Los Angeles Lakers newcomer Carmelo Anthony made it clear that he’s approaching this upcoming season with a championship-or-bust mentality.
Carmelo Anthony believes this season is championship or bust for him with the Lakers:
"If I was just to walk away from the game before, then I would have been at peace with [not getting a ring]. … But now that perspective is totally different. Now I HAVE to win." pic.twitter.com/h5HReVDfks
— First Take (@FirstTake) September 14, 2021
Given the number of aging players on the Lakers’ roster, many folks would agree that the team needs to win a title sooner than later.
Anthony will be one of many new faces for the Lakers in the upcoming season. The veteran is playing with the team on a one-year deal, so he’d presumably love to win a title before potentially becoming a free agent again next offseason.
The 37-year-old has accomplished a lot in his NBA career. A 10-time All-Star, he has lifetime averages of 23.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. An NBA title is one of the few missing accolades on his resume.
Anthony had a really underrated 2020-21 season with the Portland Trail Blazers. He served largely as a bench player, and he averaged 13.4 points per game while shooting 40.9 percent from deep.
L.A. would likely be thrilled if it got similar levels of production from the former first-round pick in the 2021-22 season. He could end up being one of the team’s best offseason additions.
