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[DIME MAG] NBA Trade Pitch: Carmelo Anthony to Houston for Kevin Martin

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by dakeem1, Aug 26, 2010.

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dakeem1 Member

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Apologies if already posted. Please lock if so.

http://dimemag.com/2010/08/nba-trade-pitch-carmelo-anthony-to-houston-for-kevin-martin/#more-53739

NBA / Aug 26, 2010 / 1:00 pm

NBA Trade Pitch: Carmelo Anthony to Houston for Kevin Martin
By Austin Burton

Carmelo Anthony, Dime #53

Since I’m guessing the Denver Nuggets won’t take my advice and keep Carmelo Anthony this season, and the list of rumored destinations for ‘Melo grows by the week, it’s time to explore what the Nuggets can do trade-wise to get something close to equal value in return for the man who’s been their franchise centerpiece for the last seven years.

Although I still believe ‘Melo ultimately ends up in New York, recent rumors have gained momentum that he has the Houston Rockets at or near the top of his wish list of teams with which he’d sign a long-term extension following a trade. How exactly would ‘Melo end up in Houston, though? I tinkered around with some possible trades, and this one works out best for both sides on the court and with the salary cap:

Houston gets: Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith
Denver gets: Kevin Martin, Shane Battier, Jared Jeffries

Actually, a ‘Melo-for-Martin and Battier deal would have worked, but if I’m the Nuggets and I know teams want ‘Melo, I’m making them take the problematic J.R. Smith back in the deal.

Denver now rolls out a lineup of Chauncey Billups, Kevin Martin, Battier, Kenyon Martin and Nene, with Arron Afflalo, Birdman and Ty Lawson off the bench. That’s a playoff team. K-Mart2 replaces all but a couple of buckets of Carmelo’s scoring, Battier makes the team stronger defensively, and the two of them make Denver a smarter team automatically. Billups and Battier’s mature leadership would even out the hotheads like K-Mart1 and Birdman. For at least one season, before Battier, K-Mart1 and Afflalo become free agents in 2011, the Nuggets are a strong team in the West.

As for the Rockets, they become a legit championship contender if Yao Ming can stay healthy (of course). If you take the best offensive center in the game, who also gets you 9-10 rebounds a night and blocks a couple of shots, and surround him with ‘Melo (arguably the best scorer in the League), Aaron Brooks at point guard, Courtney Lee and J.R. splitting time at the two, and Luis Scola at power forward, that’s a team with elite talent.

Could that version of the Rockets knock off the two-time defending champion Lakers?

Breaking down the matchups, Houston would have the edge at center (Yao over Andrew Bynum), point guard (Brooks over Derek Fisher) and small forward (‘Melo over Ron Artest). Scola isn’t that far behind Pau Gasol at power forward, and the combo of Courtney Lee’s defense and J.R.’s offense would at least make Kobe Bryant work hard. The Rockets’ bench — J.R. or Lee, Kyle Lowry, Brad Miller, Jordan Hill, Patrick Patterson and Chase Budinger — can compete with L.A.’s backups. And Houston coach Rick Adelman has been going head-to-head with Phil Jackson since the early-’90s. Granted, Adelman has been mostly losing to Phil in that time, but he at least knows Phil’s game.

Two years ago, the injury-racked Rockets gave the Lakers a battle in a seven-game playoff series. And that Houston squad wasn’t as good as this hypothetical Houston squad. If Carmelo winds up with the Rockets, Hakeem and Clyde could well get some new company in the franchise pantheon of champions.
Click to expand...

#1 dakeem1, Aug 26, 2010

1 person likes this.

dakeem1 Member

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Keep in mind this is only an opinion piece.

#2 dakeem1, Aug 26, 2010
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Yao/Miller
Scola/Hill
Melo/Chase
Lee/Smith
Brooks/Lowry

Damn thats a sick lineup. I know Denver wants alot more but Morey should be GM of the year if he can pull that one off. With a healthy Yao thats a 55+ win team easily IMO.

#3 Fulgore, Aug 26, 2010
ashiin Member

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Oh if only we could pull a pau gasol trade...

#4 ashiin, Aug 26, 2010
vince Member

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dakeem1 said:

Keep in mind this is only an opinion piece.
Click to expand...

But I like what I read here!!!! :grin:

#5 vince, Aug 26, 2010
joesr Member

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well, i guess....
keep our youngin's. i wonder which picks we'd have to give.

#6 joesr, Aug 26, 2010
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Damn it. Thought it actually happened. My heart just stopped.

#7 G-Money, Aug 26, 2010

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It seems quite realistic. I think alot of Rockets fans want to get Carmelo for chump change but when you think about it, the Nuggets don't want to become irrelevant. This trade keeps their relevance while removing a few problem pieces.

However, Morey being Morey, I can't see him doing this deal with a rookie GM and owners that seem to be a little confused about what they are doing. Honestly, I think the trade will be more lopsided toward HOU. If they insist we take JR back, then they will be getting trash

#8 Moonscope, Aug 26, 2010
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I think they would still want young players also.

#9 coachbadlee, Aug 26, 2010
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Wow, the OP is a r****d. I thought this actually happened, please change your title so you don't cause anymore heart attacks.

#10 Someguy1229, Aug 26, 2010
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Either way they should trade as less as possible so as to leave room for another possible deal.

#11 coachbadlee, Aug 26, 2010
dakeem1 Member

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Someguy1229 said:

Wow, the OP is a r****d. I thought this actually happened, please change your title so you don't cause anymore heart attacks.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I copied and pasted the title of the actual article. If anyone would like to ammend the title to put "opinion pice" in brackets, please do.

#12 dakeem1, Aug 26, 2010
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No way Denver is a playoff team with that lineup.

#13 asmith8266, Aug 26, 2010

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dakeem1 said:

Apologies if already posted. Please lock if so.
Click to expand...

I hate you. I almost had tears of joy coming out my eyes. And then they transcended into tears of fiery hatred.

#14 RedRedemption, Aug 26, 2010
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Wow I really like that trade works out for both teams IMO maybe throw a pick in there to sweeten the deal

#15 KingStevo10, Aug 26, 2010
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Someguy1229 said:

Wow, the OP is a r****d. I thought this actually happened, please change your title so you don't cause anymore heart attacks.
Click to expand...

How is he a r****d? The title clearly says NBA Trade Pitch.

#16 Little Bit, Aug 26, 2010
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Ummm... it says NBA Trade Pitch.

That usually implies that it hasn't happened yet.

#17 UTAllTheWay, Aug 26, 2010
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that would be a badass trade

#18 josh_is_white, Aug 26, 2010

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Little Bit said:

How is he a r****d? The title clearly says NBA Trade Pitch.
Click to expand...

Clearly some people had the same reaction as me.

My apologies to the OP for calling him a r****d, just don't do something like this again.

#19 Someguy1229, Aug 26, 2010
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Don't want Smith.

And Martin fits the offense better.

#20 tofu--, Aug 26, 2010

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