Report: Rockets coaches, players believe Melo's played his last game for team
Houston Rockets players and coaches believe Carmelo Anthony has played his final game with the organization, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon.
This comes after earlier reports that the organization is expected to part ways with the former All-Star, sources told Marc Stein of The New York Times.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Saturday that the struggling star was in talks with the organization about his role moving forward, with hopes of proceeding together for the remainder of the season.
Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was quick to dismiss the report of Anthony's impending departure on Sunday, stating it's "extremely unfair" Anthony is being singled out for the team's struggles, according to MacMahon.
"One of the reasons I'm here, besides it's 10 games in, about, is I think there's just a lot of unfair, like, rumors and everything going around about him," Morey said. "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."
When asked if Anthony wants to remain with the team, Morey added: "I mean, you're asking the wrong guy. Everything I can tell is yes."
Anthony sat out of Sunday's 115-103 win against the Indiana Pacers with the same illness that forced him to miss Saturday's 96-89 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
Amid questions of his future with the team, sources informed MacMahon that Anthony will not travel with the team on Tuesday when Houston faces the Denver Nuggets.
The 4-7 Rockets signed Anthony to a one-year, $2.4-million deal over the summer after he was traded by the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Atlanta Hawks and subsequently waived.
The 34-year-old refused to accept a bench role during his lone season in Oklahoma City but has been open to the change through 10 games in Houston, starting just two games this year.
Anthony is averaging a career-low 13.4 points per game this season.