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Carmelo Anthony has had a rocky start to the 2018-19 season after signing with the Houston Rockets for a veteran’s minimum contract this summer. Paying $1.5 million for the former All-Star, it seemed there was no way the Rockets could go wrong. But, well...they might have.
The 34-year-old forward has appeared in 10 games, starting twice, and is averaging career-lows in scoring, scoring per minute, and free throw attempts, posting suspect shooting percentages in the process.
Anthony was scratched from tonight’s game against the San Antonio Spurs due to illness. Then ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted this:
While Carmelo Anthony is absent with an illness tonight against the Spurs, the Rockets and Anthony are discussing his role and how they might still be able to proceed together for the rest of the season, league sources tell ESPN. Talks are fluid.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 11, 2018
The word “still” in the second clause carries weight for Anthony’s performance so far while lending an ominous sense to his future in Houston. “Talks are fluid” sounds more like free agency language than the second month of the regular season.
Anthony’s contract expires at the end of the season. He’s scoring 13.4 per game in 29.4 minutes, shooting 40.5% from the field, 32.8% from the three-point arc.