Would the Rockets be this good right now if we had Carmelo over Anderson?

I mean, aren't you overrating the 74th best player in the NBA, just a tad?

Carmelo 9-10 years ago, obviously. That guy doesn't exist anymore.

 

so you're saying the rockets would be 19-0 at this point. the answer isn't as easy as you think

 

People always say " BUT only if he was HERE the player would be different".

Folks.... Carmelo is who he is. The fact is the Rockets would have the POTENTIAL to be a better team, but they would be dealing with many of the same headaches that the Thunder are dealing with now, and their record would show it.

A player like CP3 can fit in here almost instantaneously because of who he is naturally as a basketball player. Yes, he will take a major dip as a scorer, but he's a natural fit in the backup PG role essentially. He's just a superstar hall of famer making that sacrifice because he cares about winning that much.

Carmelo is NOT that kinda guy. He's a scorer, and an isolation type of player. The only way that dynamic would work is if Harden dominates the ball enough to KEEP the ball out of Melo's hands in isolation plays to not slow down the offense. Carmelo could still be good here, but it would have taken ALOT of time to work out the kinks. He wants to win, he's just not as easy of a fit as CP3 is so if he was a Rocket right now everyone would be poo pooing him even though long term he could have really helped beyond what Ryan Anderson and PJ Tucker can bring.

 

Sounds like you know more than Morey - have you considered applying for GM of the Rockets?

 

Melo seems to hate coaching, and following offensive instructions, with this system, the answer is Ryno. He follos orders and try hard.

 

Rockets are better off without Anthony, just like the Knicks are proving to be and the Nuggets before them.

 

DGAF.. we are a top team in the west right now and the chemistry is great. Carmelo, like Dwight, are chem killers.

 

Honestly (and I can't believe I am about to write this) it's Ryan's Defense that has made him a better fit than Anthony.

 

Melo COULD fit right in. That has never been disputed either. The question however is, WOULD Melo fit right in? A leopard doesn't change its spots. People don't easily change. It all comes down to, is it worth the risk replacing Ryno with Melo. Before the season, I would have definitely said yes. With Ryno's improved D and rebounding and his chemistry with CP3, now I am not so sure. Grass always looks greener when you are on the other side.

 

I didn’t know that. That changes things.

 

plus, his salary is smaller

 

Yeah, I was being a bit tongue in cheek there. Basically Anderson has gone from a horrible defender to a mediocre defender (which is on par with Anthony) and Anthony has gone from a premier offensive player to a mediocre one, why Anderson remains at a very good offensive role player level.

That puts Anderson on top of Anthony as a net contributor for sure (dollar for dollar never was a question).

Now the real question is this: How much of Anthony's decline as an elite offensive scorer is because of Westbrook?

 

Depends. If it's the same Melo we're seeing in OKC, then yes we are better with Anderson (so far). But I was certainly envisioning a different role for Melo here than what he's doing in OKC.

 

It's a fine speculation. But you don't really know that as fact. Melo is a career 35% 3pt shooter with 3.5 attempts. Anderson's career average is 38% with 5.8 attempts and he didn't just started shooting well after he played in MDA's system with Harden and Paul. He has been shooting at least 5 attempts per game at compatible accuratcy most of his career. Those are facts.

I know you can argue that Melo never played in a system that allowed him to be efficient. (That is not exactly true. He played under MDA in NY. A shooter like Steve Novak had his best seasons playing in that system. But let's grant that Melo never did have that opportunity.) That just proved that it's pure speculation that he could be a better shooter if he played with a better playmaker. He never played the role of an off-ball scorer his whole career, whether by necessity or by choice. And he is 33 years old.

 

Thats your perspective. I can say this board constantly proves how much of a “the grass is always greener” poster many of you are. It goes both ways.

Aside from the last 3 minutes in the 4th quarter of a close playoff game where our offense breaks down and the team is struggling to score, I dont think melo would be good for us anymore.

Melo would help in that one specific situation (which is very valuable) but over the course of a full 82 game schedule and 48 minutes games, I now think melo would do this team more harm than good.

 

Can we end the Melo is clutch narrative? He shot 31% from the field with 5 minutes left in the game and the game within 6 ever since 2011, the only players worse in the clutch during that time period are Paul George and Westbrook (oh the irony).

He is one of the reasons OKC is terribad in the clutch

 

What did I say that makes you think i'm over rating him?

 

Carmelo is much of a shooter as he is a scorer which is why he is an ideal fit in D'antonio System with the current roster. Ryan Anderson is strictly a shooter and nothing else.

OKC is struggling because Westbrook doesn't have the feel for the game like Harden or CP3. Carmelo playing off James and Chris is much better suited for his skill set than playing with Westbrook.

 

not really. if hes a scorer then hes pretty inefficient at it, which is why hes considered a bit of a chucker and ball stopper. and when hes not hitting, hes just an absolutely huge black hole. Bc he isn't doing anything else. okc is struggling bc their core pieces are having trouble fitting together and it remains to be seen if they will or not. its not just on westbrook

 

You trolling? "IF" he's a scorer.. This is a silly conversation, which is why I don't post much on here.