NY Times: Rockets preparing to offer Martin and Knicks draft picks for Carmelo

Superstars sell tickets.

Example: The Miami Heat.

 

Melo will end up in NY

 

Sounds like Denver really wants a big.

 

I posted this in the other Melo thread, but I think its beneficial here too..

Jonathan Feigen just wrote a blog that cleared up some things. Pretty good story. Here are some of the main points...

More interesting points in the link discussing Dampier etc.

Here's the link http://blogs.chron.com/nba/2010/09/...ating_up_1.html

 

Link ^^

http://blogs.chron.com/nba/2010/09/with_the_melodrama_heating_up_1.html

 

Sam Amico says "sources close to Houston" saying Martin wasn't part of the discussion. NY Times says "an executive who spoke with Denver" saying Martin is part of the discussion. (And Feigan didn't cite any sources, simplying speculating Martin is needed).

I wonder if Denver is lying to get other teams to up their offer or if Houston, thorough these "sources" is lying to calm Martin's nerves.

 

I just can't see Martin being the key in this deal and I think the only reason he keeps getting mentioned is because of his high salary. Martin, Lee, and also I think Lowry are guys Morey targeted specifically. Brooks, Hill, Jeffries, Battier, Patterson, Budinger, and picks are the assets. The moneyball move is to trade the MIP who is a shoot first PG before he gets his big raise and you keep the highly efficient 20 ppg scorer who doesn't need the ball in his hands to be effective and has a good contract for his production.

 

If Martin's not involved, the it has to be Brooks being mentioned as the centerpiece. But I don't get why Denver would trade for Brooks. How many more years are on Billups' contract? If it's more than a year, then that will be a pretty expensive backup PG.

with Martin, he fits right into the puzzle for Denver. You get a starting lineup that includes Billups and Martin as opposed to a rotation of Billups/Brooks

I'd trade Martin before Brooks for Carmelo. I'd feel more comfortable with Brooks/Lee/Anthony than Lowry/Martin/Anthony, especially with Yao in clogging the paint.

Either way, there are bigs that suits the post up game and Adelman's high post scheme.

I think Brooks will be a star in the league, which is why I want to keep him in a Rockets uni.

 

Sam is very tight with Martin's inner circle from his years in Sac, as evidenced by the inside scoops he had after the trade of Martin's perspective. Usually, that gives him credibility - but in this particular case, I think it HURTS his credibility.

My guess is that most, if not all, of Sam's "sources close to Houston" originate through Martin and his handlers. You can bet that Morey is telling Martin and his agent exactly what they want to hear - that he's going to be a huge part of the team, how important he is to them, etc. Morey knows any Carmelo deal is far from done, and if it doesn't work out, the last thing the Rockets want is a disgruntled Martin because he was perceived as expendable.

Sam is a good reporter, but I'd be a little skeptical of him in this particular situation based on the dynamics.

 

I don't see Melo coming here, but ya think this is Denver trying to get folks to up the ante?

 

Yup. I don't think anyone in Denver truly believes a "hot start" would change Melo's outlook on his entire career, and I don't think anyone believes they can magically acquire a "second star" that would change the dynamics, or they would have done that already. Outside of Carmelo, that roster is loaded with overpaid veterans, and while there are a few solid young pieces, none are to the level of acquiring elite talent.

That's not to say a pre-camp deal is a definite - maybe they think events during the season could raise the offers from other teams. That's a possibility. But I do think they'd like to avoid the circus if reasonable, and any "hopes" that he would stay, based on Broussard's tweets, are illogical and ridiculous. It definitely sounds like part posturing.

 

Like Denver has all the leverage. If Melo doesn't wanna sign an extension thru a S&T, no team would take him. Nuggets can't just sit and wait for the best offer out there cause there's no assurance Melo's signing an extension with that certain team. If Denver gets a decent offer plus Melo agrees to sign an extension with that team, then they should deal him right away.

The longer this drags on, the more desperate Denver would get and more likely they would end up being the next Cavs and Raptors.

 

Why is Courtney Lee not mentioned in any of these rumors? Can we not trade him yet since we just traded for him? Seems like he is what Denver is looking for in young talent.

A few reports have also mentioned that the Nuggets are looking to move JR Smith, so they would have room for a new SG.

 

I don't know if anyone has seen this...

According to numerous sources close to Houston, the Rockets' discussions with Denver re: Carmelo Anthony have not involved Kevin Martin.

http://twitter.com/samickAOL/status/25148851973

 

Courtney Lee doesnt grade out as "top young talent" or however they worded it. Edit: a young, potential star. That is not Lee.

 

See all these contradicting reports? Someone also tweeted that it has been reported Melo doesn't want to sign an extension with the Nets. So what does Denver do now? Wait for better "homerun" offers? If Melo doesn't see himself having a better core than what he has in Denver now, he won't sign an extension to that team.

It has to be the team that would put up a decent offer, and would be a contender with Melo. Hence, Rockets/Morey not likely to offer KevMart and picks. They lose all their main assets by getting a scorer as well.

I see Morey's plan is to have Melo and Martin playing together. Maximize and cash in on the assets.

 

Wow. A chance to trade an overpaid defensive liability, who can't stay healthy an entire season, for a top 10 player in the league. Get'er done Morey.

 

NY Times vrs twitter .... brave new world.

 

It makes no sense at all to trade one star to get another. That's not how Boston's Big Three was formed. They didn't trade Ray Allen to get Garnett.

Count me in the camp of those who think Martin's value to the Rockets is much much higher than his value to any other team. He's not going anywhere.

CAVEAT! The only scenario I could see Houston agreeing to tear up our well-designed core to make a quick getaway with Melo and change is if Melo could come to Rockets management and say, "Hey, I've got this under-the-table deal with Chris Paul. You bring me in and we'll come here together as a package." That's the ONLY way I could see trading Martin happening.

 

you do trade a star for a superstar