Carmelo Anthony Sees LeBron James, 76ers as Eastern Conference 'Problem'

NBA veteran Carmelo Anthony believes the Philadelphia 76ers, bolstered by the addition of LeBron James, present a significant challenge to the rest of the Eastern Conference, including the reigning champion New York Knicks.

Anthony stated that James joining the 76ers, who also feature Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and V.J. Edgecombe, creates a "problem for everyone" in the East, provided the team finds the right fit and chemistry early in the season. He highlighted the league's penchant for compelling storylines and sees James' move to Philadelphia as one such narrative.

"LeBron in Philly is exactly the kind of storyline that the league thrives on," Anthony told OutKick, discussing his role in DraftKings' new NBA season campaign. "You got a guy who’s done everything in this game of basketball. He’s now in a new city with a hungry, starving fan base that was almost there a couple of seasons ago."

Anthony acknowledged the questions surrounding James' age, as he will turn 42 in December, and his role alongside other All-Stars. However, he recalled James' adaptability during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he seamlessly shifted between scoring, facilitating, and creating space for teammates.

"I just like Philly, if they get it right and the fit and time, and they get it right early, they’ll be in the driver’s seat," Anthony added. He noted that James, in his 20-plus years in the league, understands he cannot play the same way as he did in the past and is likely embracing the challenge of integrating with the 76ers' existing talent.

"He’s coming with, ‘I know I have a high-impact guard in Tyrese [Maxey]. I know I have a high-impact shooting guard in Jaylen Brown on both sides of the basketball. I know I have, when healthy, arguably the best big man in the game of basketball in Joel Embiid,’" Anthony explained. "He’s seeing all of these pieces – we got a young, explosive V.J. Edgecombe that he’s going to get better from an intellect standpoint. He’s going to learn the little intricacies of the game of basketball that LeBron understands. He’s going to teach that to him."

Anthony also commented on his partnership with DraftKings for its new NBA season campaign, which also features Kevin Hart and Nick Jonas. He expressed enthusiasm for the expanded availability of DraftKings across all 50 states, allowing more people to engage with sports.

"We got a great campaign, man. Myself, Kevin Hart, Nick Jonas. We really came together, and I got to give a shoutout to DraftKings and that creative team for putting that concept together," Anthony said. "The beauty in that is the fact that we can have more fun with DraftKings because it’s in all 50 states now, which is major. I just love the fact that more people are involved, and more people can have fun with the game of basketball in this sense, and just sports in general. I love that."