Carmelo Anthony on Joining LeBron James, Lakers: 'It's a Different Vibe That We Have'
Carmelo Anthony explained the importance of playing alongside longtime friend LeBron James with the Los Angeles Lakers in an interview Friday.
Speaking to ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst, Melo said: "It's not just basketball, it's different. It's a different feel, it's a different vibe that we have. It's a different connection. The journey itself alongside somebody like LeBron, you can't write that any better."
James and Anthony are about to enter their 19th year in the NBA, and aside from All-Star Games and the Olympics, they had never played together as teammates until now.
Melo finally opted to join forces with LeBron this offseason when he signed a one-year, $2.6 million contract with the Lakers in pursuit of a championship.
The career paths of James and Anthony have run parallel for nearly two decades, and while both have enjoyed a great deal of success, LeBron is the one who is recognized as one of the greatest players of all time.
At 36 years of age, LeBron has essentially seen and done it all, winning four NBA titles, four NBA MVP awards and four NBA Finals MVP awards.
Melo is accomplished in his own right with 10 All-Star nods and a scoring title to his credit, but an NBA championship has eluded him.
Joining forces with LeBron has worked out well for many other superstar players in search of championship glory over the years, including Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and Anthony Davis.
LeBron and AD led the Lakers to a championship two seasons ago, but with James, Davis and other key players missing significant time due to injuries last season, L.A. barely made the playoffs and lost to the eventual Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns in the first round.
As a result, the Lakers front office made some big changes this offseason, and the signing of Anthony is among the most significant.
L.A. also acquired another future Hall of Famer in guard Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards, plus it signed the likes of Wayne Ellington, Kendrick Nunn, Dwight Howard, Rajon Rondo, Malik Monk and Kent Bazemore.
At 37, Melo is no longer the same player who averaged 20 points per game or better in each of his 14 seasons or won the scoring title in 2012-13 with the New York Knicks when he averaged 28.7 points per game.
He remains a productive role player, however, and was highly effective primarily coming off the bench last season with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Although his 13.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game were career lows, he made 1.9 three-pointers per game and shot a career-best 40.9 percent from beyond the arc.
If Melo can turn in a similar performance with the Lakers in 2021-22, he will be an ideal complement to LeBron, and he could be a key figure in the Lakers winning their second title in three years.
