Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks are 6-7. He was arguably the best scorer in the league at one point in his career. Now, he is a guy who scores well and plays below average defense. He doesn't play hard every game. He is certainly not a top 5 player, easy to argue out of the top 10, and probably not a top 20 player. Where does he rank?
I voted top 10 arguably but certainly declining it seems like after he got paid he's just saving himself or something to prolonge his overall career.
Melo has always been underrated, but he's just not an NBA great anymore. Put him on the Warriors though and he'd be getting buckets, he dominates Team USA basketball every year with all the wide-open looks he gets. Sucks Melo never has had an elite team, could make his public perception very different if he ever actually competed.
Still a fringe top 20 player imo. As a PF he's still top 5 at the position, same can't be said as a SF. Lack of team success has hurt is individual reputation tremendously. However, it's apparent he's hasn't prioritized winning in the NBA as much as fame, money, lifestyle etc. He's at that point in his career where it's time to settle for a lesser role and jump ship to a contender. With two full years remaining on that fat contract the likelihood of him going anywhere soon is looking slim.
This is my biggest issue with Melo. He once called the Rockets a play hard team. That says everything about his character to me. He will only get up to play in the post-season or maybe a national TV game with serious playoff implications. Otherwise he is coasting, focused on getting basketball outside of basketball. Mainly the money he makes from basketball. I remember thinking, damn, Chandler Parsons is about even with Melo every time we played the Knicks. His offense is pure, but his drive is non-existent.
I have him 18th. 1. LeBron 2. Harden. 3. Kawhi Leonard 4. Durant 5. Westbrook 6. Curry 7. Anthony Davis 8. Chris Paul 9. Paul George 10. Blake Griffin 11. Cousins 12. Draymond 13. Derozen 14. Klay 15. Aldridge 16. Butler 17. Lillard 18. Melo 19. Lowry 20. DeAndre
Why do people keep saying this? His Denver team was very good. He chose to force a trade to a worse team in NY.
I agree with Melo top 20, but DRAYMOND @12... dang. Not a Draymond thread but take Draymond away from the Warriors and see how well his game travels elsewhere. He's an intagible guy and his defense is STELLAR (compared to his teammates). I believe Draymond benefits from the system he plays in as he is not called on to carry his team. But because they play up and down (as fast if not faster then any other team) his stats benefit. Put him on the Pistons or even in Toronto or Atlanta he would be a Defense guy mostly and his offensive skills become negligible (IMO). But yeah Melo is still top 20... barely. KAT or even Porzingas could supplant him soon.
These are players better than Melo in no particular order, just want to show ppl that you CAN name more than 20 players better than Melo - Lebron - Harden - Kahwi - Curry - Durant - Westbrook - Wade - Liliard - Cousins - Blake - CP3 - DeAndre Jordan - Drummond - Giannis - Klay - Green - DeRozen - Paul George - Anthony Davis - Kyrie - Butler - Aldridge
Put him on the Warriors. . .and he is HARRISON BARNES Look at this stats this year compared to Harrison Plus Harrison plays better defense [http://stats.nba.com/vs/#!/?PlayerID=203084&VsPlayerID=2546 Rocket River
Top 35-40. 18? 20? wow...What year is it? Melo this year better than Millsap, Marc Gasol, Conley, Hayward? Wall, Kemba? He's worse than these: CP3, Griffin, DJ, Curry, Durant, Green, Thompson, Kawhi, LMA, Gasol, Conley, Harden, Westbrook, Lillard, Cousins, AD, Wiggins, KAT, Kyrie, Lebron, Love, Millsap, Dwight, Kemba, Butler, DD, Lowry, IT, PG13, Giannis, Whiteside, Wall, Then there are some that are slightly better than him this year Horford, CJ Mcollum, Drummond , Wade, George Hill. He's around there this year. Right now he is a one side player that doesn't offer much playmaking or great rebounding. A 20 pt per game scorer? There are many of them around the league. 30 to be exact and almost everybody else also offers smth else at an elite level.
Don't care where he ranks as a player. He ranks dead last in terms of like-ability and being a good teammate. Melo sucks.
Underrated...or underachieving, giving him lower ratings? He doesn't seem to make his teammates better. He doesn't play much defense. Those two things alone mean you're not a great player. Great scorer, yes, but not great player. Never has been, and is much less so now. He is not, as Knicks have discovered, someone you can build a team around. He is, as pointed out above, a good addition to an already good team.
