[Bill Simmons] Melo more likely to get bought out than play crunch time minutes for Rockets

But if had joined the Lakers with Lebrun he would be an all-star once again. Amirite??!?

 

Tell Bill Simmons that you can't "buyout" a player who is already at the league-guaranteed minimum.

silly

 

Bill Simmons wants to create controversy because he is a nobody, he is almost out of the media business it seems like, since getting out of ESPN, once his ratings go down no more podcast for him.

 

I don’t disagree. I think Melo will look great beating up on mediocre teams.

No way he plays meaningful minutes in a WCF. I want Melo here to lesson the scoring load of Harden and Paul.

 

You might not realize this but his website, The Ringer, and the podcast network it runs are some of the most successful sports-related platforms in the business. Getting out from under ESPN was the best thing that could have ever happened to Simmons. So as far as ratings are concerned, it's not going to take a dip any time soon, barring any catastrophic controversies.

That being said, Simmons is a known contrarian just for the sake of being one. He zigs when everyone else zags and in this case, with Kevin O'Connor (a true blue Houston Rockets fan/supporter) being on the podcast, we knew what button to push just to make this episode interesting. This is pretty much the same schtick that occurred a few weeks back with Chris Vernon and O'Connor on The Ringer's NBA podcast.

All in all, Simmons like to bet against the odds because that's who he is. I don't think he's on the level of a Cowherd or SAS or the like but you just gotta take his opinions with a grain of salt.

 

Just by seeing how badly morey has been going after melo for so many years, you can tell he's gonna get a chance to play.

 

Melo has brought this kind of criticism on himself. It is up to him to accept a team role and play when called on without complaining. I still have my doubts about him so I don't see anything wrong with this take right now.

 

trollin, trollin, trollin...
talking heads keep on trollin....
Rawhide!

 

KOC is not a Houston fan. He's simply the only guy on that website who actually watches Rockets games, and he calls it like he sees it. Everyone else just gets their talking points out of Bill Simmons' ass, and Bill Simmons only watches the Rockets when they're playing Boston in Boston. Maybe he watches a couple of the GSW Houston games, that's it.

KOC is not a partisan. He cuts across both aisles. He lives in the world of facts, not fake news. Don't politicize him by calling him a Rockets "fan". It's incredible that people can be 10+ games wrong about the Rockets on the downside, and then the following year they can still be allowed to be 10+ games wrong about us again. But that's what happened in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018. And it's gonna happen again. People will always take the pessimistic perspective on Houston because they intrinsically wish that we were that bad. Like I said we're the Iron Sheik of the NBA.

 

10× NBA All-Star (2007, 2008, 2010–2017) ... and its 'reasonable criticism' to say he may be bought out of his 1 year vet min contract? ...idk, man... seems like hater talk to me... jus sayin...

 

Maybe calling him a "true blue" fan was too much--or I guess based by your reaction/response, offensive--but he's a fan of the team nonetheless.

 

Simmons isn't actually saying Melo is going to get bought out. he even adds melo being thrown in a trade of some sort. he specifically says chances.

It sounds like he's just using that as a reference to how much he believes melo will be playing in crunch time for the rockets on a nightly basis. Which is obviously little. but once again it riles some people up bc they are hearing it as being said literally. He didn't say anything that's really incorrect. they actually have a good discussion back and forth about this current team.

 

This crazy to say The Ringer must be needing more people to listen and read if Simmons is throwing out these absurd hot takes.

How about letting a few games pass before anyone makes judgement on how the team using Melo? Right now this is all pure "pulling **** out of my ass" speculation.

Secondly whats with the crazy extremes? He will get bought out (of a vet min contract?) than play crunch time minutes? How about he may not play some crunch times minutes in some games and maybe in others based on the matchups/schedule/momentum? He is trying to paint Melo as some petulant kid with ultimatums of either playing or buy me out. Dont get me wrong Melo does need to understand that he is entering the downward side of his career. But despite his rocky season in OKC he never spoke out ill to the media or any thing during the season. All of his "controversial" comments came before and after the season. And don't get me wrong I think Melo still has enough talent to be a NBA starter in today's league if he is placed in the proper positions to succeed. Thats something the Rockets' staff and players excel at doing, especially Paul one of Melo's closests friends in the NBA. Outside of the Westbrook show I have no idea what OKC does in terms of any sort of cohesiveness on offense. Also Melo wanted to be in Houston and expected to be in Houston last season before the front office change in NYC. If anyone knows what sort of situation he is getting himself into right now its Melo. His trade to OKC last season was more because the new NY management could not come to a deal with Houston. At that point yeah it became more of "okc is better than NY" type of agreement versus wanting to be in OKC.

 

Bill Simmons lmao. Bless his heart

 

Grant Hill found a way to at least improve and become an important player for D'Antoni in his mid 30's.

 

Man, I hope Melo shocks the NBA world and makes Morey look like even more of a genius.

 

Morey gambles on transactions. Simmons gambles on predictions. Morey has more skin in the game.

 

Funny to me that KOC is the only NBA guy I have really seen understand that Ennis is replacing Ariza and Melo replacing Ryno who actually did play 1700+ minutes for us last season.

Simmons has to much to do now to be able to follow the NBA close enough. Used have pretty solid takes now he really is more about the drama surrounding the game then the actual game itself.

 

This is a huge part of it but I also think there is no pressure at all on Melo here. In OKC their season depended on him playing to his highest level. He could literally not play a single minute on this roster and we're still going to win 55 games. Even if he plays like last season and hovers around 15 ppg, that's fine, that more than replaces the scoring we lost with Ariza and Luc.