Carmelo Anthony's NBA Career in Decline

Being the first American basketball player with four consecutive Olympics and three gold medals is no longer a consolation for Carmelo Anthony. The 34-year-old forward would become a free agent after signing with the Atlanta Hawks, a team that has no intention of keeping him. A tough situation for the former NBA leading scorer from five years ago.

It was during the 2012-13 NBA regular season when Kevin Durant announced that he would not play the last game of the schedule against the Milwaukee Bucks. This decision led to Carmelo Anthony achieving the highlight of his career at that time, as he was playing for the New York Knicks.

For the first time, Carmelo Anthony became the NBA's leading scorer, surpassing Kevin Durant (28.1), who had won this title for the past three seasons. Melo achieved this honor by just a fraction of an average, with 28.7 points per game.

That season (2012-13) was not only the best for Carmelo Anthony personally, but also for the team, as the New York Knicks won 54 games with Melo as their protagonist, scoring points from mid-range. However, this skill is becoming less effective in a faster and more agile NBA.

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Carmelo Anthony, as a classic player, has always been characterized by a slower pace and longer shots. These skills helped him become the leading scorer, but teams have started to abandon these shots as they are difficult to make, don't count for three points, and don't create defensive openings like three-pointers.

Everything is changing in the NBA and Carmelo Anthony has been left behind. Even in terms of his team tenure, he spent eight years with the Denver Nuggets and six years with the New York Knicks.

That's why he tried to give himself a chance by signing with the Oklahoma City Thunder last season in hopes of finding a "second wind" in the NBA. However, he only recorded the worst season of his career, averaging just 16.2 points and shooting 40.4%. Furthermore, his role in the playoffs was diminished as the Utah Jazz targeted him on defense.

After a forgettable season, the Thunder decided to part ways with Melo to save $27.9 million for the next season. He then signed with the Atlanta Hawks, who accepted the agreement partly because the Thunder will give them a first-round draft pick in 2022.

But the forward will not spend a single minute with his new team next season. According to reports, the Hawks do not want to keep him and will make him a free agent. Although there are still teams interested in him, such as the Houston Rockets or Miami Heat, Carmelo Anthony, one of the highest active scorers in this era, second only to LeBron James and Kevin Durant, resists change and will remain true to his style.

(Getty Images)