This is a no-brainer. I'm really getting amped on this and I hope Melo would accept a trade to Boston and that the situation in NY is bad enough that Phil would trade him. People love to talk smack but he's one of the most talented scorers of the last 10 years and is still getting it done at a high level, though he's no spring chicken - but not old, or done. He seems like an honest, mature-if outspoken, hard-working player to me and I think he would fit in well and the city and Celtics fans would embrace him.
It's so hard for guys to win in their hometown and Melo certainly doesn't have the same backing LeBron did to accomplish the feat. And not trying to compare those two or say Melo's a no.1 championship guy but maybe he needs out and....this is EXACTLY the situation Danny has been waiting for to get ANOTHER star. In case anyone hasn't noticed yet, our little MONSTER of a point guard is a bleeping super duper star! He's currently tied for 2nd in the NBA in scoring at 28.7 ppg with everybody's favorite beard Mr. Harden. You 'may' need to read that again. Lol. We have our no.1.
IT has dropped 20 or more in all but ONE game this season, including a current streak of 26 straight. Anyone who mentions trading or not paying Isaiah should just pack up and leave town now. Don't buy tickets, don't call the radio shows, don't even wear green, and definitely don't come to my party. Ha! Whatever you people are smoking, it's not the right stuff.
Back to Melo. To win a title, this team needs another creator. Bottom line. With all due respect to Amir, the four is the only place we could add one without a significant shakeup of the great thing we got going. Even though it would open us up to some potential vulnerability on defense and on the glass, Melo plays his best at the four in my opinion. Lots of chatter about getting a big or a rim protector but I'm sorry, and again, all due respect to Al, but he can't play the four (unless you're talking putting Boogie or Davis next to him - not happening - or a rare 4 with range and D like Ibaka/Love/etc). He's too goofy. We'll be light in the paint but we are already. Just embrace the small ball like GS and play pace and space.
I would never, ever say Melo was as good or better than Pierce cause he's not, and I'm a Celtics diehard and the Truth is the Truth, but here's some fun with numbers for perspective. (forget about media driven perception and personality for a minute and assume a super motivated and dedicated, "bought-in" Melo):
Melo this season at 32 YO: 22.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.0 apg
Pierce at 32 YO: 18.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.1 apg
Melo Career: 24.8 ppg, 6.6 ppg, 3.1 apg
Pierce Career: 19.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.5 apg
Melo best season: 28.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.8 apg
Pierce best season: 26.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 4.7 apg
Point being, Carmelo Anthony is really, really, really good at basketball. This would be a dream addition. And I bet he'd love to go after his buddy LeBron with a full team around him.
Here's a deal that works. Add in this year's Brooklyn pick. Done and done, conference finals here we come. The time is now. We could only dream to get someone as good as Melo with that pick. There's no LeBron or KD in this class. The prospects coming out now are kids and that's not what this team needs. We need one more pro. One more All-Star. Get it done Danny!!
http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=hpjpmqhNew York gets a good, young, two-way player in Smart I'm sure Phil Jackson would love to have, Amir and Jerebko are expirings and the Knicks aren't going anywhere this year, and Zeller would actually be a nice backup center for their system. Then they can probably have their pick of the litter with the Brooklyn pick (how hilarious would it be to have the (maybe) no.1 pick who "should" be in Brooklyn in New York instead, haha) to pair with Porzingas and off they go. For my money at this point I think Malik Monk is the best prospect out there. We get our no.2 in Melo and a little extra beef and attitude (with skills) in O'Quinn. He's also 26, right in line with our core, and on a very nice contract (3 YR, 4M per). Plus we'd get to keep Rozier and Jaylen....and still have the '18 BRK, all our own picks, Memphis's...on and on...lol. How many kids does it take to get to....
Isaiah Rozier
Bradley Gerald
Crowder Jaylen
Melo Kelly
Horford O'Quinn
Hooshmazilli, Championship. I'm out. Thoughts?? Seriously, how do we NOT do this?