Woj: Knicks, Rockets re-engage on Carmelo Anthony trade talks

even with melo we're still deficient in the athleticism department. and outside of capela and troy williams have nobody who plays above the rim on a regular basis. we've already seen harden struggle to get separation again length, and even capela still has trouble with the taller longer centers. so i'm thinking if we're already hard capped and unable to add a jaymichael green type, maybe go the opposite direction with an ultraquick waterbug guard who can get inside and score on the whoriers defense w/ quickness. any poor man's IT's or patty mills available for cheap out there?

 

I honestly believe Carmelo isn't good enough to move the needle enough to risk the chance of being in a position to win in 2020 too, yes. I also believe the Warriors are so good that short of the Rockets adding a player like LeBron or Kawhi, nobody is beating them. And we're not adding those guys, so...

 

You didn't think the Lakers felt the same way when they traded first round picks for Steve Nash? They were in win-now mode with Gasol and Dwight supposedly in their primes and Kobe's still playing all-world. It ended up being a terrible trade and they have no pick next year to show for it. They were lucky as hell they didn't lose their pick this year; they would've lost their 2019 pick if they had. Don't be so quick to give up on future assets for declining players, especially when the player has a NTC, only wants to play with you, and the other team's owner desperately wants to get rid of him.

 

but they traded for nash when he was 38

 

But what if the ultimate goal is to win a championship in 2020? Because I have news for you; Carmelo is not going to make the Rockets better than the Warriors. At this point in his career, Carmelo isn't as good as a single one of their top 4 guys. But what if in a year or two somebody on the Warriors leaves because the Warriors can't afford to keep paying the luxury tax or someone is injured? What if then a star player becomes available but we can't acquire them because we've traded our first rounders?

If I believed Melo would allow us to compete with the Warriors then I'd see your argument. But I don't. If the Knicks are ready to accept Ryan Anderson straight up for Melo, great! Let's do it. I hope they enjoy breaking their promise to trade him to the Rockets (and all of the repercussions with free agents that might cause) and paying his salary for two more seasons while he just sulks on the bench.

 

Out of curiosity, why don't you think Melo is better than at least dubs' 4th best player, which I'm guessing is Dray?

 

Signed,

Kevin Durant and the 2017 Golden State Warriors

(I mean come on. Really??? ...flabbergasted at the ignorance/idiocy)

 

@basketballholic - Besides Bron Bron, whom would you like to see us add?

 

Melo moves the needle for recruitment purposes. Swapping him with Ryno isn't good enough to beat the Warriors BUT who else will eagerly join our quest for a chip? Isn't that the whole point?

 

The goal is to win a championship now and a 9-man rotation of CP3-Beard-TA-Melo-Capela / EG-Tucker-Mbah a Moute-Nene allows us to compete with anyone, including the Warriors.

 

Tyson Chandler after he's bought out.

 

This talk of can't beating the Warriors is just stupid. One, we couldn't even beat the Spurs last year, and this year there's also possibly OKC and Minnesota to deal with in the 2nd round. So it's not as if the Rockets are like the Cavs who have nowhere to go but beat the Warriors. Two, the NBA season is filled with surprises and the Warriors may not be as good as last year. Even look at the Miami superfriends era they had their ups and downs. Just because the Warriors are a superteam doesn't mean they'll be unbeatable every year.

In the end Melo gives the Rockets significantly more upside in the playoffs. That is moving the needle even if it is just one extra round and 10% higher chance to beat the Warriors.

 

True, something like a season-ending injury to one of Steph or KD drastically alters the landscape in the WC.

 

I will have to disagree with that statement. Melo at his current age is better than any player we can pick up in 2020 with a first round pick that could actually contribute in 2020. Adding a player like Melo also goes a long way in adding a player like LBJ.

 

Because getting Melo for Ryno and a very low first round pick is the comparable to picking up a 38yo PG who just came off a season where he missed the most games since playing in Dallas. *slow clap* Point is, giving up a future pick that is almost worthless to us in 2020 for a player like Melo is actually worth it. Melo is tangible and almost certainly better than any player we can get for that pick in 2020.

 

Dunno for sure. I have huge question marks about Capela, everybody knows that. If not Lebron, then I'd say we need a significant upgrade at the 5. A monster defender/rebounder that can both run PnR and finish and PnP and nail the three. (This is why I'm so intrigued about Qi.)

Frankly I believe the next upgrade from the Warriors comes from the 5 position. One of the huge keys to their success is their defense. If you counter their D with a pick and pop set with the 5 man hanging out at the three point line and launching a 40% three ball then you are really stretching them out the most they can be stretched and you are forcing Draymond to be stationary defensively up top or to have to go one on one with Paul or Harden.

I've stated this before. The ultimate offense is the option to go pick and pop or pick and roll after reading the defense with a big man capable of both that is a shut down defender on the other end.

As LeBron ages I think he fits that role perfectly. Other guys? DeMarcus? He sure looks like he's trying to become what I described. And Gordon/Capela/picks would be a lot of value in that scenario. Others? Dunno. I know MDA loves Noel. And I understand that defensively. And Noel has the talent to become a good three point shooter. But his shot is not there presently.......And it should be since he's had four seasons. And I do believe that Noel has not worked diligently on improving his skill set. So I've got question marks there (along with Noel's off-court character) although I do believe he's a significant upgrade to Capela defensively.

I'd like to believe Marc Gasol fits the bill. But we play so darn fast that I have some doubts there.

I guess if put on the spot the one player outside of LeBron that I'd name for you would be Demarcus. Age, skills, etc. And opportunity to acquire him at the deadline if he wants out.

 

And you think our situation would be substantially different? Melo will be 36 in 2020, CP3 will be 35. Neither are under contract beyond 2018, yet everyone seems confident our pick will be in the 28-30 range three years from now. Forget the specific age of Nash at the time. Did anyone think the Lakers would fall off the rails that quickly after getting Dwight and Nash in one offseason? Did everyone forget the 2016 season, where our expectations where so out of whack with reality?

Fans are often wildly optimistic about their team. It's a GMs job to be more objective and keep flexibility. Assuming your first round picks have no value is how you become the Nets and Lakers.

 

With the game on the line, I'd rather see the ball in Carmelo's hands than in Klay's or Dray's.

I think people forget how good Melo is because he's been forced to be the focus of the offense for every team he's been with in the pros so far. As a third option, he'll be freakin' brilliant. Check out his work on those Olympic teams.

 

I agree with the recruitment part, and maybe it doesn't make us good enough to consistently beat the Warriors, BUT in the road game that we beat them this past season it was really because Anderson stepped up huge! Can't help but think that the odds of Melo being able to do that any given night are better than Ryno's. As much as Melo has aged, he can still score the ball every night and is as good/if not a better defender than Anderson. I actually do think he moves the needle all around.

 

People are still crying about a 2020 1st rounder?