Ive already stuck a fork in ‘em. They went from hopes of a championship, to hopes of a top 4 seed, to hopes of a playoff appearance. At this point, the goal for them seems to be to squeak in as 6-8th seed and lose in the 1st round. Expectations have adjusted radically. I think they are completely toast (as a contender) if they lose to twolves and spurs these next 2 games
The seeds have been planted. It's only 20 games in, but that team is broken. I don't see them coming together and wrecking the league over the next 60 games.
melon rejecting any chance of actually winning something. 6th moy is his only hope for an award/accolade in the twilight of his career.
MEIo: "I'm not sacrificing no bench role. That's out of the question." OKLAHOMA CITY -- If Carmelo Anthony returns to the Oklahoma City Thunder next season -- and that sounds like a bigger "if" than previously thought after his exit interview Saturday -- it will not be in a bench role. "Yeah, I'm not sacrificing no bench role," Anthony said. "That's out of the question." Anthony's answer was consistent with the way he felt on his first day with the Thunder, famously saying "Who, me?" when asked about moving to the second unit, and asking Paul George as he walked by, "Hey, P! They want me to come off the bench!" Anthony is owed $28 million on the final year of his contract, but he can opt out with an early termination clause. The expectation from nearly everyone around the league was that Anthony would opt in to the final year and remain with the Thunder. (He also maintains his no-trade clause.) But while declining to talk specifics about financials, Anthony said he's going to have to weigh his basketball happiness with whatever he decides. "I think for me, my focus would be on kind of figuring out what I want out of the rest of my career, what I want in my future, what am I willing to accept, if I'm willing to accept that at all," Anthony, 34, said. "I think everybody knows that I've sacrificed kind of damned near everything, family, moving here by myself, sacrificed my game for the sake of the team, and was willing to sacrifice anything and everything in order for this situation to work out. So it's something I really have to think about, if I really want to be this type of player, finish out my career as this type of player, knowing that I have so much left in the tank and I bring so much to the game of basketball." Asked how he thought this season went, Anthony lowered his voice a bit. "Interesting," he said. From day one, the Thunder asked Anthony to change, starting with his position. He made a full-time move to power forward and slowly integrated himself as a catch-and-shoot option rather than an isolation-heavy volume scorer. Anthony struggled adapting to not having the ball in his hands consistently and didn't shoot nearly as well from the perimeter as the Thunder expected. "I think the player that they wanted me to be and needed me to be was for the sake of this season," Anthony said. "As far as being effective as that type of player, I don't think I can be effective as that type of player. I think I was willing to accept that challenge in that role, but I think I bring a little bit more to the game as far as being more knowledgeable and what I still can do as a basketball player." Anthony saw his role significantly reduced in the postseason. He was seen campaigning to get back on the court in Game 5 against the Jazz as the Thunder went on a 32-7 run, and he remained on the bench for the majority of the fourth quarter in Game 6. Utah clinched the first-round series 4-2 on Friday. Anthony averaged 11.8 points in the series, shooting just .375 from the field and .214 from 3-point range. His 16.2 points per game this season was a career low. "I became who I am by playing the way that I've played and establishing a style of play and a type of play throughout my career," Anthony said. "So now it's about figuring out what is the best way to implement that game into something that we're trying to create, and it's not taking away nothing from Russell [Westbrook] or Paul or anybody else, or myself per se. I think we just all have to figure out how we're going to play and what's the style of play and what's most effective in the way that we're going to play. I think that's something that we have to figure out."
For those of you under the delusion that Melo would be willing to come here and adapt to whatever role Rox would want him to be should hopefully think otherwise after reading what he said. Once again, I know he is a better player than Ryno, but the fit would not have been there at all. The guy thinks he still is a damn superstar. I hope he stays the **** away from our team. Definitely one of those things that Morey got lucky it did not work out.
I think it would of been a different story if he was here. Westbrook is a void, he can’t play effectively with others. Harden and Paul are opposite of this, and when you factor in a coach who’s motto is “see it, three it” the confidence would be instilled. I don’t really care for melo, but honestly it’s not really his fault here, Westbrook makes everyone look WORSE.
Melo is more talented than Ryno, but Ryno is willing to play within his abilities. Melo is delusional which blinds him to his own limitations. The new GM of the Knicks saved Morey from making a huge mistake.
WOW dude, this guy is bat shi* crazy man. What a delusional fool. He is washed. But could contribute from a bench shooter stand point..... Rockets should not even inquire for even the min.
Huge Melo-to-htown advocate last year, and now I hope we only get him if we get to 187 OKC in the process. Excessive picks + melo for our worst contracts (Ryno and bottom of the lineup talent). Otherwise, Melo stay the f*ck away. Movin on to PG13, LBJ, or JJ.
I'm going to trust Morey's judgement and our system over the chaos in OKC - KD left for a reason - I suspect Melo would be playing much better in Houston.
Now do people see why plenty of us weren't so thrilled about the idea of him on the team and ecstatic when we knew he wasn't coming?! Also "I'm not sacrificing no bench role", can he speak proper English or trying to sound "ignant" on purpose? What he's actually saying he's going to sacrifice a bench role, which doesn't mean anything. You cannot sacrifice a role, you can sacrifice by taking on a role.
Lol no way man. Lack of confidence was never the issue with Melo. What do you think Melo will do if MDA starts PJ over him?
