This off-season, the Los Angeles Lakers put all of their efforts towards convincing Carmelo Anthony to come to Los Angeles and lead the team toward its next championship. While there was hope at one time that he might actually come, Anthony eventually decided to stay in New York.
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There was speculation that the Lakers were the front runner for Anthony, and according to the Washington Post’s Michael Lee, one of Carmelo’s former teammates thought he could join the Lakers, if it weren’t for one thing:
Tyson on Carmelo: "I thought if anywhere he was going it was to the Lakers" but they "didn’t have a strong enough roster to tempt him."
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) October 10, 2014
The Lakers were always behind other teams this off-season when it came to roster construction. Teams like the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, and Chicago Bulls were playoff teams last season and would have given Anthony a better chance to win immediately.
The Lakers strength lies in their prestige and history of winning. They also could have had Anthony’s input in building the roster around him and Kobe Bryant, one of Anthony’s best friends in the league.
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Ultimately, the New York Knicks were able to retain Anthony and the Lakers were left to put together a roster that, while competitive, is not as high-powered as they would like. The Lakers will have another chance next summer to bring in a big-name player next summer, maybe the roster will be good enough this time.
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