Carmelo Anthony apparently being eyed by the Nets thanks to Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving

Carmelo Anthony remains one of the top stories during this offseason due to his NBA career still in limbo. However, rumors would have it that two superstar players are “pushing” to add ‘Melo on their team to give him a chance at redemption.

The two superstars are none other than Nets duo Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Carmelo Anthony did say that he still hasn’t given up hope that another team would pick him up and it appears that his resilience is paying off.

However, Nets general manager Sean Marks has yet to confirm anything as he’s supposedly still ambivalent about adding the 35-year-old into the roster. But the rumor does claim that Marks was present during an informal workout involving Carmelo Anthony, The Athletic reported.

Carmelo Anthony and him being a liability

There have been several teams that have been linked with the talented forward, including the Lakers, Blazers, Heat, Clippers, and Sixers. So far, however, none have expressed an overt interest in Carmelo Anthony. One of the major reasons that put his career on ice was due to his offensive threat diminishing, while his defensive ability remains stagnant.

This poses a liability to any team that picks him up even if his role is to suit up with the second unit. But there’s another reason going around explaining why Carmelo Anthony remains on ice.

Carmelo Anthony targeted by a secret smear campaign

According to NBA pundit Stephen A. Smith, there is a smear campaign that’s happening in the background aimed at making sure that Carmelo Anthony remains without a team. What’s more, Smith is claiming that coaches and general managers are the ones who are propagating this narrative.

“And a lot of people don’t realize that sometimes these coaches and GMs have the same reps as one another. So you say, one person could say something, and it can circulate because that clique is intact and they don’t even know whether it’s true or not,” Smith said. Right now, it’s unclear if this claim holds any weight, but it is quite curious that Carmelo Anthony remains in NBA purgatory while other less talented players managed to snag a spot.

Hopefully, this Nets rumor yields favorable results as ‘Melo definitely deserves a second chance. Besides, with Durant still recovering from his injury, Carmelo Anthony could be given significant minutes to ensure that the Nets makes a playoff appearance, BR reported. He wouldn’t see a lot of touches, but at least he’ll still be playing for a team that is aiming to win a championship in the foreseeable future.