By Liam McKeone
Well, folks, it finally happened. Carmelo Anthony was traded from the Knicks, a move we’ve all been expecting for some time. The surprise, though, came with the team he was traded to. The Thunder swept seemingly out of nowhere to pick up Anthony, and now have two stars to support their own superstar, Russell Westbrook. As the season draws closer, though, the question remains of how these three are going to operate together after being the primary ball-handlers for their respective teams last season.
After being the No. 1 scorer for a sorry Knicks team last season, Anthony will be handing off the controls to the league’s reigning MVP, Westbrook. This is likely for the best, as Anthony isn’t getting any younger, and the less of a load he has to carry offensively, the better. Anthony has never played with another superstar like Westbrook, much less two with George. The amount of space he’ll have to work with will be immense, and he’ll surely take advantage of it.
The key to success for Anthony in OKC will be getting out of his comfort zone, but if he wants to win, there’s no other way. He’ll need to play power forward most of the time, something he’s been notoriously slow to agree to. While the defensive combination of Andre Roberson and Paul George will be enough to ensure that the team can dictate the defensive matchups, Anthony’s place should be at the power forward spot. He doesn’t have the quickness to hang with most small forwards these days, and most PFs now are taller, lanky guys who stretch the floor from three. Anthony’s reluctance presumably has something to do with not wanting to have to fight in the post with guys who have 30 pounds on him, but now that the game has shifted from big, beefy power forwards, it should be easier on his body.
The other key is for Anthony to lock in on defense. Anthony always gets his buckets, and with the focus on Westbrook, he’ll have an easier time than ever. But Anthony has never been a particularly good defender, a result that mostly stems from a lack of effort. It’s time for him to step up and focus on playing good team defense, because the Thunder can’t beat the Warriors with the defensive liability that has been Anthony over the last several seasons.
Anthony does not need to become “Hoodie Melo,” the alternate basketball persona he adopted this offseason after dominating pickup games in a hoodie. He needs to become what many call “Olympic Melo.” Anyone who’s watched Team USA over the last three Olympics knows that he balled out in every Olympics he played in, thanks to the cast around him. Of course, this year’s version of the Thunder doesn’t come anywhere near the level of an Olympic team, but it’s better than anything Anthony has ever had. If he can do what he needs to, he’ll be making a strong run for his elusive first NBA championship.
