an elite player is a top 10 player. so melo is an elite player. top 5 players are usually in another stratosphere (beyond elite) - lebron, wade, kobe, durant.
Fair enough. This definition works for me, for one: Definition of BEST superlative of good 1: excelling all others <the best student> 2: most productive of good : offering or producing the greatest advantage, utility, or satisfaction <what is the best thing to do> So, using your definition, who on the current roster is better than Carmelo Anthony? (therefore making them the best player)
Because it's nowhere near "plain and simple" when you evaluate a player like Anthony. The definition quoted straight from dictionary is meaningless unless you attach it to some quantifiable traits.
Okay, the dictionary citation is silly, and so is saying that Carmelo Anthony wouldn't be the best player on the Rockets if traded for. You can turn it into a battle of semantics, or you can just be reasonable, whatever. I concede that the asking price may ultimately be too high, but I disagree with the notion that the Rockets shouldn't even try to acquire Melo on the basis that he is not "elite," or that it would be too hard to make him fit.
I think Melo would be our best individual player, but I don't think having Melo as your best player gets you anywhere, because in the NBA, they are expected to lead.....and I think Melo is one very poor leader. You don't want your most talented player to be one of poor character. DD
I have no problem with other points you made, but on what basis can you predict Anthony will be the best player on the Rockets? In my book, he has not even been the best player on the Nuggets in all these years at Denver.
So in every year of Melo's career you're seriously saying he was never the best player on his team? Or am I reading this wrong?
He was their best player in 2005-06 regular season and arguably the best player in their 2008-09 playoff runs. That's it.
He's going into his prime and his playoff numbers are through the roof. Melo is almost elite as they come.
When you have a team culture that is strong enough, it can absorb one or two guys that aren't of the highest character. You need a balance of talent and character. Examples of the most talented player on some of the Finals teams of the last decade: Dwight Howard LeBron James Dirk Nowitzki Allen Iverson Shaquille O'Neal Kobe Bryant (younger) Most of these guys are pretty immature, childish dudes who I wouldn't exactly say are of the highest character. It's the NBA, yo. Sure, I'd rather shoot for a prime Tim Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon, or maybe even Chris Paul to lead my team, but if you hold out for those types of guys you may be waiting around forever. As for Carmelo's character and leadership specifically, I think that he is slowly evolving and that his Team USA grooming has helped. HIGH character, maybe not, but I'd estimate high enough for this ball club.
So who was the best player the other years? Only one who gives him a run for his money is Billups and that is only for two years and Melo has been in the league since 2003. To me Melo was the best player the last two years on his teams but Billups was the most important player.
The player scoring the most points per game on a team is not necessarily the best player. The one who contributes most wins is. It takes into consideration offense, defense, efficiency, usage and minutes played, etc.
Maybe I was getting ahead of myself, even by my own measures. I guess it is debatable whether a healthy Yao has a greater impact on success than would Melo. Still, kind of a moot point considering that the Rockets are very unlikely looking to trade Yao for Melo.
