Woj Bomb: Knicks reach out to Celtics on Melo

[RIPRED]

I can`t believe people are still talking themselves into Melo...

...frikkin' hell

It's not as ridiculous as you think.

Butler and PG13 each require you to blow through almost half your assets.

FA Market will probably have Millsap and Ibaka (a lot of the others are likely staying put).

Then what?

You don't need the Brooklyn Picks or Smart+Brown in any Melo deal.

That's the key. Melo can give you rebounding and scoring , AND a legit star to put with Horford and IT all without giving up Nets picks or Brown or Smart. If that is the price, I would do it.

I think you guys are making a very bad assumption. If Ainge really wants Melo its probably going to take a Nets pick to get him. I think these assumptions that Jackson will only take crap draft picks and expirings for Melo are way off. I know if I was running the Knicks I wouldn't trade a player of Melo's talent level to Boston without getting at least the 2018 Nets pick.

Probably take AB or KO plus the nets 18

Let's say its AB and nets 18 , Amir and filler



Leaves us with

IT.             Rozier        Smart
Smart       Jaylen         Green
Jae            Jaylen
Melo                ko
Horford         buyout or trade(bogut)

Might have a shot at an upset over cle if love is still gimpy and we have home court as the #1 seed.

Plus still have nets top 4 pick next year to trade or keep. And some young chips (KO,Smart,Brown) , clips pick, bos 18, men picks to fill out roster.

Oh and Yabu and Zicic coming over.

I've always liked Melo, but at this point in his career I'd rather cut my own hand off than include Avery Bradley in a trade for him. I would absolutely take Melo on this team if we could get him for a bargain basement deal, but I'm not giving anything of value for him. I don't think the Knicks are ready to move him for trash at this point, so I'm going to pass on Melo even though I'm not a Melo hater.

[The One]

For the right price...he will pop the top off the defense in the playoffs.

IT and Melo in the pick n roll...BRILLIANT!

[SparzWizard]

I feel that if we add Melo, then Melo may finally see the Conference Finals once again but this time in the East.

He just needs to agree to playing second or third fiddle in the team, and don't be "The Man" because "The Man" is IT4. The team belongs to IT4 and Avery Bradley.

[nickagneta]

I can`t believe people are still talking themselves into Melo...

...frikkin' hell

It's not as ridiculous as you think.

Butler and PG13 each require you to blow through almost half your assets.

FA Market will probably have Millsap and Ibaka (a lot of the others are likely staying put).

Then what?

You don't need the Brooklyn Picks or Smart+Brown in any Melo deal.

That's the key. Melo can give you rebounding and scoring , AND a legit star to put with Horford and IT all without giving up Nets picks or Brown or Smart. If that is the price, I would do it.

I think you guys are making a very bad assumption. If Ainge really wants Melo its probably going to take a Nets pick to get him. I think these assumptions that Jackson will only take crap draft picks and expirings for Melo are way off. I know if I was running the Knicks I wouldn't trade a player of Melo's talent level to Boston without getting at least the 2018 Nets pick.

Then he's keeping Melo.

What are the Cavs giving up with Love injured now? A second round pick? Jr Smith and Shumpert?

Clippers? Aging Crawford and Rivers and a future second rounder?

It's either take back decent value for Melo, or keep him.

No one is out there giving up a ton for him, and he's only interested in 3-4 teams I believe (Melo that is).

Hence why Melo is still in NY. Just because teams only want to give him nothing of value for Melo doesn't mean Phil Jackson has to take it. He has determined the value he wants back for a player the caliber of Melo and he isn't getting it so Melo is still a Knick. Jackson isn't taking late first round picks and salary filler for Melo from division rival Boston. Its just not going to happen. He will want a Nets pick and won't get it.

[Phantom255x]

I feel that if we add Melo, then Melo may finally see the Conference Finals once again but this time in the East.

He just needs to agree to playing second or third fiddle in the team, and don't be "The Man" because "The Man" is IT4. The team belongs to IT4 and Avery Bradley.

Definitely second fiddle.

With due respect to Bradley and Horford, Melo has the ability to create his own shot (like Turner last season, and he played great as well), and in the 4th if you need buckets and IT is contained or struggling, you can turn to Melo.

Also surrounding Melo with these defensive guards and wings could really help him allow him to "do his own thing", and put up points and grab around 6-7 rebounds/game.

[Birdman]

I want to win now..get Melo

[Bobshot]

I want to win now..get Melo

Anything is possible here. Melo played very well next to other stars on the Olympic team. Cousins did not. Melo also has a decent contract for 2 years compared to the much bigger max money and time in the next contracts.

There are plusses about Melo. Ainge is aware of that. It depends on what Phil wants for him. All this stuff will come right down to the wire as the asking price comes down. It's like buying a car or a house.

[vjcsmoke]

Melo isn't going to be gotten without giving up a player.  The player most likely going to New York is Bradley plus filler. 

Not because Bradley isn't good.  He's very good.  It's because Bradley's contract is coming up the soonest and if we're going to pick to pay between Bradley and IT4, it's gonna be IT4 every time.

So if true the package for Melo would probably be Bradley, salary, salary, draft pick.

Honestly don't see how Melo makes us better.  Rebounding we still stink.  Interior defense is still lacking.  Offensively, yes we add another legit scoring option.  But we also lose Bradley's outside shooting.

The only thing that might give this legs is that a lot of Celtics have stepped up in Bradley's absence.  Kinda showing that we can win without him despite the fact that he's so good.

Let me just add that the minute a Nets pick is mentioned is the minute that Ainge hangs up the phone.

[Bobshot]

Melo isn't going to be gotten without giving up a player.  The player most likely going to New York is Bradley plus filler. 

Not because Bradley isn't good.  He's very good.  It's because Bradley's contract is coming up the soonest and if we're going to pick to pay between Bradley and IT4, it's gonna be IT4 every time.

So if true the package for Melo would probably be Bradley, salary, salary, draft pick.

Honestly don't see how Melo makes us better.  Rebounding we still stink.  Interior defense is still lacking.  Offensively, yes we add another legit scoring option.  But we also lose Bradley's outside shooting.

The only thing that might give this legs is that a lot of Celtics have stepped up in Bradley's absence.  Kinda showing that we can win without him despite the fact that he's so good.

Let me just add that the minute a Nets pick is mentioned is the minute that Ainge hangs up the phone.

I agree Bradley would be the most likely to go in a deal. For one, they have been winning without him. For another, Smart is getting better. I think Phil would take Bradley for Melo, along with cap filler and maybe a lesser no.1. Phil would sign Bradley.

[kozlodoev]

I want to win now..get Melo

I want to win now. No Melo.

[rondohondo]

The more I think about it this makes a lot of sense for both teams. AB and Picks , definitely not brk 17 and hopefully not 18

Melo should be a top scorer, go to man for the next 3 years. Lineups with Horford and IT for their contracts. We have young all defensive type wing defenders with Smart, Jae and hopefully Jaylen to let Melo play stretches at PF and have a mismatch on most nights.

For New York they get a 26 yr old fringe all-star to grow with Porzingis and some draft picks to help the rebuild.

The key is pulling off a 2nd trade for a legit center like bogut so we have the ability to go big with something like

It
Smart/Jaylen
Melo  / crowder
Horford
Bogut

[Celtics4ever]

I don't like Melo, his playoff record is crap.   However, I would be all for him if we could get him and add Drummond, then we could make a legit run.   I doubt it would ever happen.

[mahcus smaht]

I don't like Melo, his playoff record is crap.   However, I would be all for him if we could get him and add Drummond, then we could make a legit run.   I doubt it would ever happen.

He had the tail-end of Iverson and Billups in Denver, then the corpse of Billups and Stoudemire in NYK. Hes never been on a good team. Im not ready to blame his playoff w/l record solely on him.

[Vermont Green]

He just needs to agree to playing second or third fiddle in the team, and don't be "The Man" because "The Man" is IT4. The team belongs to IT4 and Avery Bradley.

I don't see the first fiddle second fiddle thing being an issue at all between IT and Carmelo.  Both players just want to win and I think would be happy to have a good player to play with.  There is no need to declare this team belongs to this guy and not that guy.  I think that is just cliche stuff.  Coach Stevens will call the plays at the end of the game and hopefully the guy who has the best look will take the big shots, not necessarily either on forcing a shot.

[csfansince60s]

I want to win now..get Melo

Me too, and later....Getting Melo gives us a better shot at winning now and still allows us to win later, cashing in the Brooklyn picks for ourselves.

Melo/Horford/IT will give us 3-4 years of contention now and a bridge to the future.

Brown/Smart/Brooklyn'17/Brooklyn'18 will be our core for the future.

If Ainge plays his cards right and with  some luck (ALWAYS needed), we could be more than relevant for 10 years or more.

Of the three teams that Melo has approved, we are the only one with the assets Zen wants: young players and a bunch of non-BK picks.