Carmelo Anthony Trade Rumors Heat Up Again

The Carmelo Anthony trade rumors are heating up once again. Is Carmelo Anthony headed to the Los Angeles Lakers?
What a blockbuster deal if it happens. The Lakers and Carmelo Anthony would be a dream scenario for Anthony who has been ready to leave Denver for some time now. Over the summer, the Carmelo Anthony trade rumors centered on the talented forward heading to New York to play for the Knicks or Nets. Now it seems the latest trade rumors have the former Syracuse big man playing with Kobe Bryant and the world champion Los Angeles Lakers?

Could it be true? There are already critics tossing opinions about the possible Los Angeles Lakers Carmelo Anthony merger as the biggest mistake in the storied franchises history. The trade rumors go like this: Los Angeles gets Carmelo while Andrew Bynum is shipped off to Denver. The Nuggets are going to lose Carmelo next season anyway due to free agency-so why not get some kind of value for him. It's a trade that makes complete sense for the Nuggets considering how disgruntled Anthony has appeared at times to be. But does it make sense for the Lakers? Do you seriously tamper with a team that has already provided championship rings?

I am surprised and shocked that some NBA analysts believe this trade wouldn't make Los Angeles better. If the Lakers have Carmelo Anthony on the floor it makes this already incredibly talented team even more impossible to guard. The biggest question I have is how long term would such a trade be for the Lakers? It doesn't seem likely that this would be a long term solution but rather a short term fix to match the potential talent the Lakers will face against either Boston or Miami in the NBA Finals. In that regard, the trade makes complete sense to me from a talent level perspective. If the Miami Heat were the supposed Dream Team when Bosh, Wade and James combined-what would that make the Los Angeles Lakers with Carmelo Anthony? The Dream Team times two? It's becoming apparent that NBA superstars are more than willing to trade markets, money and even their amount of shots to join forces to win a title. For that, I can't blame a single NBA player. It's kind of refreshing that winning is becoming a priority in a league where it didn't seem to be that way some years. For every Michael Jordan the league ever had, it seemed there were a lot more guys who just seemed to be collecting a paycheck on a nightly basis. So to have these super teams is fun for the spectators. But where it might hurt is some of the smaller media market teams will be getting the shaft in terms of getting high caliber talent. What happens to the franchise in cities like Indianapolis, Memphis or Charlotte when everyone wants to go to the big city to play with their best buddies?

I think overall the combination into such super teams is good from a television ratings standpoint-but horrible for parity. It seems like the NBA is quickly shifting into a "have" or "have not" type of league. Let's face it. Who is going to be able to knock off Los Angeles, Miami or Boston if the major stars all flock to those teams or markets? Sure there will be teams like Orlando or San Antonio that will ruffle some feathers in the future--but it seems as if the "haves" are going to be completely dominant over the next decade if the trend continues in that direction. The addition of Carmelo Anthony will certainly help the Lakers solidify an already solid team--but will it and other moves like it be good for the game?
The regular season is already considered by man to be completely boring. What will it be like when the major stars are all collectively gathered in one, two or even three major media markets?

On paper, the Carmelo Anthony Los Angeles Lakers trade looks like one that will make that west coast team an even more exciting brand of basketball. If "Showtime" wasn't back already, it certainly will be once "Melo" arrives on the scene. And of course the Lakers are headed for that magical showdown in the NBA Finals against the Heat. So yes, the days of a Boston vs. Los Angeles Lakers rivalry will probably return once again this season and provide for big television ratings. But if this trade happens, expect the NBA league attendance to take a hit in the smaller markets except for the nights where "Showtime" comes to town.