Carmelo Anthony agrees to deal with Los Angeles Lakers

Carmelo Anthony has agreed to a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, his manager Bay Frazier tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Free agent F Carmelo Anthony has agreed to a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, his manager Bay Frazier tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 3, 2021

Anthony will finally have the opportunity to play alongside his longtime friend LeBron James. While the two have been close for over a decade, this is the first time they’ll share the same uniform.

While Anthony hasn’t teamed with James prior, he’s been on the same squad as the man the Lakers traded for earlier this week. Russell Westbrook, who the Lakers acquired from the Washington Wizards, was Anthony’s teammate in Oklahoma City.

The excitement is palpable for Anthony, as he has a shot to win his first championship of his NBA career. The forward posted a video on Twitter and Instagram with his name combined with the Lakers’ legendary purple and gold logo.

pic.twitter.com/vqto96ktrM

— Carmelo Anthony (@carmeloanthony) August 3, 2021

Carmelo Anthony: It’s been a long road leading to this moment

It’s been a long road for Anthony to return to prominence in the NBA.

After spending the better part of 2019 out of the league, Anthony was given a chance by the Portland Trailblazers. Throughout his time in Portland, Anthony rebuilt his reputation, becoming a key member of one of the Western Conference’s most successful teams.

The Lakers have had a strong offseason, remaking their team through a multitude of trades and free agent deals. Aside from Westbrook and Anthony, the Lakers also are signing Trevor Ariza, Wayne Ellington, Dwight Howard and Malik Monk.

It was reported that the New York Knicks had interest in a reunion with Anthony, but he chose to go to Los Angeles instead. Now, Anthony will try to help the Lakers and LeBron James win their second championship in three seasons.

Image courtesy of Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images via Getty Images