Carmelo Anthony is a Hawk.
Don’t go out and buy a jersey just yet. It’s only for a very short time.
The Hawks completed the previously reported three-team trade, involving the Thunder and 76ers, on Wednesday. Anthony comes to the Hawks from the Thunder as part of the deal but will never play for the franchise. Anthony and his $27.9 million remaining on his expiring contract will be bought out and he will become a free agent.
In addition, guard Dennis Schroder and forward/center Mike Muscala, the two longest-tenured Hawks, were traded. Schroder was sent to the Thunder and Muscala was sent to the 76ers. In other details of the trade, The Hawks received small forward Justin Anderson from the 76ers and a 2022 first-round pick from the Thunder. The pick is lottery protected (1-14) and will become two second-round picks if it doesn’t convey. The Thunder received small forward Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot from the 76ers.
The trade was agreed upon last week. The pending release of Anthony was not announced in the team statement announcing the deal after the trade call was completed.
“On behalf of the Hawks organization, I’d like to thank Mike and Dennis for their contributions to our team over the last five years,” Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk said in a statement. “Both players worked extremely hard to develop and improve throughout their careers in Atlanta and each had a special connection with our fans. We wish them all the best moving forward.”
The Hawks tried to trade Schroder for weeks but couldn’t find a market for the former first-round draft pick. The need to trade Schroder became obvious when the Hawks obtained two other point guards – first Trae Young in the NBA Draft as the No. 5 overall pick and then trading for veteran Jeremy Lin.
Anderson, in 168 career games including 19 starts with the Mavericks and 76ers, averaged 5.8 points and 2.8 rebounds in 14.3 minutes. In 38 games last season with the 76ers, he averaged 6.2 points and 2.4 rebounds in 13.7 minutes. Anderson was originally drafted by the Mavericks in the first round (21st overall) of the 2015 NBA draft.
Anthony is reportedly likely to sign with the Rockets after the buyout with the Hawks is complete.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank Carmelo Anthony and acknowledge his professionalism and contributions during his time with the Thunder,” Thunder general manager Sam Presti said in a statement. “Although his tenure was only one year, the fact that Melo is a part of our history is important to us."
Schroder played in 352 career games, including 161 starts, and averaged 12.9 points, 4.8 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 23.7 minutes. He was selected by the Hawks with the 17th overall pick in 2013.
“Dennis provides us with another proven playmaker and someone that will only enhance the overall speed of our team,” Presti said in a statement.
Muscala played in 243 career games, including 18 starts, and averaged 5.4 points and 3.1 rebounds in 14.7 minutes. He was a second-round pick, 44th overall pick by the Mavericks and obtained by the Hawks in a draft-night trade in 2013.
“Mike Muscala joins our program at a fantastic stage of his career,” 76ers coach Brett Brown said in a statement. “He has enjoyed some NBA success and his upside in the future is extremely bright. We will use him both as a backup five and, at times, a power forward. His ability to shoot the ball and the energy with which he plays will help our basketball team.”
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