CrushAlot wrote:

TripleThreat wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:My point is, you will not find too many players that will sacrifice Money for championship rings. The more money you make, the more you put on your plate.

If you sacrifice money for the sake of a company that will make billions with or with out you,then your pathetic idiot, and deserve to be playing for free. Why would you take 2% of a company thats making billions of of you.

Mike Bibby, at the end of his career, used as trade fodder several times, basically flushed a 6 million dollar contract for the next season to go play for the 2011 Heat, in hopes of winning a ring. He played the next season for our Knicks, at the league's veteran's minimum.

Karl Malone took a 1.5 million dollar one year deal in 2003, to win a ring. Doing this knowing a labor war was brewing and locking into one last solid contract would have been in his best financial interests.

Same year, same team, Gary Payton passed up other more lucrative offers to sign a 2 year, 10 million deal with the Lakers.

Dirk's three year, 25 million contract with Dallas left, based on other offers, close to 70 million on the table.

Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili all left money on the table. Lots of money to stay together and with the Spurs.

Dwight Howard, instead of trying to force a sign and trade or to take the max possible from the Lakers, took a big pay cut to move to Houston, leaving their team and assets intact.

Stephen Curry is one of the best value contracts in all of the NBA. He could have taken more money, he didn't. His ankle issues were a concern. But he signed for less than the possible max.

Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce both signed shorter than market value deals at the end of their careers.

Mike Miller left money on the table to play with the Heat and his friends, LBJ and Wade.

LBJ and Wade and Bosh all left money on the table to sign Miller and Haslem.

People can argue how the way NBA players is not fair all day long. The reality is that NBA players union LOST and LOST BADLY in the last labor war. End of story there. They have to live in that reality. IF you want help, fair or not, you have to go to a gutted young team with rookie contracts or you have to leave money on the table. That's it.

I brought up Chris Paul because he's a good example. He had a young rookie contract guy backing him up with upside. Clippers couldn't afford to keep Eric Bledsoe, in part because Paul makes the max. Bledsoe gone. Darren Collison isn't a great starter, but is a very good backup PG, but he got more money to start elsewhere, part of that happened because Paul makes the max. If Paul has to burn more minutes and eat more pressure and knows his backup isn't as good as what he had before, too bad on him. Could have left money on the table. But he didn't. Deal with the consequences.

People keep harping on "fair" or "not fair" as if that is the reality that these players exist in right now. Fair or not, if you want help, you have to leave money on the table.

IF the players wanted better, they should have organized better and won the last labor war. They didn't. Now they all have to eat it. Including Melo.

Manu is 37, Tim is 38, and Parker is making almost 13 mil and they all play in an income tax free state. You are talking about guys at the end of their careers or in Steph's case a guy that is limited in how much he can make by the years he has in the league. Howard is the exception but he hated LA, Kobe and D'Antoni and again he is in an income tax free state. Guys at the end of their careers take less. LBJ left money on the table in Miami but after state and city income tax was taken out netted more than Melo. Guys at the end of their careers or leaving a little bit so their super star buddies can sign are bad examples in my opinion. Show me a guy 25-30 that takes significantly less without the guarantee that another player is signing for his team and I think it will be the first. Also, the cba needs to be fixed so that income tax free states like Florida and Texas don't have such a significant advantage over other states.

Triple, that was one of the most lamest examples one could possible think of...Thank you Crush

Splat wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:

Splat wrote:Well, you said it best. Leaving money on the table makes a person an idiot. Your standard. Not mine, but we're different and that's OK.

BTW, I do not get the Cosby reference. How is that even applicable? I called Melo a douche, but not something along the lines of being a serial rapist.

The cosby reference was to indicate how much you know a person on the surface, and I'm not saying he's guilty of the accusations, at least to some degree. But How you can judge melo entirely on what you see without truly knowing him

Leaving money on the table isn't garaunting no championship. We enjoy watching these players as entertainment, but they play this game for the love, the money, and to help their family and friends.

You think melo should take less money to make you happy... Splat the NBA is making Billions dude,billions, It's up to the organization to make the right move, not the player..

RULE 101, don't hate the PLAYER, HATE THE GAME., these MF's are signing billion dollar TV deals, and I'm suppose to give up 20 million for the sake of what..Dying kids in third world countries, a cure of aids and cancer.

I think we should converse about what the real issues are with this roster, the defense, the lack of FT shooting, and the straight garbage rotation.

Rule 101 is not entirely off-base since I'm applying my values to a system that doesn't typically fulfill the standards I'm asking to be followed. I know that.

Without going backwards too far, all I can say is my primary beef is if Melo is going to take that money, then there are still standards of conduct I do think can and should be met. I've explained in full already why I think his recent comments are detrimental to team unity.

In the end, what matters to me as a fan is how Melo's behavior contributes to team unity which is the root of success. Talent issues aside, without that unity you've got zip. And to me he's a big zero as a leader. So that's the problem now and we're stuck with him.

The money's already committed so there's nothing to be done. He's still a douche. I don't believe he can change, so barring a top 3 pick that turns out great and a terrific free agent class, I hold little hope for a team with this loser as its centerpiece.

If Melo lacks leadership then how about we add in players with leadership qualities. Melo had 2 of his most successful yrs with Billups, Kidd and Rasheed. Every star player has flaws. A good team is built to cover each others flaws. Pippen was the ultimate team player but didn't have the fire of Jordan. Jordan had an unmatched competitive spirit but wasn't the team player Pippen was.

Splat wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:

Splat wrote:Well, you said it best. Leaving money on the table makes a person an idiot. Your standard. Not mine, but we're different and that's OK.

BTW, I do not get the Cosby reference. How is that even applicable? I called Melo a douche, but not something along the lines of being a serial rapist.

The cosby reference was to indicate how much you know a person on the surface, and I'm not saying he's guilty of the accusations, at least to some degree. But How you can judge melo entirely on what you see without truly knowing him

Leaving money on the table isn't garaunting no championship. We enjoy watching these players as entertainment, but they play this game for the love, the money, and to help their family and friends.

You think melo should take less money to make you happy... Splat the NBA is making Billions dude,billions, It's up to the organization to make the right move, not the player..

RULE 101, don't hate the PLAYER, HATE THE GAME., these MF's are signing billion dollar TV deals, and I'm suppose to give up 20 million for the sake of what..Dying kids in third world countries, a cure of aids and cancer.

I think we should converse about what the real issues are with this roster, the defense, the lack of FT shooting, and the straight garbage rotation.

Rule 101 is not entirely off-base since I'm applying my values to a system that doesn't typically fulfill the standards I'm asking to be followed. I know that.

Without going backwards too far, all I can say is my primary beef is if Melo is going to take that money, then there are still standards of conduct I do think can and should be met. I've explained in full already why I think his recent comments are detrimental to team unity.

In the end, what matters to me as a fan is how Melo's behavior contributes to team unity which is the root of success. Talent issues aside, without that unity you've got zip. And to me he's a big zero as a leader. So that's the problem now and we're stuck with him.

The money's already committed so there's nothing to be done. He's still a douche. I don't believe he can change, so barring a top 3 pick that turns out great and a terrific free agent class, I hold little hope for a team with this loser as its centerpiece.

I agree with you, but on a very small level

Again, don't blame melo for not being a leader, blame the organization for signing him without a leader on board already, because you know he wasn't a leader since high school, and that wasn't going to change because of a few extra $. He's not a center piece, he's a big part of a team, simple and plain. At the current time he' the best player on the team hands down.

Now if you think some 19 or 20 yr old is going to come in here and lead this team with melo on it, your not as smart as I thought you were.

Do you really think were 3-10 because of melo's off court ventures. Is that why fisher plays 15 guys a night, is that why we only shoot jump shots, is that why our guards forget to cover kevin martin to the tune of 37 points

Splat wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:

Splat wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:

Splat wrote:Well, you said it best. Leaving money on the table makes a person an idiot. Your standard. Not mine, but we're different and that's OK.

BTW, I do not get the Cosby reference. How is that even applicable? I called Melo a douche, but not something along the lines of being a serial rapist.

The cosby reference was to indicate how much you know a person on the surface, and I'm not saying he's guilty of the accusations, at least to some degree. But How you can judge melo entirely on what you see without truly knowing him

Leaving money on the table isn't garaunting no championship. We enjoy watching these players as entertainment, but they play this game for the love, the money, and to help their family and friends.

You think melo should take less money to make you happy... Splat the NBA is making Billions dude,billions, It's up to the organization to make the right move, not the player..

RULE 101, don't hate the PLAYER, HATE THE GAME., these MF's are signing billion dollar TV deals, and I'm suppose to give up 20 million for the sake of what..Dying kids in third world countries, a cure of aids and cancer.

I think we should converse about what the real issues are with this roster, the defense, the lack of FT shooting, and the straight garbage rotation.

Rule 101 is not entirely off-base since I'm applying my values to a system that doesn't typically fulfill the standards I'm asking to be followed. I know that.

Without going backwards too far, all I can say is my primary beef is if Melo is going to take that money, then there are still standards of conduct I do think can and should be met. I've explained in full already why I think his recent comments are detrimental to team unity.

In the end, what matters to me as a fan is how Melo's behavior contributes to team unity which is the root of success. Talent issues aside, without that unity you've got zip. And to me he's a big zero as a leader. So that's the problem now and we're stuck with him.

The money's already committed so there's nothing to be done. He's still a douche. I don't believe he can change, so barring a top 3 pick that turns out great and a terrific free agent class, I hold little hope for a team with this loser as its centerpiece.

I agree with you, but on a very small level

Again, don't blame melo for not being a leader, blame the organization for signing him without a leader on board already, because you know he wasn't a leader since high school, and that wasn't going to change because of a few extra $. He's not a center piece, he's a big part of a team, simple and plain. At the current time he' the best player on the team hands down.

Now if you think some 19 or 20 yr old is going to come in here and lead this team with melo on it, your not as smart as I thought you were.

Do you really think were 3-10 because of melo's off court ventures. Is that why fisher plays 15 guys a night, is that why we only shoot jump shots, is that why our guards forget to cover kevin martin to the tune of 37 points

We were having a civil conversation. No need for that. I said it would be an unusual creature for that to even be possible.

Let's put this dog down for now. We've said our piece.

Would love to hear if you think the Knicks are 3-10 because of melo's off court ventures. I know his acknowledging a desire to be successful beyond basketball caused quite a reaction from you.

Splat wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:

Would love to hear if you think the Knicks are 3-10 because of melo's off court ventures. I know his acknowledging a desire to be successful beyond basketball caused quite a reaction from you.

I've explained everything fully. Asking me five versions of the same question doesn't advance this further no more than me challenging the board again to explain the virtues of Melo's public oratory. I'm not going to explain myself again nor will I push this ball along any further. I'll just have to wait out the season and hope some good things happen in the off-season and have a few laughs along the way.

You have shared how you feel about Melo expressing a desire to be more than a basketball player. Your opinion on his wanting to do that is very clear. I haven't seen anything about how his desire to want to be successful off the basketball court has impacted the Knicks and their 3-10 start from you. Can you copy and paste what you already said about this? I missed it.

CrushAlot wrote: Guys at the end of their careers or leaving a little bit so their super star buddies can sign are bad examples in my opinion. Show me a guy 25-30 that takes significantly less without the guarantee that another player is signing for his team and I think it will be the first.

Most NBA players do not end up like Robert Parish and/or Jason Kidd and put in 20 years in the league. That Tim Duncan is hitting his 17th season and Dirk, his 16th season, are outliers to the average NBA player's career span.

Melo is entering his 12th full season in the NBA. He's 30 years old. He has played close to 30K minutes in his career. He's earned close to 136 million total over his current career span.

The last contract he signed, taking him into the wrong side of his 30s, will likely be his last contract.

But you keep talking about him like he's some third year player on a rookie deal looking for his first big payday.

Melo is at the edge of the end of his career. Comparing his career span to be as lengthy as a HOF center ( Duncan) who is cited as having the best big man fundamentals in his generation and a 7 foot elite shooting PF whose game is not athleticism dependent just isn't practical. Guys with size, even in decline, can play much longer than their smaller team mates. ( Even Kevin Willis, Charles Oakley, Terry Cummings, Cliff Robinson provide non elite examples)

People here, some of them, seem to want to hang on the issue of whether Melo SHOULD HAVE TO leave money on the table to get more roster help. Whether it's fair or not.

I'm saying it's got nothing to do with fair.

Leave money on the table, get more help.

Don't and take the max or just nearly all of it, and don't get more help.

It's a simple as that. Other players have done it. Many of them. Many have left more on the table than Melo left and many had good bargaining power to get more. In the end, they left money on the table to get more help and help build the roster around them.

knicks1248 wrote:My point is, you will not find too many players that will sacrifice Money for championship rings. The more money you make, the more you put on your plate.

If you sacrifice money for the sake of a company that will make billions with or with out you,then your pathetic idiot, and deserve to be playing for free. Why would you take 2% of a company thats making billions of of you.

.....Triple, that was one of the most lamest examples one could possible think of...Thank you Crush

Knicks1248,
You wanted examples of players who left money on the table to pursue an NBA championship or more of them. Plenty of players have. I showed players who did. Because they get some tax benefits in some circumstances versus others doesn't change the fact that they left money on the table. They took LESS than the max they could have gotten. Period.

Instead of acknowledging it, you just drove right into personal attack ( and did so with Splat as well) because the answers simply don't fit your personal narrative. Classy dude, real classy.

LEAVING MONEY ON THE TABLE IS LEAVING MONEY ON THE TABLE PERIOD. If LBJ takes 17 million instead of 20, but the tax circumstances makes that 17 worth more in State X than State Y, guess what? He could have still demanded 20 million in State X and reaped even more money from those favorable tax circumstances.

"Well, uh, it's the same thing as the max if you look at the net!"

But IT'S NOT THE MAX. IS IT? IS IT?

LBJ, Wade and Bosh were drafted in the SAME DRAFT CLASS AS MELO. Their actual career basketball earnings as of now are very close.

LBJ, entering his 12th season, has made 129 million over his career. Wade, 121 million. Bosh, 123 million. Yet all of them still decide to take a pay cut to try to build a winning team.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5368003

MIAMI -- LeBron James and Chris Bosh are now members of the Miami Heat and both came at a cut rate.

The Heat's two newest superstars signed matching six-year, $110.1 million contracts, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher. Dwyane Wade took an even bigger discount to stay in Miami, signing for six years and $107.5 million, according to the sources.

Sources told ESPN.com's Chad Ford that James and Bosh are scheduled to make $14.5 million and Wade $14 million in 2010-11.

Each player took $15 million less over the life of the contract to sign with Miami

Each player took FIFTEEN MILLION AND LEFT IT ON THE TABLE. LBJ and Bosh were TWENTY SIX YEARS OLD when they signed those deals. Wade was 28.

You want to create all these exceptions and shift arounds when leaving money on the table doesn't really "count" and isn't technically leaving money on the table. When clearly other players, players in their prime, have done it.

Also, last thing, "your pathetic idiot" and "your not as smart as I thought you were."

Do yourself a favor, when you are calling other people idiots and discussion their limitations in intellect, please understand the difference between the usage of "your" and "you're"

LBJ wrote a letter after signing. Melo, sadly, had to do the same. LBJ dropped a lot of weight. Melo, the fervent sheeple he is, dropped a lot of weight. LBJ left 15 million on the table. Melo.... well Melo wasn't going to go from 124-125 to around 109-110 was he?

TripleThreat wrote:

CrushAlot wrote: Guys at the end of their careers or leaving a little bit so their super star buddies can sign are bad examples in my opinion. Show me a guy 25-30 that takes significantly less without the guarantee that another player is signing for his team and I think it will be the first.

Most NBA players do not end up like Robert Parish and/or Jason Kidd and put in 20 years in the league. That Tim Duncan is hitting his 17th season and Dirk, his 16th season, are outliers to the average NBA player's career span.

Melo is entering his 12th full season in the NBA. He's 30 years old. He has played close to 30K minutes in his career. He's earned close to 136 million total over his current career span.

The last contract he signed, taking him into the wrong side of his 30s, will likely be his last contract.

But you keep talking about him like he's some third year player on a rookie deal looking for his first big payday.

Melo is at the edge of the end of his career. Comparing his career span to be as lengthy as a HOF center ( Duncan) who is cited as having the best big man fundamentals in his generation and a 7 foot elite shooting PF whose game is not athleticism dependent just isn't practical. Guys with size, even in decline, can play much longer than their smaller team mates. ( Even Kevin Willis, Charles Oakley, Terry Cummings, Cliff Robinson provide non elite examples)

People here, some of them, seem to want to hang on the issue of whether Melo SHOULD HAVE TO leave money on the table to get more roster help. Whether it's fair or not.

I'm saying it's got nothing to do with fair.

Leave money on the table, get more help.

Don't and take the max or just nearly all of it, and don't get more help.

It's a simple as that. Other players have done it. Many of them. Many have left more on the table than Melo left and many had good bargaining power to get more. In the end, they left money on the table to get more help and help build the roster around them.

knicks1248 wrote:My point is, you will not find too many players that will sacrifice Money for championship rings. The more money you make, the more you put on your plate.

If you sacrifice money for the sake of a company that will make billions with or with out you,then your pathetic idiot, and deserve to be playing for free. Why would you take 2% of a company thats making billions of of you.

.....Triple, that was one of the most lamest examples one could possible think of...Thank you Crush

Knicks1248,
You wanted examples of players who left money on the table to pursue an NBA championship or more of them. Plenty of players have. I showed players who did. Because they get some tax benefits in some circumstances versus others doesn't change the fact that they left money on the table. They took LESS than the max they could have gotten. Period.

Instead of acknowledging it, you just drove right into personal attack ( and did so with Splat as well) because the answers simply don't fit your personal narrative. Classy dude, real classy.

LEAVING MONEY ON THE TABLE IS LEAVING MONEY ON THE TABLE PERIOD. If LBJ takes 17 million instead of 20, but the tax circumstances makes that 17 worth more in State X than State Y, guess what? He could have still demanded 20 million in State X and reaped even more money from those favorable tax circumstances.

"Well, uh, it's the same thing as the max if you look at the net!"

But IT'S NOT THE MAX. IS IT? IS IT?

LBJ, Wade and Bosh were drafted in the SAME DRAFT CLASS AS MELO. Their actual career basketball earnings as of now are very close.

LBJ, entering his 12th season, has made 129 million over his career. Wade, 121 million. Bosh, 123 million. Yet all of them still decide to take a pay cut to try to build a winning team.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5368003

MIAMI -- LeBron James and Chris Bosh are now members of the Miami Heat and both came at a cut rate.

The Heat's two newest superstars signed matching six-year, $110.1 million contracts, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher. Dwyane Wade took an even bigger discount to stay in Miami, signing for six years and $107.5 million, according to the sources.

Sources told ESPN.com's Chad Ford that James and Bosh are scheduled to make $14.5 million and Wade $14 million in 2010-11.

Each player took $15 million less over the life of the contract to sign with Miami

Each player took FIFTEEN MILLION AND LEFT IT ON THE TABLE. LBJ and Bosh were TWENTY SIX YEARS OLD when they signed those deals. Wade was 28.

You want to create all these exceptions and shift arounds when leaving money on the table doesn't really "count" and isn't technically leaving money on the table. When clearly other players, players in their prime, have done it.

Also, last thing, "your pathetic idiot" and "your not as smart as I thought you were."

Do yourself a favor, when you are calling other people idiots and discussion their limitations in intellect, please understand the difference between the usage of "your" and "you're"

LBJ wrote a letter after signing. Melo, sadly, had to do the same. LBJ dropped a lot of weight. Melo, the fervent sheeple he is, dropped a lot of weight. LBJ left 15 million on the table. Melo.... well Melo wasn't going to go from 124-125 to around 109-110 was he?

The difference between Melo and most of your examples is that they are the wrong side of 35. Melo just turned 30 when he signed his deal. Also ny has a state and city income tax. It is a significant handicap for the Knicks when they compete for players against teams that don't have state and city income tax.

CrushAlot wrote:

Splat wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:

Splat wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:

Splat wrote:Well, you said it best. Leaving money on the table makes a person an idiot. Your standard. Not mine, but we're different and that's OK.

BTW, I do not get the Cosby reference. How is that even applicable? I called Melo a douche, but not something along the lines of being a serial rapist.

The cosby reference was to indicate how much you know a person on the surface, and I'm not saying he's guilty of the accusations, at least to some degree. But How you can judge melo entirely on what you see without truly knowing him

Leaving money on the table isn't garaunting no championship. We enjoy watching these players as entertainment, but they play this game for the love, the money, and to help their family and friends.

You think melo should take less money to make you happy... Splat the NBA is making Billions dude,billions, It's up to the organization to make the right move, not the player..

RULE 101, don't hate the PLAYER, HATE THE GAME., these MF's are signing billion dollar TV deals, and I'm suppose to give up 20 million for the sake of what..Dying kids in third world countries, a cure of aids and cancer.

I think we should converse about what the real issues are with this roster, the defense, the lack of FT shooting, and the straight garbage rotation.

Rule 101 is not entirely off-base since I'm applying my values to a system that doesn't typically fulfill the standards I'm asking to be followed. I know that.

Without going backwards too far, all I can say is my primary beef is if Melo is going to take that money, then there are still standards of conduct I do think can and should be met. I've explained in full already why I think his recent comments are detrimental to team unity.

In the end, what matters to me as a fan is how Melo's behavior contributes to team unity which is the root of success. Talent issues aside, without that unity you've got zip. And to me he's a big zero as a leader. So that's the problem now and we're stuck with him.

The money's already committed so there's nothing to be done. He's still a douche. I don't believe he can change, so barring a top 3 pick that turns out great and a terrific free agent class, I hold little hope for a team with this loser as its centerpiece.

I agree with you, but on a very small level

Again, don't blame melo for not being a leader, blame the organization for signing him without a leader on board already, because you know he wasn't a leader since high school, and that wasn't going to change because of a few extra $. He's not a center piece, he's a big part of a team, simple and plain. At the current time he' the best player on the team hands down.

Now if you think some 19 or 20 yr old is going to come in here and lead this team with melo on it, your not as smart as I thought you were.

Do you really think were 3-10 because of melo's off court ventures. Is that why fisher plays 15 guys a night, is that why we only shoot jump shots, is that why our guards forget to cover kevin martin to the tune of 37 points

We were having a civil conversation. No need for that. I said it would be an unusual creature for that to even be possible.

Let's put this dog down for now. We've said our piece.

Would love to hear if you think the Knicks are 3-10 because of melo's off court ventures. I know his acknowledging a desire to be successful beyond basketball caused quite a reaction from you.

he built quite a case against himself-- his own words:

"i kind of forced my way here" admitted 3 years later probably doesn't sit well with some fans and players.

"it's up to the organization to say they want to match that ridiculous contract that's out there" regarding jeremy lin probably doesn't sit well with some fans who just saw a bolt from the blue save the knicks' season and preserve melo's legacy.

"i want to test free agency... be pursued" one week before the season starts probably doesn't sit well with some fans and players.

"i want to be known as more than just a basketball player, it's got to be bigger than that" probably doesn't sit well with some fans and players.

these are the words that melo himself has uttered-- there is no "up is down" potential here. so if some fans have problems with what he himself has said then you need to accept that.

so far as his actions as player on the court and negotiator off the court, we could go there for the billionth time too.

CrushAlot wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:

TripleThreat wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:My point is, you will not find too many players that will sacrifice Money for championship rings. The more money you make, the more you put on your plate.

If you sacrifice money for the sake of a company that will make billions with or with out you,then your pathetic idiot, and deserve to be playing for free. Why would you take 2% of a company thats making billions of of you.

Mike Bibby, at the end of his career, used as trade fodder several times, basically flushed a 6 million dollar contract for the next season to go play for the 2011 Heat, in hopes of winning a ring. He played the next season for our Knicks, at the league's veteran's minimum.

Karl Malone took a 1.5 million dollar one year deal in 2003, to win a ring. Doing this knowing a labor war was brewing and locking into one last solid contract would have been in his best financial interests.

Same year, same team, Gary Payton passed up other more lucrative offers to sign a 2 year, 10 million deal with the Lakers.

Dirk's three year, 25 million contract with Dallas left, based on other offers, close to 70 million on the table.

Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili all left money on the table. Lots of money to stay together and with the Spurs.

Dwight Howard, instead of trying to force a sign and trade or to take the max possible from the Lakers, took a big pay cut to move to Houston, leaving their team and assets intact.

Stephen Curry is one of the best value contracts in all of the NBA. He could have taken more money, he didn't. His ankle issues were a concern. But he signed for less than the possible max.

Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce both signed shorter than market value deals at the end of their careers.

Mike Miller left money on the table to play with the Heat and his friends, LBJ and Wade.

LBJ and Wade and Bosh all left money on the table to sign Miller and Haslem.

People can argue how the way NBA players is not fair all day long. The reality is that NBA players union LOST and LOST BADLY in the last labor war. End of story there. They have to live in that reality. IF you want help, fair or not, you have to go to a gutted young team with rookie contracts or you have to leave money on the table. That's it.

I brought up Chris Paul because he's a good example. He had a young rookie contract guy backing him up with upside. Clippers couldn't afford to keep Eric Bledsoe, in part because Paul makes the max. Bledsoe gone. Darren Collison isn't a great starter, but is a very good backup PG, but he got more money to start elsewhere, part of that happened because Paul makes the max. If Paul has to burn more minutes and eat more pressure and knows his backup isn't as good as what he had before, too bad on him. Could have left money on the table. But he didn't. Deal with the consequences.

People keep harping on "fair" or "not fair" as if that is the reality that these players exist in right now. Fair or not, if you want help, you have to leave money on the table.

IF the players wanted better, they should have organized better and won the last labor war. They didn't. Now they all have to eat it. Including Melo.

Manu is 37, Tim is 38, and Parker is making almost 13 mil and they all play in an income tax free state. You are talking about guys at the end of their careers or in Steph's case a guy that is limited in how much he can make by the years he has in the league. Howard is the exception but he hated LA, Kobe and D'Antoni and again he is in an income tax free state. Guys at the end of their careers take less. LBJ left money on the table in Miami but after state and city income tax was taken out netted more than Melo. Guys at the end of their careers or leaving a little bit so their super star buddies can sign are bad examples in my opinion. Show me a guy 25-30 that takes significantly less without the guarantee that another player is signing for his team and I think it will be the first. Also, the cba needs to be fixed so that income tax free states like Florida and Texas don't have such a significant advantage over other states.

Melo has made $153 mil already, which is far more than Manu or Parker. You pay state and city income tax based on where the game is being played. With a $13 mil salary, it's a savings of about $600K per year. I'm sure the NYC endorsement money vastly exceeds that savings. Nevertheless, if he wanted $13.6 mil per instead of $13 mil, I wouldn't complain. That would still put him on track for career earnings of around a quarter billion dollars by the time he retires (not even counting endorsement money).

It was a different CBA but I remember back when Kidd was in nj and considering the nets or spurs the nets were able to offer Kidd around 7 mil more but with the state income tax in nj, he would net more with the spurs. The state income tax in nj took away any monetary advantage the nets had. They had to fire Byron Scott and sign Alonzo mourning to keep Kidd.