Lakers are the real winners of the Carmelo Anthony trade to OKC

Carmelo Anthony may be in Oklahoma City now, but the trade the Thunder made with New York really only helps the Lakers.

Remember how Magic Johnson made it clear when he attained power that the Lakers would return to relevance sooner than later. Paul George has been at the top of any of the rumors and headlines pertained to potential free agent targets of Los Angeles, while fellow Thunder star Russell Westbrook has also been discussed in the rumors.

Headlines are one thing, but having Carmelo Anthony in Oklahoma City now makes their biggest wishes a step closer to reality. Los Angeles will have the cards in their favor if they play them right, and Anthony made that a whole lot easier on their organizations.

Let’s not sugar coat things and get straight to the point — for at least next season, the Thunder are going to be dangerous. Golden State’s dominance in the league has shifted focus almost entirely to having the stars in the Western Conference.

In that crowded group of teams looked to steal the champs’ thunder, Oklahoma City will have to also wrestle with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets. That being said, the specifics to breaking down why Carmelo Anthony does the Lakers more good than anybody isn’t all that complicated.

Russell Westbrook is coming off of not just an incredible, but a historic MVP caliber year in which he received his due hardware. Oklahoma City shocked the rest of the NBA and sports world earlier this summer as well when they landed Paul George in a trade with Indiana.

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Both Westbrook and George bring that superstar element to the table, but when you factor in how Anthony could fit in the picture, that’s where the problems start for one team and the blessings begin for another.

Anthony hasn’t played in a market like OKC in quite some time, as his days in New York will obviously change how he helps the Thunder chase a ring. The problem the Thunder now have on their hands is who is going to be the hero — a problem they’d have if they’d kept Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and James Harden all together when they were on the same team.

Carmelo Anthony could bring with him some of the dysfunction that he experienced in New York despite being a great individual talent. The only team that this is bad news for is the Thunder.

They’ve got the potential to make one heck of a run to the NBA Finals and knock off the Warriors in the Western Conference, but the aftermath of that could be a seriously shaky turnaround. They won’t know what to do with themselves if two pieces, possibly three, all leave because their time has come.

For Westbrook and George, the focus is going to be chemistry above anything else. Westbrook knows he’ll get paid as a free agent if he opts not to sign the extension that the Thunder are currently sitting with him on.

Money’s not the issue — but that’s not going to be Oklahoma’s concern either. If Anthony disrupts the chemistry and creates a ball hogging issue in any sense, the Lakers have a shot to present their winning atmosphere and culture as an escape for all three.

Also, if Anthony is sourced as the problem at any point during the regular season, he’s glued there for at least one year past the 2018 summer — George and Westbrook are not.

If it were just about George and Westbrook, the only thing to be worried about if you’re the Thunder is the extension. Now, especially if that extension isn’t signed and official, the Lakers won’t even have to do much work in convincing stars to stay.

Next: Three Ways LA Can Land Russell Westbrook

Let’s just say the summer of 2018 just guaranteed it will be a wild joyride regardless of what team you like. But if you’re a Lakers fan, the light at the end of the tunnel is much closer than it appears.

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