X

Rockets Rumors: Carmelo Anthony Told His Time in Houston Is Over, Out vs. Pacers

Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacekX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistNovember 11, 2018

Houston Rockets forward Carmelo Anthony reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets, Friday, Nov. 2, 2018, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Mary Altaffer/Associated Press

The Houston Rockets were without Carmelo Anthony for Sunday's game against the Indiana Pacers and his time with the team may be over.

Marc Stein of the New York Times cited two sources and reported "Anthony has been informed that his brief time with the team will soon be ending." Stein noted the 10-time All-Star was listed as out against the Pacers because of illness.

Players and coaches with the Rockets believe Anthony has played his last game with the team, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com.

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey wasn't ready to commit to the end of the Anthony era, though, saying he thought the swingman would return to the rotation and is "evaluating everything," per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

Houston signed Anthony this past offseason after the Atlanta Hawks waived him before he ever took the court for the team. The Hawks only had him on their roster because they acquired him via trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Anthony is a future Hall of Famer as a six-time All-NBA selection with 14 seasons of averaging at least 20 points a night, including 2012-13 when he was the league's scoring champion at 28.7. He was joining Chris Paul and James Harden on a team that was one victory away from the NBA Finals, where he wouldn't be asked to shoulder the offensive load.

Still, it has been anything but a success, as the Rockets are 4-7 and Anthony is averaging what would be a career-worst 13.4 points and 0.5 assists per game. This comes after he set career lows with 16.2 points per game behind 40.4 percent shooting from the field last season for a Thunder team that lost in the first round of the playoffs.

Anthony’s prime is well in the rearview mirror at 34 years old, and now the question is whether his brief Rockets tenure will be in the rearview mirror as well.