As Carmelo Anthony leans toward leaving New York, Chicago and Houston emerge as frontrunners

Best case situation is Melo stays with NY, the big 3 remain in Miami with Lebron having a longer contract to where he can't opt out at the same time Melo can so they don't team up in NY anytime soon. Love comes to Houston and LA Clippers strikeout without any major upgrades. That's my two cents.

 

Ramona Shelbourne says this?

Nice! Houston is in the lead!

 

I would take it and my sig will come to fruition if we don't have to trade Parsons to get Love.

 

I don't know. The Bulls are a good team that is better than the sum of its parts. Melo on that team with a healthy Rose, even if he is not back to who he was, is a team that has a chance to get out of the East.

Miami is very good, but I think Chicago would give them fits in 7. That Chicago team would be a lot like a San Antonio to me. Not a lot of great players, but a lot of good players that play well together.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Carmelo walking into the United Center. <a href="http://t.co/1SXPYtXoqZ">pic.twitter.com/1SXPYtXoqZ</a></p>&mdash; Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickFriedell/statuses/484032402327486464">July 1, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

This will be nearly impossible to do without moving Gibson.

Also, what will make it more uncomfortable for everyone is that Gibson is going to be present at the meeting with Carmelo.

I can hear the exchange now:

Melo: "Meh, fifteen million dollars a year. Yeah well that is quite a lot less than the twenty three million I can get in New York."

Thibs: "So, anyone hungry? Who wants Mexican?"

Melo: "It is 10 in the morning man."

Thibs: "Taj! Go get us Mexican food."

Gibson: "Huh? I don't have my car, I came with Derrick."

Thibs: "Here, take my keys... take my credit card.. just go."

Thibs: "Yeah so we can try to move Gibson to push it up closer to the max."

 

Chicago would be out 2nd or 3rd round in east.

 

Chicago could give the heats fits in 7, but there is no way to beat Spurs with or without Rose. Regardless who is bit of better, I really think Melo will take a $18-19M offer over the $16M one, plus that Houston has no state tax, is Melo that stupid?

 

Chicago with a healthy d.rose is already at that position. So, I am assuming you just mean they can't beat Miami?

Who can?

Wait! Carmello is going to SA.

 

I agree - going to Chicago . . . esp if LeBron stays in Miami will net him nothing

Rocket River

 

There's no such thing as a healthy D. Rose any more than there is such a thing as a healthy Greg Oden or a healthy Brandon Roy or a healthy Yao Ming.

 

I agree. But that wasn't the premise I was responding to.

 

This. After Amare why in the hell would Melo want less money, more taxes, a less talented roster and be completely reliant on a guy who basically hasn't played in two years?!

Choosing Chicago over Houston makes no sense financially or in terms of the best chance to win a title.

Period.

 

That's fair, I just felt it needed to be said because I've heard "a healthy D. Rose" WAY too many times lately and it was starting to seem like some people thought that was an actual possibility.

 

Rockets are clearly the front runner, on the grounds that you dont want to raise your kids in Chicago lol

 

Pure speculation-

I think the Rockets have an acceptable deal in place for Love at the current moment.

They are just waiting to see if Carmelo will be coming to Houston as well.

The hints from Codman/Doc seem to make me think that we could lose out on all if

1)We don't win over Melo.

2)Teams that lose out on Melo will give a better offer too Minnesota when it is all said and done.

 

They aren't going to add Melo and Love. That's crazy.

Les may be willing to pay the luxury tax but he isn't going to pay it at the level necessary to have 4 max players with a complete roster.

 

Ehh.

Greed was thrown around by Doc.

Les wants to win, and if that opportunity presents itself, than I think you do it.

3 years of tax hell, and a championship or two?

I don't think it's going to happen, but maybe in Morey's mind it can.

 

I'm pretty sure Melo wouldn't be living in a neighborhood with bullets whizzing by their heads.

 

I literally couldn't care less what Doc Rocket throws out there. Anything he says is open to any wild interpretation you want.

Being over the tax apron will make it very difficult to make any moves on top of just paying the tax.