On Saturday, the Oklahoma City Thunder acquired Carmelo Anthony from the New York Knicks, giving up Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott, and a 2018 second round pick. For the Knicks, they finally get to build around Kristaps Porzingis and free up tons of cap space (approximately $26.5M per year over the next two seasons). As for the Thunder, they get a player who could be the missing piece to a championship run.
After getting Paul George to pair with Russell Westbrook, the Thunder were already cooking with gas, but now that they've landed Carmelo Anthony, they have a legit "Big Three" capable of doing serious damage in the playoffs. Last season, Anthony averaged 22.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game; Paul George averaged 23.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.6 steals; Russell Westbrook averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 10.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, the first triple-double average since Oscar Robertson in the 1961-62 season.
While the Golden State Warriors still have to be favored to come out of the West, the Thunder might be their biggest threat. Not only do the Thunder have the talent to give the Warriors a scare, they should have the mindset as well. Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony just want to win a ring. They'll be more than willing to sacrifice and share the wealth to accomplish their ultimate goal.
Perhaps what's most scary for the Warriors is the fact that Westbrook appears to have a vendetta against Kevin Durant for the way he left Oklahoma City. There's nothing more scary in today's NBA than an angry Russell Westbrook. When he's angry at you, you don't stand much of a chance. With Paul George and Carmelo Anthony on his team, he'll be capable of doing even more damage than before.
The bottom line with this Thunder team is that they definitely have the pieces to win an NBA championship. It may take some time for them to gel, but once they click, they'll be scary. Even if they don't go all the way this season, they'll make the season a lot more compelling.
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