With the Oklahoma City Thunder's "Big 3" experiment a failure after the team's first-round playoffs loss to the Utah Jazz, Carmelo Anthony, who can opt out of the final year of his contract, was critical of the way general manager Sam Presti assembled the team and his role alongside Russell Westbrook and Paul George.

"I think the player that they wanted me to be and needed me to be was for the sake of this season because everything was just thrown together and it wasn’t anything that was planned out," Anthony said in his exit interview.

The 33-year-old New York City native was acquired by the Thunder from the New York Knicks late into last off-season after deals to send the 10-time All-Star elsewhere fell through.

Anthony doesn't believe his skill set was implemented properly over the course of the season or during the team's six-game playoff series.

“It wasn’t no strategy to me being here," Anthony said. "Me being a part of the actual system and what type of player and things like that.  As far as being effective as that type of player, I don’t think I can be effective. I was willing to accept that challenge in that role. But I think I bring a little bit more to the game as far as being more knowledgable in what I still can do as a basketball player."

Anthony's remarks come on the heels of him indicating that he has no intentions of taking a bench role when it comes to finding a fit for 2018-19.

"I'm not sacrificing no bench role," Anthony said on Saturday. "So that's out of the question."

His 16.2 points-per-game average this season was the lowest of his 15-year career.

Anthony has one year and $24.9 million remaining on a five-year, $124 million deal signed in 2014. He can opt out and become an unrestricted free agent before July 1.