Wojo: Carmelo Leaning Towards Leaving NY

[colincb]

Don't think it's all about the money with Melo at age 30 any more. He's not winning in NY or with the LALs either.

He's a better fit in CHI if Rose was healthy with plenty of defense around him, but that's a big IF.

The lead beatwriter for the TWolves seems to think HOU doesn't have the assets to play for Love. Also I have had the sense that HOU has been more focused on Anthony all along. They'll make a strong pitch to him. I suppose they'd have him play PF some with D12 covering up some of his defensive sins.

[Gainesville Celtic]

In all honesty after what the Bulls might have to give up for Melo in Gibson, Butler, and Mirotic I'm not sure the Bulls situation will be better than ours for him.  I mean Rose has hardly played in the last 2 years.  My guess is he most likely be a shell of his former all NBA self.  It's a risk on Melo's part if he wants to play for a true contender.

Far be it for me to contradict the all-knowing Woj but this is the first I've heard of the Bulls having to get rid of Taj to add Melo.

The cap will be ~$63M next season and the Bulls are at $63M with Boozer at ~$16m. If they got rid of Boozer (amnesty), M.Dunleavy (salary dump to a team like CHA), that frees up ~$19-20M. Melo might not get MAX then but pretty dern close for playing on a title contender alongside Rose, Butler,Gibson & Noah.

CHI could also trade Boozer + Dunleavy to NYK if Melo says "I'm outta here". I'd rather get 2 large expirings than nothing for Melo if I'm NYK....

[jc3celticsphan]

dont see how houston pulls this off clearing cap space for a superstar everyone wants why would any team help.

they would have to get rid of both lin and asik.. now parsons is a free agent when he was only making around 900k doesnt make any sense to me.

[Gainesville Celtic]

dont see how houston pulls this off clearing cap space for a superstar everyone wants why would any team help.

they would have to get rid of both lin and asik.. now parsons is a free agent when he was only making around 900k doesnt make any sense to me.

Keep in mind that in addition to teams (ie BOS, Etc) willing to take on Asik (and to a lesser extent Lin) for a future 2nd rounder, HOU could also arrange a trade to NYK of Asik, Lin and, say, T. Jones for Melo if Melo says to NYK "I'm gone..."  Lin was a fan fave and adding afaik would allow them to trade Chandler to kickstart their rebuild.

[gpap]

I rather not have both.  Love bc i don't want to give up the farm , plus to me he is not a max player and Anthony bc the guy is a major ball hog. Also doesn't really have a good attitude.

Knicks one game last season were winning by 10 with a minute to go.  The coach calls a timeout to discuss a play and melo gets annoyed by this.    What kind of coach is going to want to deal with someone like this?

Must be some good vegetables growing from that farm

[footey]

Hoping it is Houston so that we can get Asik without giving up assets/picks, just agree to take back Lin.  He would fill a need, and we would not be tied into any long term contract.  Not interested in Love trade, the price is too great. I'd rather get a another good shooter either by trading up from 17, or packaging a couple of picks to get a guy like Affalo.

[gpap]

Knicks one game last season were winning by 10 with a minute to go.  The coach calls a timeout to discuss a play and melo gets annoyed by this.    What kind of coach is going to want to deal with someone like this?

I honestly think that one of the biggest reasons for the Celtics to avoid Carmelo Anthony is that I don't think he will be receptive to being coached by a relatively young white guy without an extensive resume in the NBA as a player and/or coach.

Why does the fact that Stevens is white, matter?

[jc3celticsphan]

dont see how houston pulls this off clearing cap space for a superstar everyone wants why would any team help.

they would have to get rid of both lin and asik.. now parsons is a free agent when he was only making around 900k doesnt make any sense to me.

Keep in mind that in addition to teams (ie BOS, Etc) willing to take on Asik (and to a lesser extent Lin) for a future 2nd rounder, HOU could also arrange a trade to NYK of Asik, Lin and, say, T. Jones for Melo if Melo says to NYK "I'm gone..."  Lin was a fan fave and adding afaik would allow them to trade Chandler to kickstart their rebuild.

phil jackson out of spite will not help melo leave, T.Jones  is not a franchise changer niether is lin or asik

they would be expiring contracts in return for an expired contract on a non contending team

[KGs Knee]

Don't think it's all about the money with Melo at age 30 any more. He's not winning in NY or with the LALs either.

He's a better fit in CHI if Rose was healthy with plenty of defense around him, but that's a big IF.

The lead beatwriter for the TWolves seems to think HOU doesn't have the assets to play for Love. Also I have had the sense that HOU has been more focused on Anthony all along. They'll make a strong pitch to him. I suppose they'd have him play PF some with D12 covering up some of his defensive sins.

Melo would make a fine 'stretch 4' alongside Howard.  In fact, I think Melo might actually be better off moving to PF on more of a full-time basis, with only short stretches at SF.  Howard and Melo would be a devastating front court combo.

[jc3celticsphan]

Don't think it's all about the money with Melo at age 30 any more. He's not winning in NY or with the LALs either.

He's a better fit in CHI if Rose was healthy with plenty of defense around him, but that's a big IF.

The lead beatwriter for the TWolves seems to think HOU doesn't have the assets to play for Love. Also I have had the sense that HOU has been more focused on Anthony all along. They'll make a strong pitch to him. I suppose they'd have him play PF some with D12 covering up some of his defensive sins.

Melo would make a fine 'stretch 4' alongside Howard.  In fact, I think Melo might actually be better off moving to PF on more of a full-time basis, with only short stretches at SF.  Howard and Melo would be a devastating front court combo.

i disagree melo is not a pf.. and houston needed both asik and howard in the front court to even have a chance against portland

on paper it looks good but melo is not a pf and never will be

[Gainesville Celtic]

dont see how houston pulls this off clearing cap space for a superstar everyone wants why would any team help.

they would have to get rid of both lin and asik.. now parsons is a free agent when he was only making around 900k doesnt make any sense to me.

Keep in mind that in addition to teams (ie BOS, Etc) willing to take on Asik (and to a lesser extent Lin) for a future 2nd rounder, HOU could also arrange a trade to NYK of Asik, Lin and, say, T. Jones for Melo if Melo says to NYK "I'm gone..."  Lin was a fan fave and adding afaik would allow them to trade Chandler to kickstart their rebuild.

phil jackson out of spite will not help melo leave, T.Jones  is not a franchise changer niether is lin or asik

they would be expiring contracts in return for an expired contract on a non contending team

Perhaps but if Melo says "I'm going to LAL and you get nothing or I go to HOU and you get Lin, Asik and Jones" Jackson would be dumb not to take the assets -- remember NY is where Linsanity began and I think he'd excel in the Triangle...

[KGs Knee]

Don't think it's all about the money with Melo at age 30 any more. He's not winning in NY or with the LALs either.

He's a better fit in CHI if Rose was healthy with plenty of defense around him, but that's a big IF.

The lead beatwriter for the TWolves seems to think HOU doesn't have the assets to play for Love. Also I have had the sense that HOU has been more focused on Anthony all along. They'll make a strong pitch to him. I suppose they'd have him play PF some with D12 covering up some of his defensive sins.

Melo would make a fine 'stretch 4' alongside Howard.  In fact, I think Melo might actually be better off moving to PF on more of a full-time basis, with only short stretches at SF.  Howard and Melo would be a devastating front court combo.

i disagree melo is not a pf.. and houston needed both asik and howard in the front court to even have a chance against portland

on paper it looks good but melo is not a pf and never will be

Melo absolutely can play PF.  When he played alongside Howard in the Olympics he was quite effective as a small-ball PF.  Also, the Knicks most effective lineups over the last few years have featured Melo at PF.

Melo has quite the arsenal of post moves, is an excellent rebounder and is more than strong enough to reasonably defend most PF's.  Also, besides his excellent post moves, he provides a matchup nightmare for most PF's, in that he draws the defender out of the paint, thus opening up the lane for a post scorer, like Howard, as well as allowing for easier dribble penetration by guards.

Now, if Melo is your PF, ideally you have a strong '3 and D' player at SF, and Parsons isn't quite the defender I'd hope for, but Houston could do worse.

[Fafnir]

dont see how houston pulls this off clearing cap space for a superstar everyone wants why would any team help.

they would have to get rid of both lin and asik.. now parsons is a free agent when he was only making around 900k doesnt make any sense to me.

Keep in mind that in addition to teams (ie BOS, Etc) willing to take on Asik (and to a lesser extent Lin) for a future 2nd rounder, HOU could also arrange a trade to NYK of Asik, Lin and, say, T. Jones for Melo if Melo says to NYK "I'm gone..."  Lin was a fan fave and adding afaik would allow them to trade Chandler to kickstart their rebuild.

phil jackson out of spite will not help melo leave, T.Jones  is not a franchise changer niether is lin or asik

they would be expiring contracts in return for an expired contract on a non contending team

Perhaps but if Melo says "I'm going to LAL and you get nothing or I go to HOU and you get Lin, Asik and Jones" Jackson would be dumb not to take the assets -- remember NY is where Linsanity began and I think he'd excel in the Triangle...

Lin isn't really a fit for the triangle.

[KGs Knee]

Lin isn't really a fit for the triangle.

Yeah, Lin is most effective in the PnR.  To be a truly effective PG in the triangle requires being an  excellent spot-up shooter who works best off-the-ball.  That's not really Lin's game.

I've always felt a guy like George Hill would make for a good fit as a PG in the triangle.

[Celtics4ever]

Howard could not co-exist with Kobe what makes you think he will with the ball dependent Melo?