Lakers Rumors: Which star adds the most wins for the Lakers next year

3. Carmelo Anthony

Lakers 2017-18 record with Anthony: 39-43 (+13 wins)

Surprisingly, Carmelo Anthony alone added a decent amount of wins for the Los Angeles Lakers in this simulation. Before performing this, I had no expectations for anything good coming out of a Lakers-Anthony partnership. Anthony has struggled to play under Phil Jackson’s win and has performed as a ball vacuum as his career has continued on.

There is no doubt that Anthony has taken a back seat in today’s NBA, and it is quite sad to see. Alongside draft mate Dwayne Wade, Anthony has falled victim to father time and has to rely more on his skill over his athleticism to produce in basketball games. However, unlike Wade, Anthony has not been able to best utilize the talent he has and has overcompensated by shooting.

This is why the simulation with Anthony on the Lakers was so surprising to me. Anthony seems to be impeding the New York Knicks, yet would thrive in purple and gold. In this simulation, Anthony posted 16.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. These numbers are not the greatest by any stretch of the imagination, but it is evident he made the team better.

Adding Carmelo Anthony would be a step in the right direction for the Lakers, as you can see by this simulation. However, being paid superstar money, the Lakers need Anthony to play like a superstar. He is no longer doing so, and this simulation shows that although he adds wins, he may not be worth the money.