Carmelo Anthony
AP Photo/Julie Jacobson

Gilbert Arenas thinks former New York Knicks superstar Carmelo Anthony needs to commit to a lesser role to play again.

With each passing day, the curious case of Carmelo Anthony doesn’t seem to change. The former superstar is still searching for his next team after short stints with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets.

Former Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas believes the New York Knicks legend needs to accept a lesser role in his next situation if he wants to play in the NBA again. Arenas offered his candid opinion on why Melo must be willing to make sacrifices.

“Melo plays if Melo wants to play. At 35, he has a bunch left in the tank, but is he willing to sacrifice what he perceives he still has versus what teams need. They might need a guy to come in and play spot minutes, and he is still a guy that thinks he is a star. Now, you have two realms of thought processes, that need to meet in the middle, but the first person that must buy-in is Melo. Then show that he can buy in during the season versus saying, nah I am not coming off anybody’s bench. I think I can’t still average 20, but you can still average 15 to 20, however, you must put yourself into position first to show them,” Arenas told Landon Buford.

Arenas is making a point that many have made over the course of the last year. We’ve heard this take ad nauseam, but it still rings true. Transitioning from stardom to a lesser role is always difficult.

There’s an unmistakeable narrative surrounding Melo. It started when he laughed at the notion of coming off the bench for the Thunder. The narrative grew stronger after his exile from the Houston Rockets last season.

Unfortunately, it could culminate with Anthony’s career-ending without another shot. Melo is still unsigned and there are few teams looking to take on another player.

He was recently working out with the Brooklyn Nets, but that doesn’t appear to be a viable option at this point. A reunion with the Knicks could have been possible had the Knicks swept free agency. However, a Melo farewell tour doesn’t look likely.

Even Team USA balked at the notion of bringing Anthony, the nation’s all-time leading scorer, back into the fold. The team heading to the 2019 FIBA World Cup is hemorrhaging stars and still didn’t love the idea of bringing Anthony to China.

Although he was a polarizing figure while he was with the Knicks, he embraced the challenge of New York. The former superstar is in limbo and it’s tough to watch.

 
NY/NJ hoops reporter (NBA/NCAA) & sports betting writer for XL Media. Never had the makings of a varsity athlete.