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[ESPN/Spears] Is this it for Melo? [How/When the decision was made to pull the plug]

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Deuce, Nov 16, 2018.

  1. Deuce

    Deuce Context & Nuance

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    I put this in the WOJ Melo thread. But felt it was I.D.I.O.T because of the details on "HOW/WHEN" the decision was made.




    an excerpt on WHEN the decision was made.

    On Nov. 9, the decision to let Anthony go had been made. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey met with Anthony that day in San Antonio to give him the bad news, a source said. Anthony took the news like a “punch in the gut,” but remained professional, a source said.

    Before departing from the Rockets for good, Anthony spoke to Lucas, who has mentored NBA players for decades. Lucas had even told his son, Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach John Lucas III, that it was time for him to retire at age 34 from the NBA because he wasn’t good enough anymore. Lucas said he had a heart-to-heart conversation with Anthony about the keys to succeeding in the NBA as an elder statesman.

    “The ego of wanting and ego with the game is hard,” Lucas said.

    Perhaps it was for the best. Could you really see Anthony getting consistent DNP-CDs? Could you see Anthony playing just five minutes? That would have been the case had he stayed. It was bad enough that he lost his spot in the rotation to an undrafted two-way player in Gary Clark. Moreover, Anthony was asked to come off the bench after starting the first 1,054 games of his career.

    The Rockets believed that if the popular star got DNPs and low minutes, it could have resulted in a distracting media fascination daily, a source said. Sources added that D’Antoni felt pressure to play the six-time All-NBA selection just because of his superstar status.

    The Rockets are 3-1 since moving on from Anthony.

    “He has such a big shadow, a big name that gets a bad rap,” Lucas said of Anthony. “It’s not him. It’s his aura. He could have accepted any role. But thing is, when you get to be an older pro, you get caught up in the business of basketball and the game of basketball.

    “So, when your career starts to wind down, i.e., Karl Malone, i.e., Gary Payton, i.e., a lot of greats who begin to move around, you figure out how important that it is. You’re not going to get better in two weeks, you’re going to get older in two weeks. It’s a young guy’s league.”
     
  2. Zoplicone

    Zoplicone Member

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    Reading the “punch in the gut” makes me feel really sour about the whole situation. I assumed they simply told him Gary Clark was going to move ahead of him in the rotation and he decided to move on.

    I feel for him
     
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  3. Will

    Will Clutch Crew
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    For real? He was doing everything asked of him, and they decided to cut him because, despite that, the media pressure would be too much?

    This story feels likes it's leaving out a ton of what was going on.
     
  4. Nook

    Nook Member

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    There is a lot more to this.
     
  5. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

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  6. Os Trigonum

    Os Trigonum Contributing Member
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    you have to know Melo was unhappy and could anticipate what was gonna happen in terms of losing his spot
     
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  7. Vivi

    Vivi Member

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    I think there's more to this too, seems like what we can read here is what all the parts wanted to be out there.
     
    kjayp likes this.
  8. mockster

    mockster Member

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    Wow MDA is a punk, he wanted this from the get go
     
    caneks likes this.
  9. MrSabotage

    MrSabotage Member

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    Wanted what? To field the best team possible? To recapture last year's form and give themselves the greatest chance of knocking off the Warriors?
     
  10. Zboy

    Zboy Contributing Member

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    [​IMG]
     
  11. alethios

    alethios Member

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    Yeah, I'm wondering how much of the return of Bzdelik was contingent upon this outcome.
     
  12. sammy

    sammy Contributing Member

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    He wanted to win? Bc that’s what’s happening now.
     
  13. BigBum

    BigBum Member

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    Need to find a team which he can play 30 minutes a game

    Suns or cavs.
     
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  14. burnshroom

    burnshroom Member

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    He needs to decide if he wants to win or wants to Star. His game in NY more or less bogged the team down. His days in OKC, were thought to be a victim of the system there. The hope was he could come here and be an offensive spark, but a spark is something or someone you see that can score in bursts.

    You don't see Melo as a "burst" type person. His game is more deliberate.

    And as such the fit didn't happen. And the part where they say teams would "pick" on him on defense. Ugghh. You don't wanna read that about yourself. And if you do and don't realized something needs to change, well where can you go.

    When media outlets are advocating for China, it is not a good look.

    And when your best buds are backing you up but not opening the door for you to come aboard. Again, not a good look.

    Be well Melo.
     
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  15. cerophilik

    cerophilik Member

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    Suns ;)
    Then we get Ariza back after they buy him out and we waive Melo or send him there
     
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  16. cerophilik

    cerophilik Member

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    Pretty sure this means he doesn’t want to win. He just wants to play and be the main focus still. So his best bet is going to a lottery team. Some place he can keep shooting and the team wants to lose games.
     
  17. Shaq2Yao

    Shaq2Yao Member

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    The best place for Melo now is to go to a tanking team where he can play lots of minutes, taking lots of shots, and lose lots of games!o_O
     
  18. hakeemthagreat

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    If Ryan Anderson can have a career, I'm not sure why ppl wanna push Melo out tha league. Interesting
     
  19. Pizza_Da_Hut

    Pizza_Da_Hut I put on pants for this?

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    Mark J. Spears, you beautiful b*stard, you somehow did it. You wrote a puff piece about Melo and a Rockets hit piece all at the same time. I remember when you started out at Yahoo! and wrote articles about players riddled with spelling errors and even at times the wrong player being referenced. Look at you now, you've made it big time.
     
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  20. PolarBear

    PolarBear Contributing Member

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    Atlanta, Cleveland or Phoenix would seem to perfect landing spots. He can split PF at Cleveland with Larry Nance since Love is out injured...or play some PF in Atlanta (and ride off into the sunset with Vince Carter)....or split PF duties with Ryan Anderson in Phoenix...
     
    bhgonzo42 likes this.

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