Anthony was sent to the Atlanta Hawks, where he is expected to be waived imminently, as part of a complex three-team trade that frees the Thunder of his sizeable $27.9m expiring contract after an expensive summer of recruitment for OKC GM Sam Presti.
Along with the 10-time All-Star, the Thunder sent the Hawks a 2022 protected first-round pick, receiving point guard Denis Schroder and big man Mike Muscala in return.
Muscala was subsequently sent to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot as the Sixers sent guard Justin Anderson to Atlanta, completing the trade.
The moves are yet to be rubber-stamped by the league but, barring something extraordinary, Anthony will likely become a free agent in the coming days, allowing him to complete a move to the Rockets.
New York Times’ NBA writer Marc Stein reported Anthony has all but agreed a move that would see him pen a one-year deal for the veteran minimum salary of $2.4m to play alongside close friend Chris Paul.
But after a season in which the former Knicks star saw his reputation take a hit following his well-documented struggles in the playoffs, it is unclear where Anthony will fit in for coach Mike D’Antoni.
Anthony previously laughed off suggestions he would be set to start from the bench after the idea was posited to him when he joined the Thunder last year – but, as The Ringer’s Haley O’Shaughnessy described, it could be the only role remaining in which he could be of any use.
“Anthony playing under the James Harden–Paul oligarchy could surpass playing alongside one Westbrook: D’Antoni’s offense gets its oxygen from Harden’s and Paul’s ball dominance, whether they’re driving it in to kick it out, or finishing at the rim, or pulling up the moment the 3-point line is visible,” O’Shaughnessy wrote.
“Anthony is a capable catch-and-shoot option—a career-high percentage of his shots came from deep last season, and he made them at a 35.7 percent clip—and he could offer jump-shot security from the midrange if Paul goes down again. The question is whether he’ll be content with that role.
“It’s difficult to list Anthony’s pros and cons when one of the latter is a history of indignation.
“Should he be open to not being the first, second, third, or even fourth option, there will be a place for him in Houston. But unlike in OKC, if the Melo experiment fails, it won’t be on Anthony.
“The Rockets had a season-long preview of what they could be getting themselves into.”