I dunno. I've flip flopped on this a few times.
Melo does appear to care about defense when he's in an important game against Kobe or Lebron.
I want to believe that his gunner mentality has to do with the systems he's played in. The Melo/AI squads were gunners and Chauncey Billups started out as a scorer in Minny, etc and doesn't exactly have great shot selection. I think Larry Brown convinced him to be a little more selective just because Brown is such an extreme "play the right way" coach.
Best case scenario in a trade:
- Of Gallo and AR..whoever we keep ends up being on the level of an Odom/Ray Allen/Manu/3rd banana on an elite team.
- Melo improves his game from a MENTAL perspective in terms of not stopping the ball on offense and understanding that even though he's more than capable, he doesn't have to score the hard way if he has help.
- Melo takes the energy saved from playing one on 5 and puts that into the defensive end of the court, leading by example. If your star players take defense seriously (KG, Duncan) they can freely call out everyone else on the team that doesn't give an effort or regularly is on the wrong spot on the floor on D.
Worst case scenario in a trade
- Whoever we trade becomes a star or a very useful player somewhere else a la Nene/Camby/Ariza
- Melo and Amare just are never good enough to be the core of a championship squad and we lose in various rounds of the playoffs every year
I guess to win a championship either takes a once in a blue moon player: Jordan, Duncan, Hakeem,Shaq etc.
or a ridiculous stroke of luck like Pau Gasol landing in your lap, one of the most skilled centers in the league and a good passer to pair with Kobe.
Either way luck just seems to play a giant part in it. There have been plenty of soundly built squads that fell short for various reasons: Nash's various suns squads. Those Kings and Blazers teams that battled the Lakers for so many seasons. The Knicks teams that gave Jordan's bulls all they could handle.
A buddy of mine who is also die hard said that after all this losing he just wants to be relevant again and he would take Melo, even if it doesn't lead to winning a championship. Sometimes you gotta just go for it and if you don't
trade for or sign Melo..what the hell are you waiting for? There's no guarantee that anyone better will be available.
Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Durant, Rose. All the brightest young stars could be lifers with their teams or at least stay with them till Amare's deal is done.
I think we're all scarred from the Layden/Thomas era and scared of another lost decade. "Woohoo we got Marbury!"
has been replaced by...'Wait a minute..is this the right move..****...what if it's just a Rashard Lewis type signing?"
I personally am praying that
- Melo really does want to sign an extension with the the Knicks and the Knicks only
- Gallo, AR, Chandler ALL blow up and we have the problem of too much talent and who to keep around vs trading
Long Live The Knicks. May James Dolan be replace by a Dolan with a checkbook just as fat but an IQ twice as high. Amen.
Let's try to elevate the level of discourse in this byeetch. Please