Is it insane to prefer to just give minutes at the SF position to Zhou Qi?? Or some random g league guy ready to make the leap?? Or an overseas random signing?? What about Will Clyburn? Just go small with a lot more 3 guard lineups with Harden at the 3? Why not... he's better defensively at bigger positions anyway. That's how much I think Melo adds to the squad ultimately - meaning if/when the face GSW again deep in the playoffs. You guys want Melo out here running the Rockets switching PnR and bricking threes. Sure, Ariza bricked threes too, but at least he was competent defensively.
People are ASSuming that Morey actually wants Melo... he may want him for the vet min and maybe not for the mle, we really don't know at the moment. I mean if he did, why would CP3 have to "push for the Rox" to sign him. Anyways, interesting tweet about Melo and Rockets today. Mitch Lawrence @Mitch_Lawrence After meeting with Carmelo Anthony’s people, @Rockets brass wondering if he’d be a good fit. Sounds like Melo might need Chris Paul to intervene. 8:15 AM · Jul 9, 2018 from Manhattan, NY
I just don't buy this tweet which makes it sound like the Rockets are all of a sudden "wondering if he'd be a good fit". Morey is about 3 steps ahead of everyone and ever since OKC ended up with Melo last year, he probably figured they were going to have to jettison him this offseason. Morey may want him at Vet min only but I am confident he knows if Melo is a good fit by now or if he will get an "upgraded" player through trade or the remaining exceptions that we have left.
DRTG isn't a great stat. It's not horrible, but it's not great or at least has to be considered with context. Shane Larkin had a great DRtg last year. As did David West. Jordan Clarkson had an ok DRtg. Etc. I'm not in love with Ariza's defense like many are. But if we're talking about switching defense, which more than anything is what allowed to Rockets to be up 3-2 on the Warriors with the personnel they had to run it, then there's absolutely no scenario where I see Melo as a plus on the court, UNLESS he can be a high 30's three point shooter, board decently, and accept his role in even more limited minutes... which is extremly unlikely.
Wanting to give any starter minutes to Zhou Qi is pure insanity. You have scrubs and then you have Zhou Qi.
1. PG and Melo had no reason to switch there 2. Watch Melo stay in front, put his hand up to contest, cut him off, get back in front and then Mitchell makes a ridiculous shot 3. Watch Adams there follow Rudy up the paint instead of collapse 4. Also watch Russ lose track of his man which could have resulted in a wide open corner 3 These are things that I see a lot but guess who'll get the brunt of the blame for this bucket...Melo Even though he played some pretty good defense here. I would have liked to see him put his hands up in the paint there. Lets look at the biggest possession of the game where they need a stop 1. The guy who replaced Melo(Grant) loses track of his man and gives up a wide open mid range shot 2. Felton is above the ball defensively which is a something you should never be, he should have been at the free throw line forcing the ball to Ingles who's 35 feet away from the hoop 3. Russ is once again not seeing his man, Crowder has a clear lane to go get the offensive rebound or cut back door These are all terrible defensive principles outside of George and Adams applying pressure on Mitchell Facts are sometimes the ball just finds its way into the basket. But when 5 guys are linked together no matter how bad one or even two may be, if all 5 guys are on the same page and locked in you can stop a team when it matters and if not then shots like those two will fall.
I'm operating under the assumption that Daryl Morey, MDA, CP3, and James Harden know what's good for this team. If they have conversations with Melo, and feel at the end of it all that he's a good signing at the Vet. Min. or something equivalent, then I'm not going to question their judgement. There's no reason to only focus on the worst case scenario when you have an equally plausible best case scenario right in front of you. I feel that Morey and Co. have earned the right for us to have faith in their decisions.
Lol. True... but the guy at least plays defense. I think people underestimate how important the defense was to the season last year... But Zhou isn't really there defensively either... just I'd rather have a wooden stick that could at least switch on defense, block some shots / intimidate at the rim and get some rebounds, than Melo.
If this was true which it isn't... and Golden St signed him then almost everyone would be ticked when he goes over there and plays well. This is your classic media spin. Rockets are really wondering how well he would fit not if he would fit.
DRTG isn't a great stat yet throughout my entire time discussing basketball guys have used that against Melo so I don't even know whats real anymore lol. I understand the pessimism but you guys have to stop with the accept your role and limited minutes stuff, thats counterintuitive to making this work. Tying his hands is going to a much more negative effect, just let dude find his place, Harden and Paul will make it all work. Imagine first day of camp comes and MDA says "Melo you only get 3 shots a game, make them count" lol wtf
Individual plays are useless to judge defense. That said, Grant didn't lose track of his man, he was helping on Gobert who otherwise would have been wide open under the basket for an easy two.... then had to recover. Hard to pinpoint what was to blame for the Thunder's general malaise down the stretch/against the Jazz. Certainly haven't been impressed with Billy D. or Russ' leadership... ... but on the whole you'll be hard pressed to find anyone that pays any attention to concur with a take that Melo isn't below average defensively.
I don't know how Melo plays defense, I didn't watch him that much last year. But on offense from what I've seen, his drives are not effective anymore due to decline athletically, he's also missing wide open 3's when he does get them. So what does he do really.
