LA Lakers' Carmelo Anthony speaks about expectations

As the Los Angeles Lakers prepare for the NBA 2021 regular season, there is one new player who is determined to take his opportunity whenever it comes and that's Carmelo Anthony.

Carmelo Anthony is a 'new' veteran

37 years old and nineteen seasons into a glittering NBA career, it may same strange that a player of Anthony's stature would find himself uncertain as to the role he will play in his new team. Yet his new team is the Los Angeles Lakers, a team that is accustomed to success at the highest level. Athony himself, however, sees it differently. Questioned on his hopes with his new team, the ten time NBA All-Star maintained that it was he who had to be open to what his new team asks of him and not the other way around.

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"At this point, man, whatever we need to do, let's do it," Anthony said following the Lakers' third day of training camp Friday. "It ain't ... 'I can't sit,' and, 'Oh, I want to start, I want to come off the bench. Whatever it is, it is. I've had experience being a starter for 18, 17 years and had an experience of coming off the bench for one year," Anthony said. "It's not something I think about."

Carmelo Anthony will be a factor for the Lakers

Frank Vogel, the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers admitted that he is still mapping out lineup combinations as the season approaches but was clear on Anthony, describing the player as a key piece to L.A.'s success.

"When we spoke before he signed here, I told him that I envisioned a big role on this team," Vogel said. "I don't know what that's going to look like, whether he's going to start, whether he's going to come off the bench, but that he's going to be a factor for us." Vogel went on to reiterate the point saying, "We'll probably not talk about it again until we get closer to the regular season, but I do think he's going to have a big role on our team."

Can Carmelo Anthony get better with age?

As for the new Laker himself, Anthony has made it clear that he likes Vogel's "clarity." "Whatever he wants, let's do it," Anthony said. "I'm not even trippin' about that at this point. Because let's go. Let's go win." Throughout the press conference Anthony maintained his trademark positivity as he laid out his plans for the immediate future.

"I'm still able to do what I do, man, at a high clip," he said. "But the No. 1 thing, I'm still passionate about it. I haven't lost my passion. My love for game is, I think now, at an all-time high."

Interestingly, Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka has, on several occasions, referenced  Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 44-year-old quarterback, Tom Brady, as a perfect example of longevity. Questioned on whether or not he could achieve something similar, Anthony was candid. "Brady's got an offensive line," he quipped. "They're going to protect Brady. I don't want to do that. I ain't playing to no 50, I'll tell you that."