of sense for Anthony, although it remains questionable — at best — that Golden State would feel the same way.