Carmelo Anthony isn’t expected to make his Portland Trail Blazers debut until Tuesday’s game at New Orleans at the earliest, league sources tell ESPN.
Anthony, 35, has to complete a physical with the Blazers before the one-year, non-guaranteed contract is finalized — and that could some as soon as Saturday, league sources said.
The Blazers are starting a six-game road trip that includes games against San Antonio (Saturday) and Houston (Monday). Struggling with frontcourt injuries, including power forward Zach Collins and center Jusuf Nurkic, Portland has struggled to a 4-8 start to the season. The Blazers reached the Western Conference Finals a year ago.
The Blazers are hopeful that Anthony can bring an immediate presence to a locker room that needs a jolt. Anthony, a 10-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer, hasn’t played a game since a 10-game run with the Rockets that ended early in the 2018-2019 season.