Report: LeBron James Wanted Lakers to Sign Carmelo Anthony, But Front Office Digressed

Published by

Robert Marvi

November 23, 2019 5:48 pm

Just days ago, star forward Carmelo Anthony finally got picked up by the Portland Trail Blazers.

If it had been up to LeBron James, however, Anthony would have had a home in Los Angeles far sooner. According to a report from Chis Haynes of Yahoo! Sports, LeBron James wanted the Los Angeles Lakers front office to sign Anthony.

“Anthony had the blessing of James, league sources told Yahoo Sports, but the front office chose to go in a different direction,” Haynes wrote.

James and Anthony are part of the famous Banana Boat crew which includes the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Chris Paul and the recently retired Dwyane Wade.

There were rumblings that the Lakers were considering signing Anthony, not just because of his relationship with James, but also because some felt he could add some outside shooting to the team. However, the Lakers front office decided against adding the 10-time NBA All-Star.

James and Anthony will face off for the first time this season in a Dec. 6 matchup in Portland.

Robert Marvi

Robert is a native of Santa Monica, Calif., and a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara. He has been an avid NBA fan since he was a little kid in the mid '90s and fell in love with the Nick Van Exel-led Lakers teams. He truly cherishes the Kobe Bryant-era of Lakers basketball and the five world championships that came with it, and is looking forward to the team's next NBA title.