NY Times: Rockets preparing to offer Martin and Knicks draft picks for Carmelo

Seriously, the next person who says a player is good because his team made the playoffs should beat himself until he's black and blue. Repeat after me:

Basketball is a team sport.

Basketball is a team sport.

Basketball is a team sport.

Take a little time to think before you spout off nonsensical arguments.

 

BINGO! I agree with everything here.

 

I saw this on RotoWorld. Not sure if anyone else has posted

http://twitter.com/samickAOL/status/25148851973

 

That would be a good birthday present.

 

ditto.... here's what I got from Insider...

UPDATE: While the below report from the Houston Chronicle noted that Martin would likely have to be included in an Anthony deal, Sam Amick of FanHouse tweeted Tuesday that sources close to the Rockets have indicated that the team's discussions with Denver have not involved Martin.

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Carmelo Anthony may prefer to be traded to the Knicks, but that's not going to happen if other teams don't get involved. A Knicks official tells The New York Times that Denver has told them they "do not possess the assets they are seeking if they decide to trade Anthony."

The only way Anthony can join New York is to wait until next summer when he can be acquired via free agency or a sign-and-trade.

According to the Houston Chronicle, the Rockets are "involved" in trade talks with Denver and would "likely have to include" Kevin Martin to make the money line up.

 

This would be more relevant if you were talking about college or high school. This is the NBA dude. It's a team sport yes but some players are just difference makers and Melo is one of the very few.

 

Let's see how many times the same tweets get posted.

 

KD and melo are the same players. They are 2 of the best offensive players in the game. They are both good defenders when they want to. Durant is squeeky clean and carmello is different. Kobe,lbj,paul,howard,wade, then its melo/durant and go from there.

 

Martin and the Rockets will sell tickets just the same as Carmelo and the Rockets. This team is already set to do great things.

 

This thread (and the forum as a whole, I guess) is starting to get amusing with the overrating of hometown players. There isn't a single legitimate NBA analyst who wouldn't rank Carmelo in the top 10 players in the league, and in some cases, he'd probably be in the top 5 or 6. And on the flip side, none would rank Kevin Martin in the top 20 or, probably, top 25. Martin is a good player but he is not a franchise player to build around.

People can shout "basketball is a team game" all they want, but a simple look at which teams win titles clearly shows that other than a few rare exceptions, teams have to have at least two franchise players. Right now, the Rockets have none (Yao was one, but he isn't now if he is only playing max 24 minutes and sitting out second nights of back to backs). Carmelo isn't perfect but he is a legitimate top 10 player and a top 5 scorer in the league and is a guy you can give the ball to at the end of the game.

 

I wonder who breaks the story?

Chris Mannix
Adrian Wojo
Marc Spears
Marc Stein
Chris Broussard
Ric Bucher

or my darkhorse

Mark Berman - Fox 26

 

I know, and guys who have been here a very long time keep saying he's a punk, a cancer, a primadonna, McGrady - Part II, and countless other insults aimed at the guy. Guys who know damned well how Akeeem played when he first came into the league, when it would have been been very easy to say several things just like that about him, were one so inclined. Yeah, I'm blown a way, too, and tired of having that rediculous argument, with all due respect to those who say that stuff, some of whom I have the highest regard for, otherwise. Go figure!

Crash, it would be a total riot! I'd blow a few hours just reading their responses, as the Knicks blogs explode with anger, frustration, and various kinds of online mental breakdowns.

 

I call BS. the NY times has not ties to the Rockets or Morey and are just stirring up crap in NY. There's no value in trading Martin for Melo. You get the same scoring with lack of efficiency.

Kevin Martin is a Morey guy. Melo is just a big name. Not exactly more famous than good, but he's a bit overrated. I would love for him to go to the Cellar dwelling Nets. It just takes another threat to the East and out of the Rockets Hair. Only weakening the Nuggets and making the West easier.

 

Chris_Broussard Rt now looks like Den will bring Melo to camp unless someone blows it away with a trade offer.

 

Chris_Broussard In meantime, Den will keep listening to offers. Nuggets wanted Lopez from NJ, but Nets know they got no chance of keeping Melo w/out Brook

 

I was wondering the same thing. Tough call, but my first guess would be Broussard. He's not the best reporter when it comes to trade discussions and front office movements, but when it comes to player-driven movements (such as free agency) it seems he has the most inside sources. And considering any deal will ultimately come down to whether Carmelo would sign an extension, he could have the edge.

My darkhorse would be Newsday's Alan Hahn - has great sources around the league and broke the LeBron-to-Miami signing. Granted, much of his info is NY-based, but NY/NJ is certainly in the picture here.

 

As R934life posted above, Chris Broussard says Denver will bring Melo into camp and wont trade him before then unless blown away. Denver wanted Lopez from Nets but obviously not happening. Nuggets hoping for a hot start or maybe bringing in another star alongside Carmelo.Chicago still not budging on giving up Noah. NYK lacks the picks and would have to get a 3rd team involved.

 

What world are you guys living in? Lmao. Carmelo is LIGHT YEARS ahead of the Kevin Martin is. Kevin Martin might be a better shooter, but Melo's a elite Creator in the post and off the dribble. Theres absolutely no comparison between the two
There are some people who consider Melo better than Lebron, and you'd pass up a chance to get him to keep Kevin martin? Let me guess, you think Melo's a trouble maker? Or you think Chase Budinger's can do everything Melody can

 

31 Nene Hilario C
5 Juwan Howard PF
32 Ryan Bowen SF
3 Vincent Yarbrough
6 Junior Harrington
15 Chris Andersen F - C
22 Nikoloz Tskitishvili
1 Donnell Harvey F - C
7 Rodney White SG - SF
11 Shammond Williams PG
23 Marcus Camby F - C
4 Predrag Savovic SG
Devin Brown SG
21 Adam Harrington SG
20 Jeff Trepagnier PG

17-65

the next year

23 Marcus Camby F - C
31 Nene F - C 211
15 Carmelo Anthony SF
1 Voshon Lenard SG
24 Andre Miller PG
56 Francisco Elson C
12 Chris Andersen F - C
5 Rodney White SF
Jon Barry SG
11 Earl Boykins PG
Michael Doleac C 211
41 Mark Pope F - C 208
22 Nikoloz Tskitishvili SF - PF
Ryan Bowen SF - PF
Jeff Trepagnier SG


43-39 and playoffs

the biggest difference? The addition of Anthony
other moves having impact on the roster: getting Andre Miller
moves having a possible negative impact on the Roster: losing Juwan Howard -- actually wait not sure if that is a negative but he did average 18pts and 7.6 rebounds in the 02-03 season.



basketball is a TEAM sport no doubt but the team is made up of individual players working together if you dont have great/elite players no matter how you slice it you will lose in the NBA. a combination of both the team aspect and individual talent is needed to win in this league...the rockets play as a team but do not have the talent to stack up against the Lakers, Heat, Celtics, Magic, even the Mavs and Thunder.

Getting Anthony would do that...take a look at the Nuggets Roster with Anthony is the players on that team significantly better than the players the Rockets have? No they aren't but they are always regarding as a contending team because of the talent Anthony is.


Anthony is a franchise player taking a team from 17 wins to 43 and the playoffs in his rookie season not sure what else one would call him.


After Kobe Bryant the guy has the most complete offensive package in the game. (note he may not be the best scorer in the game - Durant, Lebron, Kobe and Wade - but in terms of his offensive skillset only Kobe's is better IMO)

The guy is an absolute beast and has to always carry the scoring load and if anything has matured the last 2-3 seasons in wanting to be a winner and doing the other things to help his team win. He has never had another star around him that bought into the team concept until Billups and their first year together they went to the WCF. And Billups isnt nearly the star that Yao is. Imagine not having to score all the time being able to have other players that will command double teams (yao and at times when Scola goes into beast mode)

Players like Anthony do not come around often if you can get him without gutting the core of the team you do it. Anthony more than likely will average less points on the Rockets but at a much more efficient rate...more importantly he brings a closer to the team.

People can argue that Brooks, Martin or even Yao is the closer but they are not the closer that Anthony is. Anthony will draw double teams and command the respect of the refs (most importantly).



for those against Anthony -- clearly this team needs an upgrade in talent to be able to compete in the west especially in lieu of the news of Yao's limited minutes (and for that matter his durability and effectiveness)-- what players would you want that Rockets to trade for that are AVAILABLE and would put the rockets into the championship contending sphere?


was the same with McGrady - with McGrady his attitude and his body failed him - but that first year McGrady was with Houston was one of the most spectacular seasons I have season by any Houston team not having a certain #34 on them. By all counts Anthony has proved to be more durable than McGrady and from reports over the past 2 seasons Anthony has been much more mature in his approach to winning games on the court (off the court is a different story, but as long as his off the court issues do not spill to his on court performance I dont care)

You pull the trigger on these type of deals if they present themselves because in the NBA you need superstars at least to win (that is if you dont have a super-duper star -kobe,wade,lebron,durant,howard) Carmelo is a superstar, a top 10 player in the league and only 26 years old and he is available. Outside of the 2004 pistons I cannot think of another team that won a NBA title without at least a superstar. So should the rockets build themselves on a formula that won 1 championship in the last 30 years or a formula that has produced 29 championships? I dont know about you but I would want the latter.


And honestly objectively speaking I do not see how one wouldnt consider Anthony a superstar. There are 5 elite 'super-duper stars' in the league - Durant, Kobe, LeBron, Wade, Howard

beneath them are the superstars: Melo, Paul, Williams, Pierce, Bosh, Duncan, Dirk, Nash, Stoudemire, Garnett, Gasol and possibly Yao

And all of the superstar players above except Paul, Bosh, Gasol and Yao have been able to lead their teams to conference Finals or to the Finals as the primary player.


*disclaimer: i only want melo if he signs an extension with the Nuggets/Rockets before or after the trade - make no mistake significant talent and assets will have to be given up to get him, i would not want to do that if its for a 1 year rental.

 

Basketball's a team sport, but superstars lead teams to championships. Lets not forget