Heavy links Boston Celtics to 38-year-old free agent currently coveted by Suns

The Boston Celtics have an open roster spot, and Heavy’s Adam Taylor believes they should use it on a shooting forward who hasn’t been in the NBA all season: 38-year-old 10x All-Star Carmelo Anthony.

Boston already added a shooting big at the 2023 trade deadline with the Mike Muscala deal but can use another wing. Anthony no longer has the burst off the dribble he used to, making matchups against young wins a challenge. He was, however, a 39% 3-point shooter since making  a comeback with the Trail Blazers in November 2019 after a long hiatus.

Taylor proposed Melo as a free agent option for the Celtics down the stretch in the 2022-23 season due to his size and rebounding capabilities:

"One player who makes sense and has been unattached from the NBA since his Los Angeles Lakers contract expired is Carmelo Anthony. The veteran forward has proven capable of being a scoring addition off the bench, while his size also makes him a valuable commodity on the defensive glass."

Carmelo Anthony a questionable fit with the Boston Celtics but a good one on the Suns

The Boston Celtics aren’t looking for a guy that plays above 20 minutes per game at this point. While the Cs are currently dealing with a high number of injuries heading into the All-Star break, they won’t have a role for someone new when the postseason rotation shrinks and the team is healthy — assuming that last point eventually does come to fruition.

Whether Melo, who has averaged between 24.5 and 32.8 minutes per game since returning to the league after a hiatus during the 2018-19 season, is the right kind of locker room fit is questionable.

Where he does appear to be a good fit is in Phoenix, where Suns point guard and close friend of Melo Chris Paul is hoping to recruit the 2013 scoring champion. Phoenix lacks the depth in frontcourt following the Kevin Durant trade, so adding Anthony could restore some of the offense lost.