The Los Angeles Lakers had a busy off-season making big moves by trading for Russell Westbrook, signing veterans Trevor Ariza and Carmelo Anthony, bringing back Dwight Howard and Rajon Rondo and adding young guys like Malik Monk and Kendrick Nunn.
One of the biggest move by the Lakers was signing long-time Lebron James friend Carmelo Anthony. It took eighteen years for the two to finally team up.
The two were going up against each other since LeBron James Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat days and Carmelo’s Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks’ years.
In a recent interview in ‘The Drew Barry Show’, Melo explained how LeBron forced him to sign with the Lakers:
“I almost got forced to do it. … I think LeBron forced me to do it,” Anthony said. “He waited till the right time. He waited till we’re at the end of our careers and he said, ‘The time is now. If you don’t do it now, we ain’t gonna never do it.”
It seems that LeBron had his perfect timing on asking Carmelo to come and play with him.
“Early on, I don’t think it would’ve worked out between us because he was on his path, I was on my path. We had different lanes,” Anthony said. “I just think everything happens for a reason and timing is everything.”
Melo will play his 19th NBA season this year and he’s already 37 years old. For him, he and his team really need to win the championship this year. It’s championship or bust for the former scoring champion. It’s now or never.