Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Durant Recruiting Carmelo Anthony To Suns?

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network | By Aidan Wohl | Last updated 2/22/23

It seems as though the soap opera within the NBA never ends as nowadays, with players from around the league openly seeking to round up other talents — even during the season.

Similarly, it didn’t take newly acquired star forward Kevin Durant long to do his part, already been noted as recruiting 6-time All-NBA member Carmelo Anthony since Durant was traded to Phoenix on Feb. 8. The 38-year-old Anthony is currently listed as a free agent, last playing alongside stars’ Lebron James and Anthony Davis as a Laker last season.

Anthony has consistently been a viable offensive option after passing his prime, averaging 14.3 points on 42% from the field since taking on a role coming off the bench in 2017. The only concern with teams from around the league is the aging forward being a liability on the defensive end.

Despite Anthony not being at the same status that he once was with many teams passing on the veteran, Durant is certain that the former NBA scoring champion can still provide value to a team.

“I think he still has the talent to play in this league,” Durant said when asked about recruiting Anthony during NBA All-Star weekend.

Phoenix Suns All Star Kevin Durant tells @BallySports that NBA free agent Carmelo Anthony still has game:

"I think he has the talent to play in our league." pic.twitter.com/QQ0muVYuVX
— Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) February 21, 2023

Should the Suns make the move and acquire Anthony, they will receive much-needed depth and veteran leadership since losing key pieces from their championship runs such as Cameron Johnson, Mikal Bridges, and Jae Crowder via the Durant trade.

Plus, the Suns could also gain more chemistry from signing Anthony with star point guard Chris Paul being one of his closest friends on and off the court. This could potentially provide a spark for Phoenix as it will take some time for the team to pick up where they left off since the blockbuster trade.

“Melo is one of the best to ever play the game,” Paul said via the New York Daily News. “I’m obviously biased and hope he’s in the league soon.”

More updates regarding the Suns and Carmelo Anthony will be posted soon.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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