The Houston Rockets technically rostered recent Hall of Fame inductee Carmelo Anthony. It's hard to recall his time with the organization fondly.
Sometimes, that's how the chips fall in the National Basketball Association. It's difficult to anticipate a player's decline. The Rockets knew they weren't getting prime Anthony, but they thought they were getting a better version than the player who arrived in Space City.
The year prior, Anthony still looked effective. He averaged 16.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game for the Thunder in 2017-18. The Rockets were coming off an incredible season and looking to bolster their championship odds.