Carmelo Anthony is expected to hit the free agent market any day now, as the Oklahoma City Thunder are reportedly working on either a buyout or a stretching of his contract. Once that time comes, it is widely believed that the Houston Rockets will be Carmelo's next destination.
According to Yahoo Sports' Shams Charania, it is indeed the Rockets who are most likely to land Melo once he officially becomes a free agent. Charania reports that the 34-year old forward has also considered teaming up with Dwyane Wade in Miami but all signs point to him heading to H-Town to team with Chris Paul and James Harden.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Rockets "plan to ramp up a pursuit of Carmelo Anthony," after free agent forward Luc Mbah a Moute agreed to a one-year, $4.3 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, and Trevor Ariza reached a one-year $15 million deal with the Phoenix Suns.
Furthermore, Yahoo Sports' Jordan Schultz reports that Chris Paul is encouraging the Rockets to sign his good friend Carmelo, and ESPN's Dave McMenamin says Melo's business manager recently spent time with Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni and team owner Tilman Fertitta. D'Antoni and Anthony didn't see eye to eye during their time with the New York Knicks but the coach "would be fine with Anthony coming to Houston," according to Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post.
Last season, his first with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Anthony averaged a career-low 16.2 points per game as well as 5.8 rebounds.