Carmelo Anthony will not be letting the Oklahoma City Thunder off the hook. The veteran forward told the team that he will be opting into the final year of his massive contract. He had a player option for next season worth $27.9 million. Anthony had until midnight Saturday to opt out. 

However, according to a report from Marc Stein, that does not guarantee that Anthony will be suiting up for the Thunder next season. While Anthony's massive contract will be nearly impossible to trade, the two sides could agree to a buyout. Via the New York Times:

Letting the deadline pass will lock in Anthony's full salary for next season but doesn't guarantee that he will continue his career in Oklahoma City. Anthony announced after the Thunder's first-round exit last season that he could not stomach returning in 2018-19 in the same limited role, which raises the possibility that the sides could pursue buyout negotiations this off-season.

Anthony's first season with the Thunder bordered on disaster, as he struggled mightily and the team bowed out in the first round of the playoffs. In 78 games, Anthony averaged 16.2 points on just 40.4 percent shooting from the field -- both of those numbers were career lows. At times he was simply unplayable, especially in the playoffs. 

Given how poor he played last season, coupled with a free agent market that sees many teams strapped for cash, it makes plenty of sense that Anthony would opt in. There's no chance he would make $27.9 million per year on the open market this summer.