I arbitrarily picked a few to compare him with, and without putting too much thought into it I tried to compare them at similar points in their career (either age 26 or 8th season). Maybe someone could do a better job of it, but I doubt it would change things much.

If this is the caliber player that Melo is, would you throw them all under the bus?

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pcm_finder.cgi?request=1&sum=1&p1=anthoca01&y1=2011&p2=kingbe01&y2=1983&p3=duranke01&y3=2011&p4=wilkido01&y4=1988&p5=monroea01&y5=1973&p6=worthja01&y6=1990

The Answer Man reacts on two levels. First, as a conoisseur of facts. Second on a purely emotional, "who you gonna trust, me or yo' lyin' eyes" level.

So here is the deal. Dominique Wilkins was such a volume shooter that his team mates were confused about their role. Should they move without the ball or get out the video camera? "Hey, let's stand around and watch the show." Nique gets thrown under the bus. He never won either.

Bernard King shooting 53 per cent and James Worthy shooting 55 per cent is off the hook. The tragedy is that the Knicks lost patience with Bernard's rehab at the same time Patrick was finding his groove. He made the all star team with Washington. Mark Jackson, Bernard and Patrick would have had ring in New York. Point being, if the Knicks deal Felton, somebody STILL has to manage the tempo. Ray Felton don't take no sh!t. The Answer Man likes that about Raymond. Melo and Felton are two different dudes. Why dump a proven floor leader?

Earl Monroe may have only shot 45 per cent but the spin move was so nasty that he moved the crowd. That reaction alone, was worth an extra 10 points in momentum. Another shifty comparison. Were Monroe available today would The Answer Man take him over Landry Fields?

Good question.

BlueSeats wrote:Okay, he's not Kobe/Lebron/Duncan. He's a high-volume, low-defense scorer. Agreed.

I arbitrarily picked a few to compare him with, and without putting too much thought into it I tried to compare them at similar points in their career (either age 26 or 8th season). Maybe someone could do a better job of it, but I doubt it would change things much.

If this is the caliber player that Melo is, would you throw them all under the bus?

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pcm_finder.cgi?request=1&sum=1&p1=anthoca01&y1=2011&p2=kingbe01&y2=1983&p3=duranke01&y3=2011&p4=wilkido01&y4=1988&p5=monroea01&y5=1973&p6=worthja01&y6=1990

BigDaddyG wrote:
Earl Monroe's name in there threw me for a loop. With the exception of Monroe, everyone elses seems to be high scoring wings who could face up or post.

They don't all share the exact same game, but they're scorers. And all in or headed to the HOF. (Well, King might not get in because his career was cut short by injury.)