Rockets missed on Melo, but expect him to fit in OKC

Carmelo Anthony will make his preseason debut for the Thunder on Tuesday. [PHOTO BY SARAH PHIPPS, THE OKLAHOMAN]

TULSA – Carmelo Anthony could have been on the other side.

The Thunder will play the Rockets Tuesday night at the BOK Center in both teams’ preseason opener, and Anthony – Oklahoma City’s new power forward – spent much of the summer linked in trade talks to Houston.

But the Knicks couldn’t work out a deal with the Rockets, and Oklahoma City slid in just before the start of training camp, sending Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott and a draft pick to New York and bringing Anthony to OKC.