Melo has a great team up in Denver that is winning games without him. They have a lot of talent and he still wants go to New York. No way he wants to stay with Houston. He is going to New York, plain and simple.
This sounds like Denver ain't willing to accomodate Carmelo because Carmelo has been wanting to go to NEW YORK or NJ close to his hometown. If they can't resign him after all this time they would rather trade him where they can still get value for him and to a place where it aint the EAST coast.
As far as money goes, you have to consider the state tax in NY, which costs athletes of this nature a ton of money. With endorsements, its unlikely that Nike and team Jordan offer him any more than he is already getting from endorsements other than some local deals. The lure of playing in New York has to be mostly playing with Amare and immediately being able to contend in the East. The lure of the fame and riches of New York is widely overblown in this case here as well as with highly public Yankee's free agent signings as well. The money is part of it but a player of Carmelo Anthony's stature is making a move to a team like this to win now and win big. I have a hard time believing New Jersey has ever been in the conversation seriously from Melo's camp's perspective (Leon Rose & World Wide Wesley represent him) other than to create a bargaining chip for New York and Denver. The Rockets enter the conversation because in a salary cap driven league they can provide the bridge that these teams need to get the deal done. This creates leverage for the Rockets as well because these teams need them in order to provide the assets needed to even out the deal and get something back in return. That being said Its hard to believe the Rockets have any serious considerations on signing him other than to create leverage in the trade to get an asset they want in return. The Rockets are playing both ends as well because of the trade made to the Nets to give them an additional first round pick in the negotiations. It could be that there is something, or someone else that the Rockets are gunning for in this deal I just dont know what it is... A top 5 pick from the Nets???... Brooks Lopez???.... Nene???.... My guess is we wont know until the deal is done.
Morey is very much a "assets" man. He very rarely let's a asset walk and get nothing in return. In this case he see's a asset on liquidation. He see's a asset on the auction block and he wants in. He seems to be letting everyone play their cards and then take advantage of situations. If he can buy Melo at a 50 cents on the dollar(by that I mean giving up something like Bud, Hill, instead of scola, martin or brooks), and gain control of Melo and his contract. Morey gains more control and leverage of the situation. Morey seems tough as nails and has been very patient. Hasn't really gotten the bad end of any deals. IMO Morey has put himself in a good position letting everyone play their hands and seems to be sitting on a full house. At this point I think all the other teams hate the Rockets but are playing nice because Morey has full cabinet of assets.
I'd second this point. But if we give up Hill, our only big with any ability to protect the rim, we need another big--especially since I fully expect Melo to bounce if we sign him w/o an extension. That said, Melo will get an extension and play in NY/NJ.
Ummm...??? What if Melo is not only thinking short term, but also long term as well? Smith, Martin and Nene are all free agents after this season and Billups might be bought out next season. Also there front office is a mess and Karl might not be back next season. I don't see how Denver is as attractive as Houston. Maybe he wins a few games in Denver, but in the grand scheme of things, they aren't gonna compete for a title anyways now or in the future, and Melo knows that. Melo aint stupid, he knows that their is no way that the Nuggets can realistically improve enough to beat the big boys in Lakers and Spurs out west.
One leverage of convincing Melo to sign an extension is the threat of a new CBA which might reduce the amount of money he can make at a FA.
a melo-to-houston trade puts houston in the driver's seat for a Melo S&T in the off-season to the team of Melo's choosing. as long as morey thinks he can prevent melo from doing what lebron did...
Sorry dude, but they just lost 3 in a row without melo and lost to phili the other night and barely beat Minnesota a few nights back with Melo.
I say do it! If we make a title run than it could change his mind, if not than we don't want him anyway and some of our guys can at least get some playoff experiance!
Prevent??? If Melo doesn't re-sign long-term with Houston, I HOPE Morey can get what Cleveland got for the departing Lebron: A $14.5 million trade exception OKC's 2011 second round pick The right to swap 2012 first rounders with Miami NO's 2012 second round pick Miami's 2013 first round pick (top-10 protected in 2013 and 2014, unprotected in 2015) Miami's 2015 first round pick (top-10 protected until 2017, then unprotected, to be conveyed 2 years after prior pick conveyed) Not a bad haul AFTER "The Decision".
But still even though Lebron left Cleveland they still got two first round picks out of the sign and trade they worked out with Miami. With the Rockets being as crowded with mediocre assets as they are, what kind of production are getting out of Budinger, A trade exception, and Yao's contract that you wouldnt trade for a couple first round picks, and a Melo rental which potentially makes you a contender in the West if only for a season with the hopes that he might re-sign anyways? Who knows, but right now those assets are just sitting there doing nothing, you might as well upgrade your assets and win now rather than just waiting for them to deteriorate on a star player that might only come through the draft anyways.
Haha, thanks. I actually think that 2015 first rounder is going to be a terrific asset (no joke). By then, the Big Three may very well have disbanded. Under the new CBA, those three guys will have completely clogged up the Heat's cap. With the inevitable reduction/elimination of the MLE under the new CBA, the hopes of signing another "Mike Miller-level or better" player to the roster will be greatly reduced. It's not at all ridiculous to suppose that the Heat could be a lottery team in 2015. With the limited protection on both the 2013 and 2015 first rounders, if the Heat need to rebuild down the road, that pick could be very valuable.
Actually that's pretty bad. The right to swap will never happen. They get 2 mid second round picks. They get 2 1st picks but you can almost bet money that those picks will be late late first round picks with the added disadvantage of being guaranteed. ANd that's 2 and 4 years from now. The best thing they got was a 14 mil TE but that's only good if they can acquire some talent with it. ANd the market this year is not like last year when teams where dumping Chandlers and Beasley for nothing. 4 second round picks for 4 years for Lebron is pretty crappy. I guess you could say it's better than nothing. But if I knew going in that there was a good chance that Melo wouldn't sign an extension I would give up Hill and Bud and a 1st for 4 months. Nope wouldn't do it.
Melo has never said he wanted to go to NY. This time last year, these same media types were telling us how LeBron and Co. were going to NY. Nobody and I mean nobody had Amare in NY. Melo will extend with whatever team he is on after the deadline...bank on it.
