Carmelo Anthony says Lakers trade was almost done

Carmelo Anthony revealed that helium was adjacent to being connected the aforesaid squad with Kobe Bryant, which, according to many, would beryllium a nightmare for opposing defenses. According to him, everything was acceptable for him to determination to the Los Angeles Lakers, but the program backfired astatine the past moment, truthful helium ended up successful the New York Knicks.

In an effort to fortify the squad astir Bryant, the Lakers contacted the Denver Nuggets. They offered Lamar Odom and young halfway Andrew Bynum successful speech for Nene and Anthony. The connection was acceptable to Denver, but for chartless reasons nary statement was reached.

While visiting Dwayne Wade, Melo recalled those negotiations:

“The woody was made with the Lakers. It was planned that maine and Nene would spell successful speech for Lamar Odom and Bynum. That woody was a done deal. I ne'er thought astir New York. But then, erstwhile they rejected that deal, I thought, ‘Yeah, you don’t privation maine successful the West. You’re going to nonstop maine to the East.’ I instantly thought – nonstop maine to New York.”

At the time, the media wrote that Anthony ever wanted to spell to the Knicks, but helium present claims the opposite.

“The woody was ne'er with New York, it was with the New Jersey Nets. So, erstwhile it was All-Star weekend, the woody was with the Nets. George Karl had a woody with Utah down the scenes for Derrick Favors… He thought helium was a Nene-type powerfulness forward. I ended up successful New York, but that commercialized was ne'er expected to happen.”

The destiny of some franchises

The Lakers’ rejection changed the destiny of some franchises. For Los Angeles, it meant the extremity of the title epoch - Kobe was injured much and much often, and the squad did not find a caller prima to proceed the bid of titles. For Anthony, the years successful New York brought large idiosyncratic numbers, but besides disappointments successful the playoffs, without a azygous Eastern Conference Finals.

Melo near the Knicks successful 2017, played for respective teams, and finished his vocation successful 2022 with implicit 28,000 points, but without an NBA ringing – helium mightiness person had 1 if the 2011 commercialized had gone through.