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Houston Rockets: Carmelo Anthony signing for minimum more than worth it

By T.A. Mock

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - DECEMBER 25: Carmelo Anthony #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - DECEMBER 25: Carmelo Anthony #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images) /
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The Houston Rockets appear set to sign Carmelo Anthony for the veteran’s minimum after he clears waivers this week. Here’s why it’s more than worth it.

I have been very on record that I didn’t really want Carmelo Anthony in a Houston Rockets uniform. I thought he was a ball hog who would take possessions away from James Harden and Chris Paul. I thought he would make this team significantly worse defensively.

I still think these things. However, Melo appears set to join the Houston Rockets at the veteran’s minimum salary of $2.4 million. A lot of that surely has to do with the whatever buyout agreement he’s working on with the Hawks. But, him signing at the minimum indicates a shift in Melo.

Prior joining the Thunder last season, he was extremely vocal about not wanting to take a backseat and definitely not wanting to come off of the bench. The Thunder were decent last year with that approach but, they didn’t reach the levels expected of them.

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Since he isn’t on the team yet, the role Melo is going to fill isn’t defined. But, him signing for the minimum does indicate that he could be open to a smaller role. With the gaps on the Houston Rockets roster, Melo is still likely headed towards a starting role.

However, the amount of playing time all three stars get on the court together will be minimal. This would probably be mostly limited to the beginning and end of games. Paul, Harden, and Melo may all get more rest because of it.

If Melo can settle into an offensive role that is a little more elevated than Trevor Ariza’s was, then this deal will be a huge steal. If he can spot up along the three-point line when the other two alphas are on the court and dominate the ball when they both take a breather, this offense will run smoothly.

Melo played more games last year than he had since the 2006 season. He’s in great shape and actually played pretty good basketball. Per 36 minutes, he averaged 18.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 36% from three and 40% overall.

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Melo also rocked a 50% true shooting percentage, which is a Daryl Morey creation. He also only shot 33% from the corner last year, which is low. But, those numbers climb to astronomical proportions in previous years.

Those efficiency stats are sure to climb by playing off the ball more and with better distributors than he had in the past. Harden and Paul may very well be the best passers he’s ever played with. The also make defenders flock to them on drives so, Melo will likely see more open looks than ever.

The advanced metrics also have Melo as playing defense at a decent level last year. He blocked 1.8% of the two-point attempts taken against him. This may not seem like much but, it is far and away the best mark of his career.

So, while the fit might still be hard to figure out and work through, this deal is a no-brainer. The money indicates a shift in mindset for Melo. If he can settle into a more complementary role this deal will be a huge steal and massively increase this team’s offensive firepower.

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Even though it’s not official yet, this deal would immediately bump the Houston Rockets offseason grade. So, yeah, I was against this deal initially but, the money just makes it more than worth it.

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