When Carmelo Anthony enters the Hall of Fame, it won't be as an Atlanta Hawk. Team and player made it abundantly clear by shaking hands on a $25 million settlement package. The move facilitated the Hawks' removal of Dennis Schroder's unmovable contract. In return ownership ate millions of dollars, but in hindsight it could be a small price to pay to make several millions more. The only way the Hawks are going to become a winning franchise once again, is if they rid the house clean. They've done essentially that.
The Atlanta Hawks decided none-the-less to play a little jokes on themselves, by shipping Carmelo Anthony his very own #15 alternate jersey, one he will never have the honor of wearing in an actual NBA game. The organization revealed their intentions in a Twitter quip directed at Melo, wishing him the best of luck at the next juncture.
Melo is expected to sign a 1-year deal at the veteran's minimum with the Houston Rockets. To be clear, any money he accepts from the Rockets is essentially a free worker's bonus, after collecting his buyout package and performance bonuses from the OKC Thunder. If unleashed on the open market, his team-issued Melo Hawks jersey could fetch a pretty penny from a wise-ass collector of defective sports memorabilia.