As Carmelo Anthony leans toward leaving New York, Chicago and Houston emerge as frontrunners

True, with Dwight it was definitely media contrived. However remember that the Dwight saga was fast and furious; today is actually the anniversary! With Melo, it seems like this could go on for a while.

 

Err.. Fixed.

 

Melo to the lakers makes me think Melo's wife "Lala" is the one who wants this.

 

no the Lakers are just serious contenders now.

Melo is entitled to his money but man, playing with an aging Kobe? Not doubt Kobe at all but, just how good is Kobe gonna be when he finally plays?

 

Sam Amick said the Knicks were only worried about Chicago stealing Melo away. That's sort of a report saying we're out of it...

 

So it was Chicago on Thursday, New York on Friday, and now LA on Saturday.

Wonder who will be in the lead or and extremely serious contender tomorrow?

 

I doubt it lasts 2 more days.

 

thats what the knicks think tho..he was clear that we wrote there was the Knicks' thinking

 

Melo was never coming here.

 

Agree that no one knows for sure until the end, but I recall more positive signs about the Rockets' chances with Dwight Howard in the days leading up to his decision than there have been with Melo.

There were conflicting reports but plenty of them talked about Houston being in the lead. Often the reports saying Dwight maybe preferring another team or at least giving them strong consideration came from media in the cities where these other teams are based-- so likely sourced from possibly wishful or not entirely honest team execs (for example, I remember Marc Stein saying that the Mavs were seriously considered by Dwight or something like that).

This time around, far fewer reports have put Houston in the lead after the meetings. So this time feels different. With Dwight, even when I thought that certain reports about Dwight maybe preferring another team sounded realistic enough to worry me (GSW specifically-- they do have a very talented roster that fit with Dwight, starting with Curry), I felt that HOU was strongly in the game. This time, there does not seem to be many reports indicating that HOU is among Melo's top choices. This feels like Atlanta was with Dwight-- they met, but it doesn't feel real.

 

The Bucks!!! Lin n Melo, FTW!

 

I agree, and it perplexes me. We have a loaded core that could compete for championships for years. A real opportunity to create a new big 3. This makes me wonder if Dwight/Harden have a certain stigma among NBA players. Maybe Melo and others just don't want to be on the same team as them.

 

Yeah its part of sports, but most of all the NBA...and ESPECIALLY the Lakers. You see successful franchises in middle america in baseball like the Cardinals or Braves or Giants. In football, Green Bay, Denver, Dallas, Pittsburgh all have storied franchises.

Not so the NBA. Its gone over the top, at least for me. Casual fans who only watch a couple games a year LOVE the damn Lakers. America loves a winner! (barf)

But HARD CORE fans who follow the NBA who just hope their team gets a bone are only fodder for this super franchise to beat up on their way to another deep playoff run or title...or if they are down like now, just wait till cap space clears and sign the next superstar (or two).

And before anyone mentions San Antonio, let me just say, most franchises aren't San Antonio who was lucky enough to latch on to a superstar who stayed loyal and takes less than max money. Most are more like Milwaukee, Cleveland, Charlotte, Denver, etc. They don't stand a chance in F/A vs. the Lakers.

It really has become a league with only about 10 viable franchises anymore and one BEHEMOTH at the top that rarely has long stretches of tough times.

 

Houston's out (if they were ever in it to begin with).

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/source...ention-to-sign-carmelo-anthony-000119352.html

[rQUOTEr]The Los Angeles Lakers have ascended into serious contention to sign New York free agent Carmelo Anthony, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

The Lakers moved into strong consideration with the front-running New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls over this weekend, sources told Yahoo Sports.

No one with direct knowledge of the process would declare the Lakers had overtaken New York and Chicago in Anthony's mind, but one source close to Anthony said of the Lakers, "They're in the game now."

The Lakers met with Anthony on Friday, offering him a four-year, $97 million contract. Lakers star Kobe Bryant has been in constant contact with Anthony, and the Lakers could re-sign Pau Gasol to pair with Anthony on the frontline.

The Lakers' roster is stripped of talent, and the combination of Bryant and Anthony possessing max contracts would limit the financial flexibility to upgrade the roster. Nevertheless, Anthony keeps a home in Los Angeles and the franchise's pitch has resonated with him.

After Friday's meeting with Knicks president Phil Jackson and coach Derek Fisher, sources told Yahoo Sports that Anthony had become more comfortable with Jackson's plan to use him as the cornerstone to lure free agent stars into salary cap space in 2015 and '16. One thing that still bothers Anthony is Jackson had wanted him to take less than a max contract, sources told Yahoo Sports.

Anthony, 30, is a seven-time NBA All-Star.[/rQUOTEr]

 

The Heat with Bosh possibly leaving the Heat rumors will win Sunday.

 

Maybe its all about money? The funny thing is, is that the Lakers are not the best team in LA anymore

 

damn, kill shot

 

Melo is a joke, all he cares about his fame and money not winning.

 

I doubt the media outlets are "coordinating." They are competitors and have little reason to cooperate. Woj, for example, doesn't seem to even like at least some of the ESPN people. The same goes with Frank Isola and "Berman of the Post" in NYC.

It is their competition rather than their coordination that should make us read reports with a grain of salt. And risk isn't so much that they make up stories out of thin air, but that they dig too hard for pieces of info out of actual sources affiliates with teams and players.

Each of the media outlets (Yahoo, ESPN, USA Today, CBS) wants to increase their audience size and draw attention from their competitors. So, they are constantly digging for new stuff on the stories that draw the most attention. Knowing this, teams (including the Rockets) and agents deliberately "leak" info to their favorite reporters for their own purposes. And the reporters often relay these info.

So, it isn't so much about reporters just lying (except when we talk about the likes of Bill Ingram and Steve Kyler) but who is giving each piece of info to the reporters and for what purpose.