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

Dirk nowistki is a great shooter who is average at best in defense . Who is a 4

Morey wanted him .

Melo is a great shooter who is a underrated rebounder & average in defense ... Who can play 4 mhmmmmmm

 

It's an assumption based off the official projection from the NBA. It's much better than an assumption that the cap isn't going to rise which is based on nothing.

Again, why would you make that assumption based off no evidence rather than taking the official projection as reported by respected national reporters? Evidence > no evidence, agreed?

Carmelo isn't even 30 right now. How in the world is he going to be 38 at the end of a 3 year contract? Remember, there's going to be a player option - the same contract Dwight signed despite the same drum being beat that no one is going to "leave money on the table."

The Golden State Warriors cleared Andris Biedrins and Richard Jefferson - two completely useless players - by giving up two first rounders. Suddenly, two legitimate NBA players are going to be impossible to move? Teams aren't going to pass up making a good deal simply to prevent Melo from signing with Houston. Even Cleveland sign and traded Lebron for something rather than being left with nothing.

The Rockets can do a three+ team sign & trade which will allow them to absorb Melo under the 150% rule. The Rockets don't have to give the Knicks much of anything (the Nuggets received Randy Foye in the Iguodala S&T) as they can deal with anyone with cap space to move Asik & Lin.

Basically, like I said before, you have no idea what you're talking about.

 

Morey has pursued him before.

 

mmmmmm

which one of Dirk and Melo has the ability to lead their team to a championship and and take over and win when the game's on the line?

 

1 day I will wake up and shudder at the thought of having Melo on the team, the next day I am giddy at the prospect.

 

I really don't like Melo on the team. He's past his prime, he hasn't been an impact player like his early days in Denver. Plus I think he is a defensive liability I rather have a Battier type player

 

This is such poor reasoning. If you want to NOT pursue Carmelo because he hasn't won anything yet, go ahead.

I want us to get him so he can help us win a championship. He's having an unreal season so far.

 

past his prime? This year and last year are his two best years.. You don't watch many knicks games do you? Melo is an absolute beast who is on a team that sucks. He's a fantastic rebounder, and he's the definition of an elite stretch 4 next to Dwight. I'd love to know how ANYBODY would guard us with a starting lineup of Bev, Harden, Parsons, Melo, Dwight. Unstoppable.

 

I believe that Morey pursued Melo before he implemented his at the basket or from beyond the arc philosophy. There are many reasons why Morey is not going to pursue Melo. Here is one:

Melo's mid-range shots this season 637
The entire Rocket's team mid-ranged shots 594

 

I'll be rooting for the Knicks to lose in the first round.


I can see Melo jumping ship if that happens. Chicago is the favorite to land him but I can see him wanting to come to Houston when it's all said and done.

 

Why would you give up Parsons on a sign & trade?

 

I'll see your "637 mid-range jump shots" and raise you:

.454 shooting percentage

.415 3-pt shooting percentage

.841 free throw percentage

8.3 rpg

3.1 apg

1.2 spg

I would also hope that Morey will finally relent a little in the "chuck 3's, get layups". We need at least one person who can reliably hit a midrange shot. He should know it or have learned it.

Morey will pursue Carmelo. Whether or not it's a pipe dream we'll see.

 

Melo won't have to shoot long-2's here if he comes here. He'll have wide open 3's or the defense will be closing out so hard he will be able to walk it in for a layup.

 

I actually don't think the mid-range argument is a good one in this case.

Analytics isn't against mid-range shots per se, it's against mid-range shots for the VAST Majority of players.

While you don't want to see most players shooting the mid-range 2, that doesn't apply to knock down mid-range shooters like Dirk, Melo, etc. They shoot the mid-range 2 well enough to make the shot almost as favorable as a 3 point shot.

Look at it this way... if you shoot the 3 at NBA league average (34% or so), that's the same as 51% from mid-range 2. Melo is shooting the mid-range at close to 44% (10-21 feet) this season. That's worth about the same as shooting 30% from the 3 point line.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/anthoca01.html

So while technically it's not as good as an open corner 3, it's *good enough* that for Melo it's worth shooting, especially since it creates mismatches on the floor and can potentially force double teams. Add in that Melo also takes it to the basket (a higher percentage shot for Melo), I think as Morey you can live with the mid-range shots from Melo.

So while Melo isn't a "perfect" fit with Harden and Howard, I don't think you could argue it's impossible to create a winning roster with those 3 players in the starting line up, especially if Harden is making the facilitation decisions and IF Melo goes more towards Olympic Melo (trusts the rest of the team to knock down shots).

Would still rather have Kevin Love or LMA, but the reality is we don't always get what we want.

 

LOL @ anybody who wouldn't want Melo with Dwight and Harden

 

Yup.

Good thing we have Morey. He knows.

 

I can't see this being a deterrent for morey, Knicks force Melo to shoot the midrange jumper because they use him in the high post for instance in horns giving him triple theat action against his man, I guess the Knicks think this is the best way to use him for whatever reason This scheme formation forces Melo to play a slower pace and settle for those long twos compared to what morey would want to bring him in for which is to play faster and settle for the paint/3 ball options.

 

Melo is staying in NY. Morey will decide on roster changes based on how the team does in the playoffs. As Van Gundy said on the weekend broadcast, he will have a hard time unloading Asik's and Lin's contracts because of the balloon payments.

 

Whatever. If you truly believe that Morey is going to ink any player who breaks his offensive philosophy who am I to dissuade you? I would like to point out that for the last couple of seasons Morey has not signed any player who depends on the mid-ranged shot. Not one. If you want to look into the Rockets future you need to look no further than the RGV. LMA, Melo, Rondo. They are not coming to Houston. Get over it. For good or ill, Morey has cast the dice. It should be interesting.

 

So you don't believe Clutch's report that they tried to trade for Melo at the deadline and LMA in the offseason.