I think Melo is playing people. I don't think NY was ever that important to him; he just says that as a negotiating ploy. He wants his big money, and to play with a pretty good team, and to look like he has the power to make things happen, a la LeBron. Taking him as a rental makes me nervous, but DM knows what he is doing. I we get Melo, though, we might have a good playoffs run this year, but we won't see what's really going on until July, maybe August.
Not sure if anyone else has read this article that was just posted a few hours ago on SI.com but there were a few things that I thought sounded interesting. Here's the link http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/basketball/nba/01/10/carmelo.anthony.rockets/index.html
I don't think Morey is shooting for Melo unless there are multiple deals going. Who knows what he could have cooking since all of Morey's deals come out of left field. We will just have to wait and see what develops.
True......not much else we can do.... Been watching DM stumble around that issue for more than 3 years, so no, I am not confident in his plans for a center. DD
Jeff Adrien the low-post intimidator in person. It's all set up with him playing for RVG, D12 will have nightmares when he has to match up with Jeff the Beast. Hayes together with Adrien, that's like Bowie and Olajuwon. Most intimidating duo to ever hit the NBA?
This is the only conceivable plan, imo. So some believe we could trade for Melo, and then flip him to NY? I dont pretend to understand the intricacies of trading rules and such. But lets say this is why DM would want to do this. Giving up expiring contracts is one thing. But we know Denver wants picks and young talent. What could we get from NY that would make us better after we give up our picks and several prospects? Has anyone even speculated what trade scenario could benefit us in this event?
The "net effect" of what the Rockets would be left with IF they traded for Melo on a rental, failed to convince him to stay in Houston and then signed and traded him to New York after the lockout will probably be negative. But that negative might be worth the risk of having 3-4 months of Melo on this team and being able to exclusively negotiate with Melo on an extension that would pay him a lot more than he could possibly get anywhere else. And even in the (almost) worst-case scenario, the Rockets would at least get a very large trade exception for Melo in a sign-and-trade deal. That trade exception could extend the Rockets' trade flexibility for another year. In fact, due to the lockout likely dragging into the fall, if trade exception rules remain relatively the same (12-month duration), then Morey will be able to use that trade exception either next offseason OR the offseason after that. It's not that bad a situation to be in, honestly.
So basically, we would put ourselves in the position where Denver is now whereby we start entertaining offers from other teams and try to to get something like what NJ is currently offering?
If all Morey can get with all those assets he acquired is a Melo rental, than to me that strategy is one that is not working. DD
Not quite. I think there is the small possibility that the Rockets could engineer an "extend-and-trade" of Melo prior to July 1 if and only if certain things happen (namely, Melo must waive his Early Termination Option, which would be done simultaneously with the extension), which would give Melo the huge extension he wants. An "extend-and-trade", however, would not be able to involve many players coming up on free agency or with ETOs that have not yet been exercised or waived. The more likely scenarios would be either (1) that Melo and the Rockets agree on an extension under the current CBA for Melo to stay in Houston or (2) that Melo decides to leave for New York AFTER the lockout, and the Rockets agree to sign and trade Melo (likely to a smaller contract because of the new CBA, but also likely for more money than Melo could get by signing with another team outright) in exchange for additional assets.
Who said anything about trading "all" of the Rockets' assets? That would be ludicrous, and Morey knows it. It's all about asset MANAGEMENT. If he can trade ENOUGH assets to get Melo, while still having a sufficient number of remaining assets, it may be worth the risk. I'm sure that the Rockets' front office is weighing all of this VERY carefully.
NY's roster outside of Amare is crap...not much to build around.......and their picks would be worthless. I think Morey is after someone else....from one of the teams in the Melo-drama.... Yeah, I did not mean all of them...I am just saying it would be a waste of them (the traded ones) if we can't resign him..... DD
Referendum on people posting (or re-posting) visual images of ESPN's Trade Machine that completely screw up the width of this window. I'm getting a headache trying to read the 20 posts on any particular page that includes one of these monstrosities. Please just post a link to the trade or type it in. Thank you.
