The athletes who showcase longevity are always dear to the league. After all, an organization invests so much into their profile building. On the same lines, Lakers’ LeBron James (35), Blazers’ Carmelo Anthony (36), and Bucks’ Kyle Korver (39) are the only players still active from the 2003 NBA Drafts. 

While LeBron still has some years left in him, the same thing cannot be said with confidence about the remaining two. However, the Rip City has cleared the confusion by re-signing the legendary Carmelo Anthony for another year. Melo is here to stay, and deservingly so.

Carmelo Anthony showed his thankfulness towards the Blazers

After signing the 1-year $2.5 million minimum contract, Melo shared a compilation video to mark his elation. His video ended with a distinct moment where a reporter said, “This is a man who loves the game of basketball. He is going to appreciate the chance to end his career on his own terms.”

There was a time in Melo’s career where it almost seemed that it had come to the point of no return. The Houston Rockets had waived Carmelo after just 13 games that the team played in the 2018-19 season. Melo had played only 10 games for the Rockets by then and then sat out for the entire remaining season.

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Thankfully, it was Rip City that showed an interest in the NBA veteran and brought him on board. That selection surely helped them qualify for the playoffs in 2020.

What still keeps Melo in the elite category?

Carmelo entered his rookie year with an average of 21 points for the Denver Nuggets. He went on to maintain a 20 ppg+ average for 14 long seasons. His three-point shooting kept improving over time, and so did his rebounding. He is great at knocking down open shots from the perimeter and also in finding buckets. He is still aggressive around the rim and is totally an offensive threat. Moreover, he’s a leader that helps Damian Lillard in many other ways.

Melo has adapted to the new playing style in the NBA. He will become an unrestricted free agent in the 2021 off-season. Whether he continues after that or not will depend on his performance in this season and just how far he can push the Blazers.