Royce White: "Carmelo is being blackballed, lebron back-stabbed him"

[CelticsElite]

https://twitter.com/espnnba/status/1163810968176123904?s=21

[Roy H.]

I would take Dudley over Carmelo for my team every day.

Historically, some former all-stars have been able to accept bench roles (Bill Walton, Vince Carter) while others have not (Allen Iverson).  Carmelo just can’t do it.

One of the biggest “what ifs” I wonder about is what would have happened if Carmelo was drafted by the Pistons. I think the structure, coaching, and reduced role in his first couple of seasons might have helped him.

[Fafnir]

How many offense only bench forwards have a ORTG of 104 or lower in the league? With only a low .500s TS%?

The NBA needs wings badly, it says a lot that every team that looks at Carmelo decides he can't help them.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

I would take Dudley over Carmelo for my team every day.

Historically, some former all-stars have been able to accept bench roles (Bill Walton, Vince Carter) while others have not (Allen Iverson).  Carmelo just can’t do it.

One of the biggest “what ifs” I wonder about is what would have happened if Carmelo was drafted by the Pistons. I think the structure, coaching, and reduced role in his first couple of seasons might have helped him.

Somehow Jared Dudley has become wildly overrated. He's a good guy, but if he is playing minutes for you in a playoff game, you are in trouble. 5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist in 20 minutes a game last year. His shooting has been around 36% from three for the last 3 seasons, and he gives you no other offense.

It's not like he is a lock-down defender, and although he talks on team defense, his team's defensive rating has been 113 while he was on the court, which indicates he probably really isn't helping that much.

Again, I like him as a tutor for young players, but he was overused in Brooklyn because they had no other good big men to play.

Melo doesn't bring much at this point in his career either, but I'd rather give him minutes in a big playoff game. He provides more than Dudley does.

[bdm860]

One of the biggest “what ifs” I wonder about is what would have happened if Carmelo was drafted by the Pistons. I think the structure, coaching, and reduced role in his first couple of seasons might have helped him.

Even if it doesn't change the player he is at all, what does somewhere between 1 and 5 championships do to his image, along with maybe some Finals MVP awards?  Plus you'd probably be considered a great defender just by being on those Pistons teams.  Same player, different situation, me thinks wildly different perceptions/legacies. 

Probably be a few LeBron vs Carmelo debates too.  Ya LeBron aged better, but he wasn't the complete package and good leader right away like Melo was...

[action781]

One of the biggest “what ifs” I wonder about is what would have happened if Carmelo was drafted by the Pistons. I think the structure, coaching, and reduced role in his first couple of seasons might have helped him.

Even if it doesn't change the player he is at all, what does somewhere between 1 and 5 championships do to his image, along with maybe some Finals MVP awards?  Plus you'd probably be considered a great defender just by being on those Pistons teams.  Same player, different situation, me thinks wildly different perceptions/legacies. 

Probably be a few LeBron vs Carmelo debates too.  Ya LeBron aged better, but he wasn't the complete package and good leader right away like Melo was...

He probably would have *became* a great defender just by being on those Pistons teams.  Larry, Chauncey, Rip, Prince, and the Wallaces would have demanded it of him.  He's always had the defensive tools and has even shown flashes of them on Team USA.

[dannyboy35]

I would take Dudley over Carmelo for my team every day.

Historically, some former all-stars have been able to accept bench roles (Bill Walton, Vince Carter) while others have not (Allen Iverson).  Carmelo just can’t do it.

One of the biggest “what ifs” I wonder about is what would have happened if Carmelo was drafted by the Pistons. I think the structure, coaching, and reduced role in his first couple of seasons might have helped him.

 
   There are better players I’d take but I’m very happy Dudley is a Laker. I think he distracted the Nets when they were playing pretty good ball and tried to make it about himself and”what young guys need to know etc”. He fired up Ben Simmons to play better in my opinion and Dudley ended up hurting his own team. I think he got some attention and was thrilled about it and turned that into a spot in the Lakees. Good for him I guess but I’d put more stock in him complaining about somebody on the Lakers being selfish in front of a camera if
And when things turn bad.

[celticsclay]

It is interesting that the Lakers don't seem to be catering to James quite the same level the Cavs did (and perhaps the Heat also). On those teams there were always a few of his buddies on the end of the bench like James Jones, Mike Miller etc. Those guys definitely seemed to hang around a bit more than they were useful. I have been surprised we have not seen a JR Smith or Carmelo signing with the Lakers (or perhaps he no longer likes those guys, though it seems like Carmelo is a pretty good friend.

[GreenFaith1819]

Well alrighty then LOL........Royce White was never one to bite his tongue.

That being said - if Carmelo Anthony never plays again in the NBA I believe he is still a 1st ballot HOFer.

Prolific scorer..easily among the best of his time, IMO.

His Knicks team caught lightning in a bottle and went to the conference semis (at BOS's expense, no less). That 2012 team won over 50 games. Not sure if they overachieved or whatever the case was but Melo was a huge part of their success.

Knicks haven't been nowhere near as good since then. Don't believe this is all Melo's fault either but I'm sure he deserves a small part of the blame.

Additionally - I loved his community work and visibility during his last Gold Medal play in the Olympics.





Dude seemed at ease and enjoyed himself there.

Besides his NBA play he's won an NCAA title at Syracuse.

I expect him to play again somewhere soon and don't believe he's done.  I wish him well.

[saltlover]

It is interesting that the Lakers don't seem to be catering to James quite the same level the Cavs did (and perhaps the Heat also). On those teams there were always a few of his buddies on the end of the bench like James Jones, Mike Miller etc. Those guys definitely seemed to hang around a bit more than they were useful. I have been surprised we have not seen a JR Smith or Carmelo signing with the Lakers (or perhaps he no longer likes those guys, though it seems like Carmelo is a pretty good friend.

After JR Smith’s dribbling out blunder in the Finals, I wouldn’t expect him to re-unite.  And most of the rest of LeBron’s favorites (Miller, Jones, Wade, Birdman, Frye) are out of the league.  Really Korver is the only one they’ve missed out on, although Rondo has seemingly become a LeBron friend now, and he’s on the team.

That said, I do think they’re letting Rich Paul call some shots, as their pursuit of a vet center after the Cousins injury reeks of something that AD is demanding, and thus perhaps LeBron also by extension.

[celticsclay]

It is interesting that the Lakers don't seem to be catering to James quite the same level the Cavs did (and perhaps the Heat also). On those teams there were always a few of his buddies on the end of the bench like James Jones, Mike Miller etc. Those guys definitely seemed to hang around a bit more than they were useful. I have been surprised we have not seen a JR Smith or Carmelo signing with the Lakers (or perhaps he no longer likes those guys, though it seems like Carmelo is a pretty good friend.

After JR Smith’s dribbling out blunder in the Finals, I wouldn’t expect him to re-unite.  And most of the rest of LeBron’s favorites (Miller, Jones, Wade, Birdman, Frye) are out of the league.  Really Korver is the only one they’ve missed out on, although Rondo has seemingly become a LeBron friend now, and he’s on the team.

That said, I do think they’re letting Rich Paul call some shots, as their pursuit of a vet center after the Cousins injury reeks of something that AD is demanding, and thus perhaps LeBron also by extension.

Well wouldn't Melo be a Lebron favorite? Or do think their friendship has been overblown?

[Roy H.]

Well alrighty then LOL........Royce White was never one to bite his tongue.

That being said - if Carmelo Anthony never plays again in the NBA I believe he is still a 1st ballot HOFer.

Prolific scorer..easily among the best of his time, IMO.

His Knicks team caught lightning in a bottle and went to the conference semis (at BOS's expense, no less). That 2012 team won over 50 games. Not sure if they overachieved or whatever the case was but Melo was a huge part of their success.

Knicks haven't been nowhere near as good since then. Don't believe this is all Melo's fault either but I'm sure he deserves a small part of the blame.

Additionally - I loved his community work and visibility during his last Gold Medal play in the Olympics.





Dude seemed at ease and enjoyed himself there.

Besides his NBA play he's won an NCAA title at Syracuse.

I expect him to play again somewhere soon and don't believe he's done.  I wish him well.

I think he gets in based upon stats, plus his contributions in the NCAA and to USA Basketball.

I think the talent was there to be a top 30 player of all time. I think he missed out on that, partially due to circumstance and partially due to stubbornness and declining to put winning above everything.

[saltlover]

It is interesting that the Lakers don't seem to be catering to James quite the same level the Cavs did (and perhaps the Heat also). On those teams there were always a few of his buddies on the end of the bench like James Jones, Mike Miller etc. Those guys definitely seemed to hang around a bit more than they were useful. I have been surprised we have not seen a JR Smith or Carmelo signing with the Lakers (or perhaps he no longer likes those guys, though it seems like Carmelo is a pretty good friend.

After JR Smith’s dribbling out blunder in the Finals, I wouldn’t expect him to re-unite.  And most of the rest of LeBron’s favorites (Miller, Jones, Wade, Birdman, Frye) are out of the league.  Really Korver is the only one they’ve missed out on, although Rondo has seemingly become a LeBron friend now, and he’s on the team.

That said, I do think they’re letting Rich Paul call some shots, as their pursuit of a vet center after the Cousins injury reeks of something that AD is demanding, and thus perhaps LeBron also by extension.

Well wouldn't Melo be a Lebron favorite? Or do think their friendship has been overblown?

Well the thesis of the OP is that their relationship is no longer.  But even putting that aside, that Melo did not finish last season on an NBA roster could support the argument that he is out of the NBA, despite his desire to continue playing.

[SHAQATTACK]

he had an odd career to me

[hpantazo]

he had an odd career to me

It all went downhill when he forced a trade to NY, and then later on had a chance to get out and go to a contender and instead doubled down on NY for the money.