Rockets players who would deal break a Melo RENTAL

Commodore · Jan 21, 2011

one of the most efficient wing scorers ever is not worth a Melo rental

Martin and Saint Patrick are untouchable

Tom Bombadillo · Jan 21, 2011

Martin and his defense are certainly touchable...

Francis3422 · Jan 21, 2011

I would want to pair Martin alongside with Melo or any other superstar we acquire. Crappy D or not (which imo he is better than AB or CBud) Martin would be great alongside a player like Melo.

I wish we could have had Kmart along with Yao, Tracy or both.

inishi · Jan 21, 2011

knote32 said:

Martin and his defense are certainly touchable...
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Martins defense is maybe average or a little below, not terrible like bud. I think we make too big a deal about this, mainly because of his slight frame. Kmart is not the defensive problem on this team, its our soft, undersized frontcourt.

rockets934life · Jan 21, 2011

Martin defensive is WELL below average, I'd say one of the worst defensive two guards in the league. Sure AB and Bud's "D" maybe worse but that isn't something to be proud of. All three might be close to, if not, the worst at their positions.

BEAT LA · Jan 21, 2011

I think Denver is being greedy.

We all saw what Happened to Cleveland. Denver wants to be next. They should just get what they can for him, because chances are he is gonna walk from any team he is traded to.

inishi · Jan 21, 2011

David Aldridge mentioned the rockets in an article on NBA.com. Don't know if its been posted our not. I'd link it but my phone lacks. Mainly about expiring contracts and 8 trade exceptions. Interesting

rockets934life · Jan 21, 2011

inishi said:

David Aldridge mentioned the rockets in an article on NBA.com. Don't know if its been posted our not. I'd link it but my phone lacks. Mainly about expiring contracts and 8 trade exceptions. Interesting
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http://www.nba.com/2011/news/features/david_aldridge/01/20/melo-trade/index.html

So, that happened.

And while some folks around the league think Mikhail Prokhorov's declaration that the Nets are out of the Carmelo Anthony business is a bit of High Russian Theatre, designed to take the pressure off of his team and put it squarely on the Nuggets, the word out of Jersey Thursday was that his pique at how things unfolded so publicly between his team and Denver's was real, as was his intention not to re-start trade talks even if Anthony and Denver came back to the table.

"He's not bluffing," I was told early Thursday, by someone who knows Prokhorov well.

Now, of course, he could be; he didn't tell anyone his intention to pull out of the deal until just before he got to the podium in Newark on Wednesday, so he certainly may not have told anyone if he's just testing the Nuggets' resolve. And the Nets were close enough to getting a deal done that they, indeed, got permission from the Nuggets for a face-to-face meeting with Anthony. So it could be put together again. But I'd put it at less than 10 percent. Which just happens to also be the percentage I'd give to the chances that Anthony will shock us all and re-sign in Denver, finally taking that three-year, $65 million extension offer that's been on the table since last summer. Small percentages, to be sure. But still there.

But Prokhorov's act, while only affecting one team, may well have ripple effects beyond this season.

The last year and a half in the NBA has been a high-water mark for player empowerment. Much of it was LeBron James' doing, as teams contorted themselves like pretzels in 2008 and '09 so that they'd have enough cap space to make an offer to the now-former Cavalier and the rest of the terrific free agent class of 2010. James forced teams to make pilgrimages to Akron and pitch him and his advisers, and when that was over, James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in Miami -- Wade having held the Heat's future in his hands as well. If he had decided to go home to his native Chicago, Bosh almost surely would have joined him.

In the wake of 2010, other star players, like Anthony and Chris Paul, have followed suit. The notion of staying where you are and trying to win with the teammates you've got suddenly is as quaint as the set shot. And so Anthony and Paul would like to play together, preferably in New York, and the contorting began again.

With Prokhorov's nyet, the pendulum may start swinging back toward owners setting the agenda, with the likelihood of greater owner hammers to come in collective bargaining.

But in the interim, what will happen with 'Melo?

You can be sure of one thing -- Denver won't be left without a chair when the music stops.

First-year GM Masai Ujiri may be new at his job, but he saw the hard lesson learned in Toronto as the Raptors' assistant GM last year, when the Raps waited ... and waited ... and waited on Bosh, in the hopes that they could somehow convince him to stay. The trade deadline came and went, and Toronto failed to pull the trigger on any of the available deals. In the end, all the Raptors got was a trade exception as Bosh walked out the door. If there's one thing fans don't give a damn about, it's a trade exception.

The Nuggets always operated under the assumption that Anthony, ultimately, would say no to the Nets' offer. That Prokhorov was the one who actually pulled the plug doesn't change the equation -- 'Melo to NJ was always viewed as a Mile High long shot. That's why the Nuggets have been in contact with other teams all along, including the Bulls and Rockets, from what I hear.

The problem with Chicago remains the package. The Bulls will obviously not talk about dealing Derrick Rose or Carlos Boozer, nor will they trade Joakim Noah (and his base year status makes dealing him this year extremely difficult, anyway). That leaves a hodgepodge of players centering around forward Luol Deng. The Bulls would put him in a deal for Anthony, but the Nuggets aren't interested in taking on the remaining three years and $39.9 million on Deng's contract after this season, despite his solid play (17.8 ppg) for the Bulls.

Nothing has changed from Denver's point of view. The Nuggets still are looking for draft picks, young players and expiring contracts.

Houston has those assets -- the expiring deals of Yao Ming, Shane Battier, Jared Jeffries and Aaron Brooks -- and has eight trade exceptions it can use in the coming months to facilitate trades. Either of the biggest two, $5.8 or $6.3 million, could be used to take in Nuggets forward Al Harrington and get his salary off of Denver's books in exchange for a Draft pick, allowing the Rockets to move the expiring deals and future picks for Anthony. That would allow the Nuggets to clear almost all of their major expenditures for next season, and be in a position to act fast when and if a work stoppage ends.

Dallas isn't out of the mix, either, though not having a healthy Caron Butler to use as a chip with his expiring deal makes it harder for the Mavs to put a quality package together. The Mavericks' first-round picks -- likely late selections -- wouldn't be of much use to the Nuggets, either.

And that leaves the Knicks where they've been for a while -- Anthony's desired destination, but not in possession of the assets that the Nuggets seek to make a deal. At the end of the day -- or the end of February, at the trade deadline -- New York could still be a player. The Knicks have some young players, they have Eddy Curry's expiring $11 million contract and they could come up with some additional picks if they trade Anthony Randolph.

You wonder why Anthony wouldn't just "opt in;" that is, just play out the last year of his existing contact next season, which would pay him $18 million. That would give Anthony even more leverage next season; the Knicks will get under the cap this summer, to less than $43 million, which could be enough to sign 'Melo if he opts out. But it would be for less than the $18 million, and with the new CBA rules uncertain, who knows what Anthony would get in a new deal? By waiting a year, he'd be assured to max out in salary and could potentially be grandfathered in under the new rules.

It would also give Denver one final chance to find that second young star that would make Anthony happy enough to consider staying.

Unlikely? Just as unlikely as a 6-foot-7 billionaire becoming one of the most important guys in the league on Russian Culture Night.
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inishi · Jan 21, 2011

rockets934life said:

Martin defensive is WELL below average, I'd say one of the worst defensive two guards in the league. Sure AB and Bud's "D" maybe worse but that isn't something to be proud of. All three might be close to, if not, the worst at their positions.
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abs defense isn't even that bad. Again, I think your focusing on his size, and that mainly affects his post defense ( which isn't too bad either ). Next you're going to tell me Lowry is a defensive stopper, which isn't even close to being true. Watch the games, he's had trouble staying in front of people. I'd say they are both about average. Kyles more of a pest through, and gets some points there. He is a better defender than ab, but its blown out of proportion sometimes. No argument with bud, though he has been better some lately.

rockets934life · Jan 21, 2011

inishi said:

abs defense isn't even that bad. Again, I think your focusing on his size, and that mainly affects his post defense ( which isn't too bad either ). Next you're going to tell me Lowry is a defensive stopper, which isn't even close to being true. Watch the games, he's had trouble staying in front of people. I'd say they are both about average. Kyles more of a pest through, and gets some points there. He is a better defender than ab, but its blown out of proportion sometimes. No argument with bud, though he has been better some lately.
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Don't really want to side track the thread, I never said Lowry was a defensive stopper but he is better then AB no doubt. Sorry but I focus on Kevin a lot because I enjoy his offensive game, problem is I also see his matador defense. He is what he is, maybe it's his frame but Tayshaun Prince is a stick figure and has been regarded as a defensive stopper for years.

Honestly, I'd rather lose Kevin then AB in a deal for Melo because I'd like to see what CLee and T-Will can do on the offense and defensive end. It's not that I don't appreciate Kevin's game but if he doesn't score then he is useless and such an extreme bothers me to no end...and yes that also includes my favorite player on the team, Scola.

Raven · Jan 21, 2011

JuanValdez said:

Rental meaning he's guaranteed to walk in free agency? I wouldn't give up anything for that -- at least not anyone who is worth his contract. The only guy in that list who is not worth his contract is Yao Ming.
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I don't understand why anyone supports the idea of giving up valuable assets for a player who will be gone when the season is over. Even if the Rockets could find a way to keep him, he'll just pout until he gets what he wants.

OkayAyeReloaded · Jan 21, 2011

I would only trade Jared jeffries with Budinger, no draft picks. If Harrington’s contract is short, then maybe I would take him, if not, nope. It’s not worth it to give away much for a half season rental.

monster · Jan 21, 2011

None of the Above (except take back Harringtons contract).

monster · Jan 21, 2011

LOL...I mean All of the Above. I don't want Melo as a rental. I don't want any of the Knicks players we may end up with.

Roxs-Redemption · Jan 22, 2011

I have no idea at this stage of time. Will vote later on.

nebula955 · Jan 22, 2011

Ummm what happened to none of the above?

Uprising · Jan 22, 2011

In all honesty. I wouldn't be too upset if any one of the players suddenly was no longer a Rocket due to trade.

This team is a lost cause.

Happii · Jan 22, 2011

Everyone is probably expendable if dealing for Melo.

Forums

Rockets players who would deal break a Melo RENTAL

Deal Breakers

Giving up T.Williams

Giving up J.Hill

Giving up P.Patterson

Giving up C.Budinger

Giving up C.Lee

Giving up A.Brooks

Giving up K.Lowry

Giving up M.Yao

Taking back A.Harrington

Taking back C.Andersen

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