Carmelo Anthony To Celtics Starting To Gain Traction

Free agent forward Carmelo Anthony has been linked to the Celtics and the sides may be coming to an agreement prior to the season.

Per Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, the idea of Anthony joining the defending Eastern Conference champions is “starting to gain some traction.” Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson also linked Anthony to the Celtics last week, and Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney did so back in May.

Anthony, 38, is an unrestricted free agent after finishing his first season with the Lakers. He appeared in 69 games, averaging 13.2 points and 4.2 rebounds, coming off the bench in all but three.

The Celtics are looking for help after Danilo Gallinari suffered a knee injury in a EuroBasket game. There is a sense Gallinari will be out at least for training camp and the preseason.

Anthony could perhaps serve as a stop-gap until Gallinari returns. As Washburn wrote, “Anthony may be the best shooting forward left on the market, and he has shown to be productive offensively despite his age.”

The Knicks have also expressed an interest in reuniting with Anthony, per Robinson. Along with the Knicks and Lakers, Anthony has spent time with the Thunder, Rockets and Trail Blazers. He’s been coming off the bench since his run in Portland in 2020.