According to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, several Houston Rockets players and members of the coaching staff believe that Carmelo Anthony has played his final game for the team.
Sources: Rockets players and coaches believe that Carmelo Anthony has played his final game for the franchise.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) November 12, 2018
This comes just a day after New York Times' Marc Stein reported that the former All-Star and the franchise are expected to part ways.
The Rockets have denied they are waiving Carmelo Anthony, but two sources close to the situation say Anthony has been informed that his brief time with the team will soon be ending. Anthony has been listed as "out" for Houston's game tonight against Indiana due to illness
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 11, 2018
At the time of writing, Anthony has now missed the team's last two games (vs. Indiana and at San Antonio) after an 18-point beatdown in Oklahoma City. The reason for his absence was announced to be an "illness". ESPN's Tim MacMahon further reported that Anthony is set to miss the team's game against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.
Sources: Carmelo Anthony isn’t making the trip to Denver with the Rockets.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) November 12, 2018
MORE: D-Wade says Melo not to blame for Rockets' struggles
If the game against the Thunder was indeed his last, Anthony did not have a great one. In the loss, he had 2 points on 1-of-11 shooting in 20 minutes off the bench. The reports and drama surrounding Anthony in Houston began when ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that both parties (Melo and the Rockets) were in talks to discuss his future role with the team.
While Carmelo Anthony is absent with an illness tonight against the Spurs, the Rockets and Anthony are discussing his role and how they might still be able to proceed together for the rest of the season, league sources tell ESPN. Talks are fluid.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 11, 2018
Franchise general manager Daryl Morey did meet the press before the Pacers game to address these reports.
"One of the reasons I'm here, besides its 10 games in, about, is I think there's just a lot of unfair, like, rumors and everything going around about him," Morey said of the speculation surrounding Anthony.
"He's been great with us. As Coach [Mike D'Antoni] said yesterday, his approach has been great. He's accepted every role Coach has given him -- starting, off the bench, whatever it's been. We're struggling as a team, and it's my job, it's Coach's job to figure this thing out. But from guy one to guy 15 - and I'll put myself in there; a lot of this is on me right now -- we're not playing well. We've just got to figure it out. We're evaluating everything."
So far, in the 2018-19 season through 10 games, Anthony is averaging a career-low 13.4 points and 5.4 rebounds on 40.5% shooting and 32.8% from beyond the arc.