Isola: Nets have watched Carmelo Anthony work out, consider signing him

Frank Isola of The Athletic reports Friday that Sean Marks and Kenny Atkinson have both watched Carmelo Anthony work out this summer and that the Nets’ two superstars, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, have been lobbying for their new team to sign the 35-year-old ex-Knick.

Internal discussions surrounding Melo apparently began before word came Friday that Wilson Chandler will be suspended for 25 games starting with the fifth game of the season. Bobby Marks reported Friday that under terms of an NBA suspension, the Nets can sign an additional player during Chandler’s suspension.

Here’s what Isola reported on the Nets ...

The Brooklyn Nets remain interested in potentially signing Anthony, who recently trained with a group of their players in Los Angeles, including Kyrie Irving. In fact, one source told The Athletic that Irving and Kevin Durant, who both joined the Nets in July, are “pushing” the club to sign Anthony.

Nets General Manager Sean Marks will have the final say, and it’s unclear if Marks is willing to take a chance on Anthony, who was born in Brooklyn and remains a popular player among New York basketball fans. Anthony has not played in an NBA game since being banished by the Houston Rockets last November.

Marks, according to a source, did watch Anthony train recently in what was described as an informal workout. Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson has also watched Anthony play this summer.

Isola added that “a Nets source said Anthony’s recent workouts in L.A. ‘certainly helped his cause. His body looked great.’

Durant and Irving, as well as DeAndre Jordan, were all Melo’s teammates on Team USA’s gold medal winning mens basketball team at the 2016 Olympics. With KD out an extended period of time, perhaps the entire season —and now with Chandler suspended, the Nets have a need for stretch 4. Anthony has said he’d accept any role and wants to play one more years. The Nets, of course, pursued Melo in 2011, only to have him be traded to the Knicks.

In addition to the Nets reported interest, Isola writes that the Clippers and Lakers have had interest and his representatives have also had conversations with Philadelphia. According to SNY, Anthony will work out informally with Knicks players Friday.

• Net gain: Could Melo join Kyrie and KD in Brooklyn? - Frank Isola - The Athletic NBA
• Could Wilson Chandler’s suspension open door to Nets signing Carmelo Anthony? - Ian Begley - SNY
• Wilson Chandler’s PED suspension underscores Nets’ lack of depth at the 4 - Kristian Winfield - New York Daily News