NBA Rumors Round-Up
NBA Rumors: Carmelo Can’t Wait Till 2015
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
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The counterargument is that [Carmelo] Anthony needs a better supporting cast. That is true. But the Knicks’ salary-cap situation is such that if they re-sign Anthony they’ll have to wait until 2015 to add that second star. For one, I’m hearing that Anthony’s camp is interested only in the summer of 2014. They don’t want to hear about 2015. And they’re right. Anthony will be 31 with a lot of NBA miles on his legs before reinforcements arrive.
This could ultimately end up being the Knicks’ undoing when it comes to keeping Anthony. Anthony is seeking council from his peers, most notably Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard, and the point of emphasis they’re all likely to make is that it’s vital he goes somewhere he can win immediately.
Anthony has already had an impressive career. Once it’s all said and done, he’s very likely headed to the Hall of Fame, but he doesn’t get the respect he deserves right now because of the fact that he’s only been a part of one extended postseason run in his career. He’s been on teams where he’s simply been required to do too much; one-star teams don’t get far in today’s NBA.
With few prime years left, if Anthony is honest with himself, he’ll realize he has no time to give to even the shortest rebuild. This season has been wasted enough, his resume doesn’t need another like it just because the Knicks can’t make any major moves until 2015.
LeBron James on Patrick Beverley who the Heat cut in 2010: “Bulldog. He don’t back down from nobody. He worked hard every single day.”
Dwyane Wade on @patbev21 who the Heat cut in 2010: “He was great. He was someone at the time me and LeBron really wanted to make our team.”
The HEAT acquired Beverley on draft night 2009 from the Los Angeles Lakers for a future second round pick. After staying overseas for a year, Beverley played with the HEAT’s summer league team and earned an invitation to camp, but was ultimately cut. He returned to overseas until last season when he was signed to a multi-year deal by the Houston Rockets. Since then he’s emerged as a true diamond in the rough and a real difference maker for the Rockets.
Beverley wasn’t able to catch on with the HEAT because he wasn’t as good in 2010 as he was in 2013 when the Rockets signed him most importantly. But, at the time Beverley’s skillset didn’t fit exactly what the HEAT were looking for in a point guard, which was primarily spot up shooting. He’s a much improved shooter now, hitting 37 percent from distance, but it’s safe to say both sides have fared just well since parting ways.
James’ longtime teammate Zydrunas Ilgauskas, whom James called “a dear friend” before he set a career-high with 61 points in Miami’s 124-107 win against the Charlotte Bobcats on Monday, will have his No. 11 jersey retired by the Cavaliers on Saturday at Quicken Loans Arena.
“I want to be there, but we’ll see. I’m not sure just yet,” James said. “I think it’s going to be a great day for my friend, a dear friend of mine. I’m excited for him.”
After the Heat play Thursday in San Antonio, the team will have two days off on Friday and Saturday before playing in Chicago on Sunday. James and Ilgauskas played eight seasons together, seven in Cleveland and one in Miami, before Ilgauskas retired from the NBA in 2011.
Haberstroh poses an interesting question afterwards on how James would be received in Cleveland if he were to show up and support Ilgauskas, who was the best player he played with during his time on the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers originally had hopes of making a run at James this summer in free agency; by that logic, you would think he’d be embraced with open arms. However, there are still a lot of hurt feelings in Cleveland over the way James left the team and realistically the chances of him returning this season are quite low. That seems like the recipe for a mixed reaction, if James is even able to make it.
