There are Los Angeles Lakers rumors that continue to pop up with regards to which players might get added to the team. Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, and even Kevin Durant are continually mentioned in Lakers trade rumors. Another name that has popped up before is Carmelo Anthony. The longtime NBA veteran was considered an unsuccessful addition to the Houston Rockets' roster, but he could benefit the Lakers. Adding to the intrigue is the fact that his good friend, LeBron James, believes in Melo's ability to contribute.

LeBron wants Melo on Lakers

Speculation that LeBron might want a big trade if the Lakers couldn't win was in place weeks ago.

These new Lakers rumors arrive through The Athletic's Joe Vardon. He mentioned in his report that LeBron's camp still believes Carmelo Anthony can play and that he could contribute to the Lakers. He isn't quite the elite-level player he was earlier in his career, but he's still got some veteran leadership and NBA skills to put to use.

A potential trade to bring Carmelo to the L.A. Lakers would have to take place around December 15 or thereafter. So far, there haven't been any requests from LeBron James to the Lakers' front office regarding Melo.

The 34-year-old superstar has spent his career with several teams.

The most notable of those teams were the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks. While he was part of playoff runs with both teams, they weren't deep ones, and Carmelo Anthony has yet to reach the NBA finals. That could change if he was aligned with LeBron James.

Lakers' current outlook, adding Melo

Melo is a 10-time NBA All-Star.

He's currently averaging 13.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 0.5 assists, but has career averages of 24 points, 6.5 rebounds, and three assists per contest. He didn't quite fit the mold in Oklahoma City or Houston where he spent a season, and less than half a season, respectively. Right now, he's still considered a member of Houston's team, but the Rockets and Melo mutually agreed to part ways.

That opens the door for a new opportunity, and if these Lakers rumors prove true, it could mean a chance at a title run before his career ends. The Los Angeles Lakers are on the winning side of things early in the season, thanks to the renewed energy brought by LeBron James. LA has a 15-9 record as of this report and is in the middle of the Western Conference's top eight teams in the standings.

Carmelo Anthony has shown the ability to knock down big shots from the perimeter, when necessary, and even bang around in the paint a bit. His addition could also help inspire the younger players through mentoring and leadership. It's quite possible that adding him to the team with his good friend, and one of the best players of all time, could even boost Melo's spirits toward better play.

Previous reports suggested Carmelo Anthony wasn't getting any invites due to his diminished performances. Therefore, it will be interesting to see if LeBron can convince the front office to make the necessary moves. It wouldn't hurt to at least give Carmelo Anthony an audition and see if putting him on the roster can benefit the Los Angeles Lakers.
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