Portland Trail Blazers: Carmelo Anthony discusses how long he wants to continue playing in the NBA

On J.J. Redick’s podcast, Portland Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony was asked how long he wanted to keep playing in the NBA. This was the legend’s response.

Life has a way of coming at you fast. If you can’t take this writer’s word for it, perhaps the story of Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony tells it sufficiently enough.

Around this time a year ago, Anthony — akin to the rest of the world — was left to wonder if he had already played the final game of his NBA career. One calendar year later, the 10-time All-Star has the luxury of answering that question through his own breath.

On today’s episode of The Old Man and The Three with J.J. Redick and Tommy Alter, the Trail Blazers forward was asked about how long he wanted to play, and offered this calming response:

"Anthony: “Man look, I said 35, 15 years ago. I said I was done at 35. Then, I said 37, which would this next year. But honestly, the way that I felt and the way that I feel physically, it’s like … I don’t even think about that no more. It’s hard for me to think about it.”Redick: Yeah, you and I are the same age, and I always used to think that I was, you know, if I could get to year 10, year 11, whatever. Then, it was like 33, 34, now I’m like, can I get to 39?Anthony: But especially today, with the way that the game is today …"

That, in itself a great irony. Anthony alluded to how the NBA’s changed game could allow him to enjoy the fruits of a longer career. The same three-point and efficiency-happy NBA that drifted away from what made him great — post-ups, physicality, and midrange shots — could be what extends his NBA shelf-life.

People often forget that at age 36, Carmelo Anthony just logged 32.8 per night over a 58-game slate. He just produced one of the best seasons for a player of that age. B/R’s Dan Favale made note of Anthony becoming one of just nine players in NBA history to average at least 15 points per game, and hit 38 percent of his 3-pointers at that age.

It also bodes well for the milestones and leaderboards Anthony is poised to climb. He’s just 867 points away from passing Elvin Hayes on the NBA’s all-time scoring leaderboard, a number that would leave him entrenched in the NBA’s No. 12 scoring spot. Shaquille O’Neal — the NBA’s No. 10 scorer — is 2,150 points away. If Anthony truly isn’t unsure of when he wants to retire, all of those will be within reach.

Regardless of whether that means a potential championship pursuit is a different story for a different day. He actually discussed that later on this podcast, and, like Lillard, felt at peace and understood just how much has to go right to create a championship team. At the end of the day, his basketball legacy, at this point, feels cemented.

There was a little something for fans of every caliber during this podcast. Anthony, Redick, and Alter hit on that famed 2002 McDonald’s All-American Game, thoughts from the Nuggets-Lakers ‘09 series, his tumultuous run in New York, and the post-prime run in Oklahoma City, Houston, and as a Trail Blazers player. The link can be found here, as well as through the above video.