The beginning of the NBA season is getting closer, and as it approaches, sports websites start releasing their rankings of teams and players. After Sports Illustrated released their ranking of top NBA players, ESPN released their list of Top-100 NBA players in 2018, and many players and fans were angry because of it. The most disappointed with the list was Carmelo Anthony. Former Denver Nuggets small forward is ranked 64th on ESPN's list. One spot ahead of Melo is Lonzo Ball, the Los Angeles Lakers' rookie who still hasn't played a game in the NBA.
Danny Green, Harrison Barnes, Robert Covington and Jrue Holiday are some of the other players ranked ahead of Carmelo.
Carmelo Anthony responds to ESPN on Twitter
Carmelo Anthony is not pleased with his ranking on ESPN's list and he sees it as a sign of disrespect. On Tuesday he tweeted a response to ESPN. He wrote: '' Can't Make Sense Out of Non Sense! 'A certain darkness is needed to see the stars.' @espn Don't be so Blatant with the disrespect''. Carmelo's fans are also very angry because of his ranking, especially because of players that are ranked ahead of him. His drop in rankings is tied for the biggest by anyone who has been ranked in top 35 a season ago, even though he has averaged at least 20 points in each of his first 15 seasons.
Many of players from the NBA also called out ESPN because of Melo's ranking, saying it was disrespectful to him.
Carmelo Anthony's ranking is unfair
Anyone who knows anything about basketball can see that Carmelo's game has dropped off in the last couple of season, but there aren't 64 players better than him in the league. Carmelo has been a great offensive player since he entered the league in 2003, he is a great scorer and can be a decent passer when he wants to be.
He has been a first offensive option and the main focus of opponent's defense in every season he played and still managed to lead his team in scoring. That is something we can't say for guys like Danny Green and Marcus Smart who are great defenders and decent shooters but will never be the leader or the main option of their team.
Carmelo isn't on LeBron's or Durant's level, but there is no way he is only the 64th best players in the NBA.
Will Carmelo leave the Knicks and go compete for a championship?
Carmelo Anthony's years in New York haven't been a success so far, especially after Phil Jackson took over the Knicks. After the Knicks drafted their new star Kristaps Porzingis, there have been many rumors that Carmelo Anthony will leave the team. Carmelo has a no-trade clause in his contract, so he can choose the team he will be traded to. He has been linked with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the Cavs may be an option only if the Knicks buy him out. In the case he gets traded, he will probably go to Houston Rockets to join Chris Paul and James Harden.
Carmelo loves his life in New York, so it is unlikely he will accept a trade to a team that won't compete for the title. A great talent like Carmelo deserves to play in the NBA Playoffs, so we can only hope that he will choose a team that will give him a chance to do that.
