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

Agreed.

The only chance they have is playing thru this year and waiting for Amare's contract to end.

But, thats just another wasted year of Melo's career

 

Could Phil still go after Pau or no?

 

key points from the article that suggest it isn't a done deal:

This sounds like speculation, not something Carmelo has said.
and of course it finishes with

If the decision was already made this line makes no sense. I'm sure league sources from the Knicks did say that everything sounded great and Carmelo seemed very receptive. Unless Carmelo straight up told them he wasn't coming back, there is no other way they should feel.

 

I would feel more ecstatic if we get bledsoe.

 

Maybe if Pau took the minimum, but as has been mentioned, it must be kind of awkward for Carmelo to ask Pau to come play for a team that has no real chance of contended at a discount because Carmelo decided to stay in NY for the money.

 

I won't hate him, though it would be nice if he'd admit the security of the extra year is what swayed him to stay. Instead, we're going to get the family excuse, which is laughable. His family didn't keep him in Denver, and it's not his family that's keeping him from leaving NY. It's the fact that no other team can offer as much glamor or money. He loves the cash and limelight. Good for him. Now let's move on.

 

Its really time for Morey to abandon the hopes of melo and lebron and either offer bosh near max or upgrade our PF and bench big time. If we go into next season capped out with nothing to show for it then that'll be disastrous.
If boozer gets amnestied I definitely want him. Yes his defense isn't great but he is a veteran and has been through many playoff wars. He is definitely better than tjones in a playoff series.

 

I hope I am wrong, but I dont like the sound of this report. IF Melo likes the direction....then that PLUS the extra money is enough reason for him to say. Competitively he is looking for a reason to say. He might have found it/been convinved of it.

OR, this is just a line of bull to shift the narrative/focus of him staying only for the money.

Either way, doesnt loom good for thhe Rockets. Hope this isnt the case.

 

Again, if Melo wants that max money, I can't blame him one bit. But yammering about "winning being the most important thing" was clownish. That's right up there with Bosh talking up how he wanted to be "the man" on his next team during his free agent tour in 2010 only to become the 3rd wheel eventually.

No matter what Melo chooses, I'll still enjoy watching him play. Same with all NBA superstars. No hate.

 

next year would seemingly be a waste(until Amare's contract expires). If LeBron stays in Miami, they would still have Miami, Indy, Chicago, D.C., a correctly coached Brooklyn team to contend with. I dont see, Calderon, Shumpert, Melo, Amare, Gasol getting past all that.

or Melo, Howard, Harden vs the Spurs, OKC, Clippers, Blazers

eat your heart out Melo

 

yes :/

 

Lol he got real comfortable with Phil's vision when it involved him getting a max contract.

No max contract and try to leave room for signing other pieces in the interest of winning? Not comfortable with that. Better take some meetings.

Max contract and it's me and Jose Calderon against the West? Oh yeah, that is a MUCH better vision, Phil.

 

Not good. Really wanted him to pick Chicago if not us. Chicago can compete with us for Love.

 

In that Woj article, Melo states he doesn't want "to feel all alone on the court." This is easy. I'm willing to bet anything that he picks us.

 

We're probably better suited, dude doesn't truly value winning. Only his boring wife and money.

If he does decide elsewhere, we may have dodged a big bullet. Let's move on from this spectacle and explore our better fit options and trade Lin finally.

 

Yeah, pretty much. The whole vision thing is just public relations. No big deal, as the Rockets have other options.

 

Maybe Melo does want to win, but isn't convinced that Houston is that much better positioned (i.e., not better enough to worth giving up the extra $ for it) to help him do that than NYK is?

Maybe Phil Jackson is just that much better at selling a vision than Daryl Morey and Kevin McHale are? Maybe Melo isn't all that impressed with Howard and Harden?

 

Exactly: "As one official involved in the recruiting process told Yahoo, 'He just wants to feel like he's not all alone on the court.'"

Have you looked at the Knicks roster?

 

could be all of the above.

 

I think it's much more likely that he just wants to play in the big city and get that fat paycheck as opposed to him being gullible and stupid IMIO.