When Carmelo Anthony was traded from the New York Knicks to the Oklahoma City Thunder weeks before the start of the 2017-18 season, he was adamant about one thing: he had no plans to come off the bench.
“Who? Me?,” he responded when a reporter at his introductory press conference asked whether he’d be willing to play the role of super 6th man. He didn’t balk when the question began with how he might fare playing as a four-man. But the second the idea of Anthony not starting was introduced, he became incredulous.