You're also not taking into account that the Knicks are playing in a weaker Eastern conference. While its not as weak as it once was, its still not at the western conference level.
Good lord. Pau Gasol to the Lakers thinks that's absurd. My guess is, that after all these years, it's unprotected as well. If they play their cards right (pick well, dump Baron somehow) we could very well be looking at the Clippers being the new Thunder in a couple seasons. But, afterall, they ARE the Clips. Let's just hope Morey can pick over their corpse after the inevitable implosion.
Also, for everyone against a 'Melo rental, consider these facts: No one knows what proposed package the Rockets will/can offer. Our roster is overloaded with good, not great players. If we can get rid of Courtney, Brooks, and Hill plus Pick(s) to rent Carmelo, we're really not losing much. In addition, this would make us a high-profile team, sell merchandise, and would be a high-reward gamble on the new CBA favorable to keeping Carmelo, even against his better judgment. Nothing is certain, including Carmelo leaving. The change that the new CBA could carry a franchise tag, ala the NFL makes a trade worth it, depending on what we'd be giving up. Also, if the trade could net Nene or even Birdman, that would relieve pressure to defend the middle. Scola alone would be much more productive if his defensive weaknesses were not so glaring. What about the small, outside, infinitesimally small chance that Melo's landing here brings us Howard and Paul? These kind of scenarios, while implausible, are the dramatic upside to a deal for Melo. It's not about turning Melo around for a trade exception from the Knicks, its about a smart, calculated gamble. Morey is not one to stand pat with a marginal playoff team. And to anyone still doubting the value in renting Carmelo, let me ask you this -- how else do we even get a SHOT at landing a superstar?
Carmelo's Financial Gamble By: Christopher Reina RealGM.com Writer January 20, 2011 6:00 PM Much has been made of Carmelo Anthony's gamble not to sign a three-year, $65 million extension with either the Nuggets or Nets. It is one of the more interesting decisions we have seen in sports, in an era where players are so frequently focused on putting themselves into the best financial position possible. Anthony seems committed to choosing his next team and will factor in championship opportunity, location and lifestyle. But for the most part, the big gamble for Anthony only exists in the event of a catastrophic injury. Regardless of what happens with the CBA talks, there is simply no way Anthony will lose anything close to the $40 million figure being propagated. People who cover the NBA, a league populated and run by attorneys, should know by now that the powers that be in the league office are focused on installing fair rules and a level playing field, a major pillar of which is based on a player’s seniority in the NBA. So we’re to believe that Rudy Gay will make $18 million per season while Anthony makes $11 million even though Gay has three fewer years of NBA service than Anthony? It quite plainly will never happen. The NBA would never abide such an inequitable system that would ultimately be impossible to justify in any type of rational way. Again, the NBA is legalistic in its administration, which means it will not want anything to do with a punitive salary structure. It has been somewhat shocking to read stories coming from longtime NBA reporters I greatly respect, who are suffering from myopia and expect the league to preside over a heavily imbalanced pay scale. For the sake of argument, if the owners achieve all of their objectives against the players on salary reduction, it will be across the board and balanced. It will almost certainly apply retroactively to salary extensions signed previously. Any other system would reward players like LeBron James and Chris Bosh, who gave their previous teams one less season so they could become free agents a year early, while leveling a harsh penalty against Anthony for having given the team that drafted him that extra year under contract. Another issue of consequence will be how teams who signed players during the summer of 2010 will be forced to pay significantly more money than teams who sign free agents under the new CBA. It is unfair to owners on a pure financial level, but it also creates an unfair advantage in terms of salary cap space. Fixing the cap discrepancy would be a huge mess where prorating the cap for team with 'old maxes' would become necessary. The possibility of Anthony leaving tens of millions on the table sounds like a good scare tactic in the winter. But there’s no chance of it happening in the summer. Without question, Anthony would prefer to sign the extension now, but he should rest comfortably in his reasons to wait. Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/src_fe...120/carmelo\s_financial_gamble/#ixzz1BfcVldD6
Lol, I wonder how many examples of retroactive reduction in already existent contract salaries he can provide in the history of CBAs. It's almost inevitable that maintaining current contracts would be a requirement to an agreement to lowering future salaries.
Either way, its gonna get ugly. Real ugly. The players already in the nba is going to break the earth if they have their already-existent salaries reduced. but owners are just not going to spend at 1241212 times their insistence. Somethings gotta give...and I have a feeling its going to be the rookies--the guys that are not in the league and therefore are not part of the players association, suffer the most. To be honest I don't like the reduction of already-existent contracts either. from a moral prospective, you signed something and each and every party should honor it. and that means the owners cant just say oh we are too poor we are not going to pay you the 10 million we had promised you. what really needs to be addressed is what happened in miami this summer. if that happens again...the nba in 5 years will just become 2 or 3 superteams in a big city or a warm-climate city with the rest of the 20something teams are feeder teams with their best player being the likes of aaron brooks and mo williams...teams like memphis or new orleans might as well give up on drafting stars...cos they are just going to leave after 6 or 7 years. something really really needs to be done is the agent conglomeration and integration...its getting ridiculous...its almost like a monopoly now..everyone just goes and signs with leon rose and his buddies. if you don't join them...you can't beat them. either way, its gonna get testy and more testy. oh did I mention testy?!
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insi...?columnist=hollinger_john&page=PERDiem-110121 someone have access to ESPN insider?
I personally don't think the Rockets are going to get Melo but I could see something like... A) Get involved in the trade to get him to NY by sending the Knicks a first and getting back one of their young players...(if Melo goes to NY, it's doubtful the pick would be worth anything anyways) Then... B) Get Nene or Andersen in the trade or after the trade. If the Rockets could swing getting say Chandler and Nene or Andersen out of the deal...they would be better off than getting Melo for a couple months then losing him to the Knicks...AND won't be giving up as much...
If something is going to happen..its gonna be before January 31st.. before yaos injury exception expires. Just hope its splash worthy..
As each day passes, Denver is losing leverage vs. the teams that are willing to deal with them without an extension.
Sam Smith is famous for making stories up. I do not know if Melo would resign with the Rockets, but I promise you that Sam Smith does not have any inside information.
Exactly. I lived in Chicago Tribune country for years. I did read his NBA column but always treated it more like the Enquirer than the NY Times, you know? The guy has ZERO credibility.
Or he could just do what LeBron and Bosh did. Threaten to go to the Knicks w/o an extension: 1) He does it and the Rox are screwed out of assests for a worthless rental 2) He scares the Rox into getting little or no value in a sign and trade.
This is from Ric Bucher's Chatting on ESPN.com "Hiren (Houston) Are the Houston Rockets a "sleeper" team in the Carmelo Anthony derby? Ric Bucher (1:29 PM) Don't see any how or way. He doesn't want to be there and they can't offer the kind of rebuilding pieces Denver wants."
Denver is off their rocker. I'm not saying we have the BEST possible offer but they've honestly been their own worst enemy throughout these trade discussions. They keep sabotaging deal after deal. Changing condition after condition. Creating problem after problem. Ya know, I'm at the point where I almost hope they're forced to keep him and he walks this summer.
