Carmelo Anthony won’t play for the Thunder this fall, as the two sides are working on a way out of Oklahoma City according to reports.
Carmelo Anthony didn’t have to do anything to pick up his player option for the Oklahoma City Thunder this fall. That was the easy part, let that option kick in and get paid. But it was also clear that the Thunder would do everything they could to get out from under his contract, and according to a report, that process is well underway.
With Carmelo’s nearly $28 million payday on the books right now, the Thunder are looking at a record-setting payroll and a huge luxury tax hit. Getting rid of Anthony from a play perspective on the court seemed likely, but financially, having Melo on the roster was outright untenable.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Royce Young, the two sides are working on an arrangement that would save the Thunder about $100 million, though just how Anthony gets off the roster is up for debate just yet.
