Carmelo Anthony and Lakers 'Pausing' Negotiations Amid Team's Struggles

Carmelo Anthony let it be known that sometimes beggars can be choosers, with reports that his decision to sign with the Lakers depended on whether or not the team makes the playoffs.

According toESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Melo had been interested in joining the Lakers until Los Angeles' recent struggles to climb into playoff contention. Now, after essentially ending their postseason hopes with Saturday's 118-109 loss to the Suns, the 10-time All-Star is contemplating how he would fit into the struggling franchise, while the Lakers are reconsidering whether or not signing Melo makes sense for a team stacked with young players who need playing time.

Although Melo's concerns about the Lakers are valid, he too has had a roller coaster year. During the off-season, Melo was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Atlanta Hawks. But, after a massive buyout by the Hawks, Melo never played for Atlanta. Instead, he joined the Houston Rockets. Yet, his pit stop in Texas ended after just 10 regular-season games. The superstar was then shipped to the Chicago Bulls. However, like the Hawks, Anthony was never asked to report to the Bulls and was waived by the team less than two weeks after being acquired. Now, coming off his worst statistical season in his career, many are questioning the effectiveness of the 34-year-old.

Despite his struggles, the Lakers are still one-man short of the 15-player roster limit. It is said that the team is either saving the spot for the indecisive Melo to come play out the end of his career with his best friend LeBron. Or, they will move on and try to find a big man that will help shift the team's culture.