Sam Amick: Melo and Lebron interested in joining forces

^Rockets plan D is ppatt? Jesus lol...

 

That's a very old core. These guys are already over 30 and they're OLD 30+, due to how young they all came into the league and how many playoff games they've been through. There's also very little in terms of support players. Hardaway, Shumpert, next year's 1st, and that's it. Not to mention he'll have to take a paycut.

I'm not saying Melo will buy the Houston offer more. But Houston can counter with the following.

1. James Harden is young. Dwight is younger than Bosh or Lebron.
2. Parsons, Beverley, possibly TJones, young talent overall.
3. Full max instead of taking a paycut if S&T here. No income tax.
4. One extra year of contention. Don't have to wait.
5. MLE to draw in extra depth. Perhaps someone like Ariza or Spencer Hawes.
6. Not have James Dolan as your owner.

 

ESPN will implode on itself like a white dwarf if this even gets close to effing happening.

 

Ridiculous.

That Lakers team made the NBA finals where Malone was hurt and was unable to offer up the interior play to deal with the Pistons and you think they were a failure?

 

Stupid thinking. Lebron not going to cleveland just to lose. Don't let skip Bayless fool you

 

It absolutely can work. If Karl Malone didn't get hurt it may have worked for LA. They got to the Finals. That's working.

Depth isn't as important when you have 4 star players. Miami can essentially have two stars in the game at all times, surrounded by 3 role players.

 

Yeah. The difference is the guy in the twilight of his career decided to put winning over money and stats at an earlier point, which is rare for most players.

 

I'd say the more important reason is that these players simply don't give up as much. Malone gave up maybe $10 by choosing LA over some other team? Ray Allen I think gave up like $3mil/yr by choosing Miami. Melo, Wade, Bosh, LeBron would be giving up around $7-9mil/yr for the next 4 years.

If Ray Allen had a 4yr/$40mil offer from a lesser contending team like the Pacers when he became a FA last year, you think he'd have taken the Miami $3mil? I doubt it.

 

Duncan gave up $10M. The Heat players gave up a good chunk over the life of their current deals. If they form a big 4, they will each give up $3-5M a season or so. That's significant, which is why I won't knock them if they sacrifice their money and stats for the sake of winning. The owners assume the players will always put money first, which is fine. But I'm not going to knock someone who makes a sacrifice to win. Isn't that what we are hoping a major free agent does for our team?

 

Malone destroyed the Rockets in the 1st round that year. In the decisive game 4, he played liked a superstar.

 

Terrible for the league if it happens.

The Eastern conference is already borderline unwatchable.

 

He was a big factor against the Rockets, Spurs and TWolves and then sprained his knee and the Pistons exploited it.

 

LOL. "$3-5M or so"? No, they'd be giving up $10 million/year or so, at least.

And no, Duncan didn't "give up" $10 million/year, because no one was going to offer him that on the open market. LeBron and Carmelo, on the other hand? Yes, they'd each be offered well over $20 million/year. Bosh would be opting out of a contract that pays him over $20 million/year. This would literally be at least a 50% paycut for each of them... not even a comparison to the paltry 5% each took below the max in 2010.

 

If this happens, say goodbye to a lot of fans. The east conference all-star teams would be 4 Heat players + a Pacer probably..

Players teaming up is okay but this is getting ridiculous. I understand the Rockets plan to get Scottie and Barkley because guys we're getting old and there was a 1-2 year window to make something happen before they would become over the hill and probably retire. These guys are however still able to play for 5-10 years except for Wade.

 

Well that's even more of a sacrifice. If a player chooses to forego 50% of his salary in order to win or play with his friends (combo of both), how can anyone knock him for that?

 

People who want to see competition? Nobody would have given Goliath a medal for beating David.

 

Yup, and that's exactly why it won't happen.

If it did, literally the entire NBA model would collapse on itself. It would set the precedent that endorsement potential, rather than actual salaries, are the leading consideration for players. If that's the case, why should small-market franchises even exist? Right now, the scales are tipped in favor of smaller markets being able to retain their star players with $30 million more in guaranteed money via the extra contract year, higher raises, etc. But if Carmelo and LeBron each leave $75 million on the table and take 50% or 60% below their max... the owners would have to rewrite the entire CBA.

Then on the other side are Players Union issues. If stars "teaming up", no matter the cost, is the wave of the future -- then there's a HUGE middle class of players that would be beyond screwed. We'll call it the Chandler Parsons tier. Why would you ever commit $10+ million/year to a player in that class when you could conceivably land LeBron or Carmelo on a similar deal? The union depends on its stars to set the market, because there's a trickle-down effect for hundreds of other players.

The lockout after these issues could go on for years. The entire system would have to be thrown out. There are just way, way too many forces working against this.

 

Agree. I wouldn't knock LeBron/Carmelo for it. Just pointing out how this whole discussion is rather pointless, because it's not going to happen.

 

Hugely debatable given he was 36 already and no contending team that offseason had any capspace. Before that he was making max money or near max the whole way.

No. They gave up roughly $11mil over the course of a 6yr deal. But they're opting out after 4 years, so really we're looking at maybe 7mil total. Not exactly comparable to 7+mil per year.

No. They give up much more than that. Unless the Heat surround them with literally only minimum contracts which they can't win with anyway. Any semblence of depth require them to give up much more than that.

I could care less how much money they make. I just think you're crazy if you actually believe you can get 4 star players all to take 40% paycut from max money. One player? Maybe. Two? I can almost see it. 4? No chance.

 

There will be just as much competition as there was in 1996, when the Bulls set a NBA record and the league had one of its most profitable years.