Houston Rockets star Chris Paul is relishing the opportunity to play with his friend Carmelo Anthony.
NBA veteran Anthony verbally agreed to a deal with the Rockets this week after the 34-year-old received a buyout from the Atlanta Hawks, according to reports.
Paul, who signed a four-year contract extension with Houston in July, discussed the addition of Anthony in an interview with NBA TV on Friday.
"Melo, like a lot of the guys on the team, we always play like we have something to prove," Paul said. "And obviously the friendship, brotherhood that Melo and I share. It's always nice to play with a guy that you’re that close with."
Anthony – a 10-time All-Star – was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to Atlanta in exchange for guard Dennis Schroder in late July.
He hit just 40.2 per cent of his shots and averaged a career-low 16.2 points per game during his one season with Oklahoma City in 2017-18.
The Rockets finished last season with a 65-17 record and advanced to the Western Conference finals, where they fell to the Golden State Warriors in seven games.