One of the most exciting signings the Los Angeles Lakers made was Carmelo Anthony, the former superstar who the franchise has been chasing for years now.
Seeing Anthony donning the purple and gold is going to take some getting used to after the long wait, but for his fans, this has to be considered a win because he now has a legitimate chance to win his first title. Despite entering Year 19, Anthony offers excellent value as a catch-and-shoot threat from beyond the arc, something that vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka is excited about.
Anthony has always had some sort of relationship or link to the franchise, with one of his best friends in LeBron James recruiting him. However, Anthony also had a close bond with Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and according to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, the veteran forward believes Bryant is happy about his decision to finally suit for Los Angeles:
“It’s different in a great way,” Anthony said of playing in LA. “I was fortunate enough to play in New York, an organization in a big city, in a big market. But those colors are totally different. Blue and orange are different than purple and gold. Being in LA, you really feel that. I know my brother Kobe is smiling right now.”
There were opportunities for Bryant and Anthony to team up when the former was still on the Lakers, but the situation never materialized and the two would have to settle for playing against each other twice a year. Their matchups were usually electric, dating back to when Anthony was still a member of the Denver Nuggets but it was clear after their time together on Team USA that they had built a solid relationship.
One under-the-radar facet to the roster is that most of the players have some sort of connection to Bryant and that will likely aid in their quest to competing for another championship. For Anthony, winning it all with the storied franchise that Bryant called home would be one of those endings that someone could not script themselves.
Carmelo Anthony reveals list of suitors in free agency
James and the Lakers made sure to scoop up Anthony as soon as free agency started, but it sounds like they had competition for his services. Anthony revealed that the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, and New Orleans Pelicans all expressed interest in signing him.
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