Carmelo Anthony Shares Thoughts on 2018 Ouster from Rockets

The Houston Rockets' pairing of James Harden and Chris Paul left the team relatively top-heavy. Especially when factoring in PJ Tucker, Trevor Ariza and Clint Capela.

Houston had role players that fit their roster's needs.

Eric Gordon was also an underrated component of the roster.

The Rockets found themselves in need of depth on the second unit.

Gordon wasn't enough. Gerald Green was also on the vet minimum.

Houston still needed pure bucket-getters, who didn't need to be set up for scoring opportunities.

Carmelo Anthony became available.

The Rockets capitalized on the opportunity to add one of the game's greatest scorers historically.

All told, he was added for a relatively low price -- the vet minimum.

Anthony was paired with his longtime friend Chris Paul, who was in his second season with the Rockets.

The honeymoon didn't last very long.

The Rockets played a different style of basketball than Anthony was used to.

Houston's brand of basketball under Daryl Morey and Mike D'Antoni was based on efficiency.

I.e. taking the most efficient shot on the court, the corner three, and replacing the mid-range shot, which is Anthony's specialty.

Anthony also wanted a significantly larger role than the 29 minutes Houston doled out to him.

After ten games, Morey and the Rockets decided it was time to call it off.

To Anthony's surprise.

Anthony shared his thoughts on his 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast, alongside former Rockets teammate PJ Tucker.

"I learned from watching A.I. When A.I. left me and went to Detroit, then he went to Memphis.

But when he went to Detroit, he said nah, you promised me that I'm coming here to play.

Then he goes to Memphis. And they tell him, you gotta come off the bench behind a rookie at the time in Mike Conley.

So I thought damn this sh-t ain't gonna ever happen to me. I'm never gonna go through it that way.

I always sat back and was like if that sh-t could happen to him, it could happen to me. So when it happened in Houston, I didn't fight the sh-t.

Like I seen this happen to my man. Now it's happening to me. Whatever you do, don't fight it.

The truth always wins. Everything is gonna settle. So I had to take the bullets.

I don't know what to say. This man can't even explain to me what just happened."

Anthony spent the rest of the 2018-19 season at home, as he went unsigned after his release from Houston.

He ultimately signed with the Portland Trail Blazers and remained with them for two seasons.

His last season came in 2021-22, as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.