Melo is in elite company.

Carmelo Anthony’s storied career with the Atlanta Hawks came to a close as soon as it started, but it was a damn good one.

The veteran forward was traded for, and immediately waived by, the Hawks on Thursday, ending a legendary tenure in the red, white, and volt. In that time, we all took a few breaths, and blinked a couple of times. I also sent a tweet.

Anthony will be moving on to greener pastures. Not just because he will be going to a better team (it’s probably going to be the Rockets), but because of a nice $27.9 million buyout. That’s like getting two seasons of Joe Johnson money in the snap of a finger for none of the work — now that is legendary.

With all that said, I’m honored to officially introduce Melo as Atlanta’s latest inductee into what my esteemed colleague Jason Kirk has dubbed the “Fling of Honor.”

Other members of the Atlanta Hawks Fling of Honor

Pau Gasol, Class of 2001

The Hawks drafted Gasol with the No. 3 overall pick in 2001, and would trade his draft rights for Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who went to high school in nearby Marietta, Georgia.

Gasol is one of the best non-Hawks of all-time, and because of him, I am the owner of an Abdur-Rahim jersey.

Rasheed Wallace, Class of 2004

The Hawks snagged Wallace from the Blazers, and had him suit up for a single game. In fact, Abdur-Rahim was sent to Portland in that trade along with Theo Ratliff, and Dan Dickau in the most early-2000s sounding trade ever.

Wallace played 42 minutes, had 20 points, six rebounds, and five blocks against the Nets. He stands just 23,272 points behind Dominique Wilkins on the team’s all-time scoring list.

Here’s one last look at one of the greatest Hawks ever