All signs point to an imminent buyout or trade of Carmelo Anthony by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Ahead of that likelihood, the team has granted Anthony permission to meet with other teams, and the 34-year-old forward has quickly taken advantage of that permission, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:
In advance of an inevitable – if not imminent – parting, the Oklahoma City Thunder granted Carmelo Anthony permission to meet with prospective teams, including the Houston Rockets and Miami Heat, league sources told ESPN.
Anthony and his representatives met with Rockets and Heat officials at the site of the NBA Summer League in recent days, league sources told ESPN.
Thunder general manager Sam Presti and Anthony’s agent, Leon Rose of CAA Sports, have been working cooperatively to expedite a separation with the Thunder.
Wojnarowski adds that Anthony’s conversation with Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni was a productive one:
The Rockets meeting included coach Mike D’Antoni, who had a turbulent relationship with Anthony as New York Knicks coach. D’Antoni made it clear to Anthony that he thinks the circumstances together would be far different in Houston, and welcomed the idea of coaching Anthony again, league sources said.
Anthony had the worst season of his career in 2017-18, averaging a career-low 16.2 points per game, to go along with 5.8 rebounds while shooting just 40.4 percent from the field.
On Friday, ESPN reported that the Thunder and Anthony have agreed to part ways this summer.
