Carmelo Anthony made an impact on multiple teams throughout his amazing NBA career, but his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder was complicated, to put it gently.
It felt like he never really fit in with the Thunder, and there is a reason why.
Speaking of Anthony’s tenure with OKC, Paul George talked about how head coach Billy Donovan frankly didn’t know what to do with the 10-time All-Star and Hall of Famer.
“Melo sacrificed, Melo wasn’t the issue. Billy had a plan for Russ and I, then right at the last minute, we got Carmelo. So now Billy’s like, ‘I don’t know how to incorporate him. Y’all were my two guys, Melo’s just gonna have to find his way,” George said, via Legion Hoops.
Paul George says Billy Donovan had no plan for Carmelo Anthony in OKC:
"Melo sacrificed, Melo wasn't the issue. Billy had a plan for Russ and I, then right at the last minute, we got Carmelo. So now Billy's like, 'I don't know how to incorporate him. Y'all were my two guys,… pic.twitter.com/KDD6FKjxdn
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) August 19, 2025
Even someone as talented as Anthony needs guidance when joining a new team.
He needed to know his role and what he was tasked with doing, but Donovan wasn’t giving him that.
At the time, the Thunder revolved around George and Russell Westbrook.
That makes complete sense because they were two of the most powerful players in the entire league.
And then Anthony came into the picture, and Donovan was left scratching his head.
Anthony had been the leader of every team he ever played for and just finished seven seasons with the Knicks.
Now he was coming to a team where he wouldn’t be the top option and would have to adjust.
Even though Anthony averaged 16.2 points per game, he didn’t stick around in Oklahoma City for long.
After that, he played more supporting roles with the Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Los Angeles Lakers.
This was a pivotal moment in Anthony’s career when he started to embrace being more of a backup player.
The Thunder wanted to have a strong relationship with him, but it just didn’t work out.
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