Carmelo Anthony 'Forced' To Join LA Lakers

Carmelo Anthony had no choice. Either join the Los Angeles Lakers or be in the dog house of one of his best friends. Lakers superstar and Melo's close friend LeBron James apparently forced the veteran to sign in California.

Anthony was recently a guest on the Drew Barrymore Show and had this to say about joining forces or being forced:

I almost got forced to do it. ... I think LeBron forced me to do it. He waited till the right time. He waited till we're at the end of our careers and he said, 'The time is now. If you don't do it now, we ain't gonna never do it. Early on, I don't think it would've worked out between us because he was on his path, I was on my path. We had different lanes. I just think everything happens for a reason and timing is everything

Look for Anthony to be a spark off the bench for the Lakers and provide roughly 12-14 ppg, including knocking down some deep balls. The 37-year-old is entering his 19th season and is still chasing his first ring. When you join forces with LeBron, you give yourself a pretty good chance.