Could Carmelo Anthony hold the key to plugging a few Miami Heat leaks?
For the past 72 hours, the name of the game in the NBA has been about learning to live with regrets.
That goes for the Minnesota Timberwolves coach and general manager Tom Thibodeau, the Houston Rockets and Carmelo Anthony.
Yet it all still circles back to the Miami Heat.
It was reported that before the start of the season, the Heat had a deal in place to acquire Jimmy Butler, but that the emergence of Josh Richardson and constant reneging of Thibodeau soured Miami so much, they refused to re-engage in trade talks.
Ultimately leaving the team without a star and Butler on his way to last year’s playoff rival: the Philadelphia 76ers.
Which turns into: did the Timberwolves undercut themselves, the Heat whiff by banking on potential, or both?
Similar questions about wrong moves could also be asked in Houston, on both sides of the Anthony signing.
Everyone with a set of eyes could see that the pair was no good.
Not when you take an already lack luster defensive team and add a player who is not defensive minded, and is coming off of an unusual offensive season; he becomes an easy scapegoat, which is a little self-inflicted, when considering that he turned down a better free agency fit for himself in Miami.
Ask Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel, and he will say that such a fit could possibly have positive implications for the Heat organization:
"“A Heat move for Anthony would come at the veteran minimum, similar to the 2018-19 contracts held by Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem.Such a move could work toward the Heat goal of reducing their luxury-tax bill, potentially allowing for a trade of Wayne Ellington, who has the right to veto any trade this season.”"
The easy win there would come in aiding the Heat’s quest to avoid a luxury tax hit. On the competitive end, Anthony fills a slight void the Heat have and Rockets do not bother with.
Sure, both teams could use a stretch four, but Houston’s offense does not pander to players who need to get warm from the midrange, to get fully comfortable behind the 3-point line.
Of Anthony’s 121 shots in Houston, 21 of them have come between 10-19 feet. This is a range the Rockets frown upon, with their analytics driven layup or 3 theory.
Miami, on the other hand, averaged the sixth most attempts (8.3) from 10-14 feet, to go with another 4.8 from 15-19 feet; all within the combined, best range for Anthony’s field goals this season outside of the layup or dunk area.
Something the Heat would not be opposed to accepting if it works.
Now he would not be the star fans are looking for, but Anthony could definitely provide some of the extra scoring the team needs.
And there would be no worries about the defense, when he has Hassan Whiteside and a team full of hard-nosed players beside him.
Plus, bestie Dwyane Wade is already in South Florida.