Carmelo Anthony says that cash considerations were a chief reason why he never was able to team up with LeBron James and D-Wade in Miami.
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James, Melo, Bosh and D-Wade were 4 of the players who contemplated teaming up to win championships together. Melo was the only player of this bunch not to go to Miami in the summer of 2010.
While James, Bosh and Wade became free agents in that season, Melo had signed a 5-year extension with Denver. This extension kicked in for the 2007-08 season, meaning that he could only be traded to Miami.
The Heat prefered signing Bosh as a free agent as opposed to gutting the team’s depth chart. And thus, Melo’s dream of playing with D-Wade and King James was sent crashing to earth.
Miami went to 4 straight Finals from 2011 to 2014, winning 2 championships on the way. Melo, meanwhile, earned a trade to the Knicks, but has found nothing by means of postseason success.
Carmelo Anthony explains why he didn’t play with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade
Despite long-standing rumors of a Big 3 of Melo, Wade and LeBron forming in Miami, the deal eventually never came to happen. According to Carmelo Anthony, this was because of cash considerations – all of them would’ve had to take big paycuts.
“We all could’ve went down there to Miami. It could have been a way for all four of us could go to Miami. We would have had to take pay cuts but all those guys had to take pay cuts anyway.”
“But, at that point in time, it was just like ‘what’s the numbers look like? Could we really do this?’ So, I don’t know where we would have ended up at.”
At the end of the day, while LeBron is looked upon as a GOAT candidate, Melo will likely cut a much more forlorn figure in NBA history. The likes of Adrian Dantley and Alex English have suffered a similar fate in the past.
