Another day, another superstar traded, and the wildest NBA offseason in recent memory continues.
Carmelo Anthony has finally escaped New York, and he’s joining a pair of All-Stars in Oklahoma City. The Knicks forward waived his no-trade clause for a deal that saw the Thunder send Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott and a second-round pick (via Chicago) to New York.
Five years after making the Finals with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, Oklahoma City have a new big three. Anthony joins reigning MVP Westbrook alongside fellow new face and All-Star Paul George, and the three certainly give the Thunder more talent than they had a season ago.
The question is: can they all play together effectively?
All three players have spent recent seasons as lone stars on their team, and each of them were in the NBA’s top 20 in terms of usage rate last season. The Golden State Warriors have shown that in a line-up with multiple stars, two players can thrive with high usage as Steph Curry and Kevin Durant both ranked in the top 25 last season.
The third wheel is where the sacrifices need to come from, and with only a few weeks until the season starts, the Thunder trio don’t have much time to find their respective roles.
It’s safe to say that Westbrook will still be ‘the man’ for Oklahoma City. Fresh off his first MVP and a triple-double average for the season, he’ll be the first option and have the ball in his hands a lot.
However, he may need to adjust his mindset slightly with two fellow stars to accommodate for. His historic usage rate (41.7%) should drop, but his playmaking responsibilities will only increase, and he’ll still be the one taking the big shots in crucial moments.
(Wikipedia Commons)
In terms of skillset, George is the most logical choice to take a step back on offence. He was the best three-point shooter of the group last season (39.3%) and shot 42% on catch-and-shoot threes.
Instead of the isolation-heavy plays he was forced to run without much support in Indiana, he could thrive as a spot-up shooter and cutter running off screens.
Less responsibility to create on the offensive end would allow him to focus more on his defence, which is already among the best in the league. He could play a similar role to Klay Thompson for the Warriors, as a versatile off-ball weapon and an elite defender. Of the Thunder’s three stars, he is the only one capable of being such a two-way threat.
The concern is whether George would be willing to accept this role. In the final year of his contract, his free agency has been a major talking point in the league for some time. He may feel that a reduced role could hurt his market value and cost him a max contract next summer.
In all likelihood, it will be Anthony that takes the lesser role of the three. New York’s past few seasons have shone a spotlight on Melo’s basketball mortality, and while he’s still an effective player, he can’t carry the offence of a competitive team anymore.
And that’s when he can actually stay on the court. Anthony hasn’t played a full season since his rookie year and has missed 50 games over the last three seasons. A reduced role with more support could help him preserve his body and prolong his career.
There is evidence that he could thrive in a supporting role. While a lack of playmakers in New York meant he often had to create his own offence, he was extremely efficient in catch-and-shoot situations, shooting 42.6% from three and playing with an effective field goal percentage of 58.6.
He has all the tools to be one of the most dangerous off-ball offensive players in the league, with the ability to score off the catch from anywhere on the floor.
Anthony has also been one of USA Basketball’s most consistent players throughout his career. When placed on the national team with other high-level players, he is able to be an elite spot-up shooter and cutter rather than an isolation-heavy lone hand.
(AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
His new team is obviously nowhere near the national team in terms of talent, but playing with two All-Stars could have a similar effect on his game.
The fact that one of them is an elite point guard, something that Anthony has rarely had, will be especially beneficial. Anthony’s New York teams have seen a rotation of decent to below-average players at the position, which is a big reason why he has been forced to carry the offence with isolation scoring for so many years.
If Anthony is willing to accept that the days of him taking the most shots on a playoff team are over, then the Thunder will cause some headaches for the NBA’s elite teams. But if he doesn’t, and both of his All-Star teammates refuse to step back, they’re doomed to become another talented team that couldn’t put it all together.
If things go south, all three players have outs in their contracts to become free agents next summer. The Thunder need their stars to come together this season, or else they’ll all be gone. And Oklahoma isn’t ready for another superstar departure just yet.
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