Morey has a fetish for "USA Basketball" players. He keeps using that phrase to describe what he sees as the foundation of a championship team. Stuff like, "You can't have too many USA Basketball players." If ever there were a player built to falsify that philosophy, Carmelo Anthony is it.
That's true, unfortunately. This is his last chance to make amends, and to prove, that he can become a contributor to a potential NBA championship team.
Last year kinda worked out perfectly IMO. OKC added 3 ball dominant players together in 1 year and couldn't make it work...also Donovan sucks but there was 3 guys having to adjust at once, etc...and thats tough. Houston already had Harden and Paul got hurt game 1 so Harden was able to establish himself as the lead dog without him and Paul having to spend the first month trying to "figure things out" Paul came back as the clear #2/Robin/whatever you wanna call it and fit in to what the team already had going on. Now Melo will have a full off-season and after that debacle that was OKC, to fill into his role which is already carved out without having to go through the whole "figure things out" phase. D'Antoni will have a plan for him Day 1 to come in and execute. Capela, Tucker, EGO and Green are also already established in their roles perfectly.
I think people have just run out of things to talk about. The whole Melodrama has been going on here for quite a while. I’ve warmed up to the idea and think that we will see a Melo that is important to the Rockets winning a title. It’s going to take guys stepping up all over the place, so I’m not concerned with how the Rockets win a title, just that they do.
If Melo will play defense, I don't think there will be talk if him sitting to "jump start" the second team. Biglydick is a smart dude. I think he can cover up **** and make it smell like roses as long as the **** works at it.
In NYC and OKC, sure, but he sure was a "USA Basketball player" in the Olympics. https://www.theringer.com/2016/8/12/16041038/carmelo-anthony-olympic-basketball-nba-6306ea3738b3 Olympic Melo did not show up as much as some expected last year (nor did Playoff P). Part if it may simply be that it is easier to shoot over smaller, slower rotating players in international play. But if he is in there, this is the chance for him to show it.
