Carmelo...

[Déjà Bru]

We have a LeBron thread, so why not a Carmelo thread?

I live in the New York area and I have followed the Knicks for many years (but no so much in recent years due to their lack of heart, not necessarily their lack of talent). So will it surprise you very much when I say that I hope he goes to Chicago or L.A.?

I don't think he is a leader or a winner. He needs a "Big Three" situation and even then he probably would shrivel up and blow away, having to share the court, the ball, and the limelight with two other selfish superstars.

By himself, he cannot lead a team to greatness.

[Lukas Berger]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

By himself, he cannot lead a team to greatness.

He can't even lead a team to the playoffs without a stellar supporting cast, never mind greatness by himself

Without a doubt he's the most overrated player in the history of the NBA.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by lukasberger

He can't even lead a team to the playoffs without a stellar supporting cast, never mind greatness by himself

Without a doubt he's the most overrated player in the history of the NBA.

By chance, do you live in the NY Metro area, too? I mean, is there somebody else in this neck of the woods who has had it with 'Melo as well? The way the media is talking, if he leaves, this will be like Cleveland in 2010 when LBJ decamped.

[Lukas Berger]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

By chance, do you live in the NY Metro area, too? I mean, is there somebody else in this neck of the woods who has had it with 'Melo as well? The way the media is talking, if he leaves, this will be like Cleveland in 2010 when LBJ decamped.

I'm originally from Bergen County but I've lived in Maine for years now. Still a die-hard NY sports fan though.

And yes, I'd had it with Carmelo pretty much even before the Knicks traded for him, to be honest. I hated the deal then, and still do. I'd take Gallinari straight up over Carmelo, never mind the other guys NY gave up in the deal.

Carmelo leaving now would be the best thing that could happen to the Knicks, especially if they can swing a sign and trade that returns some real assets. They could start over and build a real team.

Maybe that makes me crazy but it's my opinion and I'm stuck with it.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by lukasberger

I'm originally from Bergen County but I've lived in Maine for years now. Still a die-hard NY sports fan though.

And yes, I'd had it with Carmelo pretty much even before the Knicks traded for him, to be honest. I hated the deal then, and still do. I'd take Gallinari straight up over Carmelo, never mind the other guys NY gave up in the deal.

Carmelo leaving now would be the best thing that could happen to the Knicks, especially if they can swing a sign and trade that returns some real assets. They could start over and build a real team.

Maybe that makes me crazy but it's my opinion and I'm stuck with it.

Yeah, well, I'm stuck there with you. That was my reaction to that trade as well. All those young, exciting players for this guy who I had the feeling (acknowledging that this sounds like hindsight) would be a one-man band, scoring 30 points a night while the team loses by wide margins. I'm glad I'm not the only one but listen for the wailing from down here if Anthony leaves. You'll be able to hear it way up in Maine!

[Déjà Bru]

Oh, well.

Carmelo Anthony Announces He Will Re-Sign With the Knicks

I guess we are stuck with him. Maybe things will be better under Fisher (and Jackson) and with a better point guard. Let's hope so.

However, if I watch a bunch of Knicks games in November and I see guys standing around waiting for Anthony to take his shot, miss, and then I see the other team blow by them on the way to the basket, I am going to remind myself that THERE IS NOW A TEAM BASED RIGHT HERE ON LONG ISLAND (geographically speaking) TO FOLLOW!

I don't care if that sounds fickle or not. I've had enough of lazy, selfish, uninspired Knicks basketball. I don't want to see any more.

[rudel.dietrich]

Carmelo is a supreme offensive talent. Probably the second best offensive player in the league behind Durant. But he seems completely uninterested in playing defense which keeps him from superstar status IMO.

However, I think the Knicks did a good job at resigning him. They had no other comparable players in the FA class to go after. The Knicks will be bad this next season but that is because they still have a lot of money tied up in bad contracts.
Getting rid of Chandler was a good move. He is washed up and Dallas got him back out of nostalga. His only saving grace on offense is his high FG % and his defense is eroding. His contract will be an albatross two years from now.

I like the return that the Knicks got. Felton has shown he can't play consistently. Calderon will be a good PG if he is given starters minutes. Larkin is a good prospect and could be a good PG in the future with his passing and defense. Don't think he will ever be a scorer. Dalembert can do 80% of what Chandler can do at 45% of the contract price. Ellington is a nice 3 PT specialist.
And the two 2nd round picks are always nice since second round picks in the NBA provide two years of cheap labor for players who can chip in off the bench and every now and then you uncover a gem.

The Knicks biggest problem remains the Amare contract. It weighs the team down like a concrete anchor. They are trying to package him and Shumpert together and dump them off on someone but I can't imagine they will find someone who will take Amare's 24 million dollar cap hit (!!! )

JR Smith is a complete enigma to me. I like him personally since he is exciting to watch. Either a 3 pt shoot or an artful dunk. He was great in 12-13 but pretty bad last year and locker room problem.

I could see the Knicks having an outside shot at the plaoffs this season if the east remains weak. But next summer will be huge for them since they will have almost 30 million freed up and can go out and try and land a inside presence who can actually play defense.
If Kevin Love does not sign a long term deal then perhaps there is a fit there?
Al Jefferson, Rubio, Brook Lopez if he does not take his player option.
The Knicks have a shot at putting something together next summer.

So don't lose hope Knicks fans. Just curse the day that your team decided to pay Amare half a billion dollars to sit on the bench.

[kenyan_cheena]

Melo re-signed with them in my 2k14 dynasty, also.

[John Madden]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

Carmelo is a supreme offensive talent. Probably the second best offensive player in the league behind Durant.

If you're talking talent-wise, maybe. If you're talking actual production, this isn't even close to defensible outside of Yay Points!

[knightdreamer2k]

Great article: No Escape From New York «

I'm not an Anthony fan at all but I do feel he is underappreciated. He has never had a lot of talent around him like some of the other stars like Kobe, lebron, and Duncan. I would love to see what the Knicks can do with another star lined up next to him. I mean JR smith is not gonna cut it.

[rudel.dietrich]

I wish the NBA would of allowed the one time amnesty clause to be able to be traded.
The Thunder are my NBA team, I wish they could trade their amnesty token to the Knicks in exchange for Shumpert.
The Thunder would get a needed player and the Knicks could then get rid of Amare.

[BaseballMan]

Originally Posted by knightdreamer2k

Great article: No Escape From New York «

I'm not an Anthony fan at all but I do feel he is underappreciated. He has never had a lot of talent around him like some of the other stars like Kobe, lebron, and Duncan. I would love to see what the Knicks can do with another star lined up next to him. I mean JR smith is not gonna cut it.

Kinda hard to judge what other players can do when one player refuses to pass the ball or play defense.

[Lukas Berger]

Originally Posted by BaseballMan

Kinda hard to judge what other players can do when one player refuses to pass the ball or play defense.

Exactly.

Besides, if Carmelo was actually the superlative offensive talent many claim he is, he would be able to take any team to the playoffs regardless of the talent around him.

There have been plenty of one-man shows in NBA history that have been playoff teams. Heck, even Chris Bosh took Toronto to the playoffs with no support years ago. That Carmelo couldn't even take last year's Knicks to the playoffs in the worst year the Eastern Conference as a whole has ever had, is a damning indictment of not only his defense and passing, which we already knew was awful, but also of his supposed superior offensive ability.

[John Madden]

Originally Posted by lukasberger

There have been plenty of one-man shows in NBA history that have been playoff teams. Heck, even Chris Bosh took Toronto to the playoffs with no support years ago.

Also, see Garnett's entire tenure with Minnesota!

[knightdreamer2k]

Hmm I remember a guy named Jordan at times barely getting his bulls into the playoffs. Don't forget the 2013 Knicks which won 54 games. Get Carmelo a true number 2 and then let's see what he can do.

[CD1083]

Originally Posted by knightdreamer2k

Hmm I remember a guy named Jordan at times barely getting his bulls into the playoffs. Don't forget the 2013 Knicks which won 54 games. Get Carmelo a true number 2 and then let's see what he can do.

Jordan had 3 titles under his belt still had time to play minor league baseball when he was Carmelo's age

[David Watts]

Originally Posted by CD1083

Jordan had 3 titles under his belt still had time to play minor league baseball when he was Carmelo's age

I wonder why baseball didn't just tell Pete Rose to coach a basketball team for a year.........

[knightdreamer2k]

Originally Posted by CD1083

Jordan had 3 titles under his belt still had time to play minor league baseball when he was Carmelo's age

Relevent to what I said how? Where is Carmelo's pippen? If you go back up and read that article I linked you will see that he has never had a championship team to work with. 2009 Nuggets and 2013 Knicks were his best teams. Go look at those rosters and tell me where there is championship talent.

[rudel.dietrich]

Advanced metrics show Carmelo as a superior offensive talent. Some years are better than others. He shoot too many threes early in his carrer but over the last three seasons (since joining the Knicks) he has improved that aspect of his game and his efficiency has shot up.
Early in his career his 2 pt FG % was better but has fallen off since getting to NY. Some of that is him getting older and less athletic. But I think the lack of effective help in NY has made him more of a jump shooter.
I would also like to note that he has averaged 3.1 assists over his career. Nothing ground breaking about that, but slightly above average for a SF/PF. Nowhere near Lebron or Pippen levels. But he does indeed pass, he is just not a great offensive creator.

The turd in the punch bowl is his defense. He has the skills and athleticism to be a good defender. He just chooses not too. Which keeps him from greatness.

And I can't believe I just spent a paragraph defending Carmelo. I think I need to pour myself a drink

[CD1083]

Originally Posted by knightdreamer2k

Relevent to what I said how? Where is Carmelo's pippen? If you go back up and read that article I linked you will see that he has never had a championship team to work with. 2009 Nuggets and 2013 Knicks were his best teams. Go look at those rosters and tell me where there is championship talent.

I didn't bring up Jordan. You did.