[NYPost] Rockets could make push for Carmelo (UPDATE: Blog post)

CP3, griffin, George, Aldridge, love to name a few...never won a thing. You wouldn't want these guys?

 

Love is probably better right now, but Melo is not as injury prone(think about what fans thought about Love last year). Health could be huge factor down the road.

 

Definately pick him up. My concern is having three star players that very often play unmotivated. The motivator coach isn't motivating any mo. Something's gotta give. Who is to blame, the coach or the stars. I'll go with the coach.

 

We should go after Thibs before Carmelo.

 

Can you elaborate? I am curious how we can keep Parsons? By moving Lin/Asik plus one of PFs, that would equal to what we would pay Melo. How are we supposed to come up with Parson's pay raise? He's expected to get paid between $8-10 Mil.

Thanks

 

IF you trade for Melo in S&T and use the option on Parsons, the following year you match him under bird rights and hope he stays, though that definitely pushes you over the salary cap.

 

From a negotiation standpoint that's probably how the conversations work, but what happens when Dolan, Mill, Phil or whoever is calling the shots here says.... "You know what Morey... we actually view the financial flexibility of having Melo walk, and not take back salary over taking back your players"?

Yes the Knicks are capped out next year, but its probable that they still might be putting plans in place to wipe their roster clean next year, and also keep in mind that if they take back Lin & Asik they are still over the lux tax(over 10 million over tax at least), and if they dont take back Lin & Asik & just wipe his salary off the books... they are UNDER the luxury tax(should be about 3 million under tax) which is huge to consider even for the Knicks since it would qualify as a repeater tax.

So I think we are being a bit assumptive here that the Knicks wouldn't be just as likely to pick or at least negotiate with the statement that "We actually view losing Melo for nothing > Taking back 16+ million in expiring salary that will kill us with luxury tax."

Because of this from a negotiation standpoint, I think you have to assume that you are going to have to pay Dolan & Phil essentially to pick option B over option A.... which means your probably going to have to clean house with draft picks to make it worth their while.

 

Carmelo is not a fit to this team. What we really need is a point guard. That's been our real problem. Point guard is the quarterback of basketball. And the Clippers and Thunder have been beating us due to our point guard position. Beverly is good but not good enough to go against elite point guards. The Rockets should have traded for Rajon Rondo when they had the chance. Now we have to wait for the draft to get a decent point guard. And good thing this year is loaded with good promising players. I really hope we get the chance to draft Andrew Harrison from Kentucky. Dude has size and can play ball, good play maker and is a good defender. I hope Morey sees him and trades up in the draft to get him I don't care if it cost us Beverly or someone else I'll trade for a promising point guard. I'll still keep Jeremy Lin though he is a good back up and use him like the Spurs use Ginobili.

 

Good point! I just think that Love, who is five years younger than Melo (30 in May) will be more efficient and more productive (if healthy) for us during Hardens/Howard tenure with us. Regardless, I think if we do get Melo it would be a major upgrade over anyone we have at he moment!
.......
.......
.......

 

LMAO.

 

Thibs still has 3 more years on his contract. You'd have to pay a fortune to get him, assuming Chicago is willing to let him out his contract.

And given the Doc Rivers trade last year, Chicago would most likely demand picks and players. Assuming that they would be willing to do it at all... which is a tough proposition considering Rose, Noah and the rest of the team love him.

It's *highly* unlikely we get Thibs unless we literally want to wheel out a wheel barrow full of money and give an offer they can't resist (players, picks).

 

Especially since it would allow the Knicks to continue with their s**tload of cap space in 2015. They'd get back some first rounders that they should have kept to begin with; they clear albatross contracts Amar'e and Tyson and can decide whether to re-sign either of Asik or Lin while potentially going after....Rondo, Love, all sorts of dudes.

It'd be the SMART move for the Knicks. Which is why I won't hold my breath on it.

But Dwight on the inside, Melo on the outside, and Harden passing and cutting? Imperfect, sure, but Finals material nevertheless.

 

I thought he was going to be a free agent. Anyways, he has too much leverage with his coaching success that a coach will have such a huge ego. He won't let morey toy around with his philosophy. He has every right to, he is out there grinding it out with the players while the gm is hands free.

 

The Rockets most likely are going to lose Asik any way. You can find someone else to handle 15 minutes a night as a back up 5.

 

Exactly this!

If Golden State can move Richard Jefferson and Andris Biedrins to clear cap room for Iggy, Morey can do the same for Melo.

 

Some of you are significantly undervaluing Melo. He's a good defensive rebounder, elite scorer, and decent post defender.

We are getting slaughtered at the 4. Overnight, you would go from a player that hits 30% of his 3 attempts and 57% of his FTs (TJones) to a 42% 3-point 84% FT offensive monster. That's probably good for an extra 3-4 points per game, at least. Also, his post defense and rebounding would probably save us another couple of points. Overall, probably a 5-6 point improvement. Take out losing 15 minutes of Asik, and let's say you've got a net 3 point increase versus this year. We would have the top point differential in the league with that.

I think New York would require us to take on JR Smith or Felton's contract. Something like...

Lin + Asik + TJones + Garcia + Casspi + our 2015 and 2017 picks

for

Melo and Felton.

That clears off more salary for NY in 2015. They can make a big run at several free agents, plus they will be armed with a top pick (their own after tanking next season) and Phil Jackson.

I could see LeBron liking that situation, especially if that can keep Asik and add another star.

 

Well your first course of action is for the agent to say: " We are very disappointed you won't accomodate a player who played his heart out for you. We will remember this for any future free agent decisions with my agency.

Then you make the trades with Philly and whomever to dump the salary and sign him using cap space.

Its possible they may want to avoid the luxury tax, but any executive who makes that determination is probably also smart enough to say, Dolan, we can be cheap and slow down rebuilding, or we can eat the tax and trade off these pieces we are acquiring at the deadline for more rebuilding assets.

Of course we are being assumptive. This is all speculation!

I have no doubt you would have to give something, but I doubt it costs a trove.

 

Thereby turning the Knicks into what the Rockets would have been if we didn't get Harden.

 

Sadly, that's infinitely better than what the Knicks have now.