Should the Cavs be Interested in Carmelo Anthony?

Before we start on this article it is important for me to share my personal thoughts on Carmelo Anthony that could shade the rest of the article. I think Anthony is a very talented player. He is amazing actually. He can score, he can rebound and he can dominate a game. Saying all that, I would personally never want to sign him to a big money deal for the Cleveland Cavaliers, or almost any other team. He dominates the ball. He likes to hold it, which allows the defense to just wait for him and shift their attention his way and plays little defense. I hope Kyrie Irving doesn’t become a guard version of Melo, besides him leaving in a few years that is my worst Irving nightmare. Now that is out of the way on to the question: Should the Cavs be interested in Carmelo Anthony?

Yes. The Cavs need talent and a player like Anthony would give them not only a star but someone who can take the pressure off the rest of the team. Anthony is a dynamic and dominate scorer from the wing. The Cavaliers have no small forward and very little scoring from the power forward position that he can slide down to. Planning to sign Anthony could lead to drafting Joel Embiid, but Andrew Wiggins could also fit. Wiggins and Embiid are the type of defenders that would be needed to surround the 3 scorers of Irving, Dion Waiters and Anthony. Embiid could anchor the paint while Wiggins can lock down the opponents best wing player allowing Anthony to guard a lesser player.

Some of the personal concerns listed in the first paragraph are also able to be changed. Anthony could develop with more talented players on his team. As he ages he could see a chance to develop other skills as his athletic ability will fade, sometimes very quickly (Isn’t that right Dwayne Wade?). Anthony could also take on a mentor type role with the young Cavs and help bring out the aggressive nature that some of them need. He will never be Kobe Bryant but Anthony is passionate, especially on offense, about basketball. The Cavs could benefit from his learning curve.

Obviously the draft is before free agency so the Cavs can’t plan their draft around Anthony or any free agent, yet Embiid and Wiggins seem to be the top options no matter. What is interesting with the draft is that a younger version of Anthony may be available in Jabari Parker. Parker is a player that can score in droves, has a similar body type and struggles with similar things that Anthony does. Parker is younger and much more malleable then the veteran Anthony. He is also much more available to Cleveland as Anthony would have to choose to come to Ohio. There may be 1 reason he would do so though…

This morning on ESPN Stephen A. Smith stated the following

"If Carmelo Anthony has a opportunity to play with LeBron James he is taking it. You can bet the house on it. He has to make his money…"

So could the Cavaliers get creative, trading some of their younger contracts and expirings to get in position for both Anthony and James? It is very possible. While players love to go to big cities and or to warmer climates getting to join James along with whoever the Cavs take #1, Irving and whoever else is left which should include some youth, could be good enough reasons to come to Cleveland. Adding James at the 3, Anthony at the 4 and Embiid at the 5 while moving Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters would lead the Cavs looking to add a shooting guard in the 2nd round or through free agency. Ray Allen could decide to come up north with James.

Do you think the Cavs should be interested in Anthony with or without James? Would you sign him to a max deal to join the Cavs?