If we have another disappointing season this year, it will be clear that we'll never win with Melo as our best player. That's fine, we gave it a shot, but wouldn't hanging onto mediocrity be the worst thing this franchise could do?

I'm well aware of how long it took to build a playoff team here (although I think Donnie Walsh was an AWFUL GM), but this is New York. If a formula isn't resulting in wins, you should be able to blow it up and try something new without fear of being incompetent for a decade.

I wouldn't mind dealing Melo for a few first round picks in a sign and trade in the offseason. Hell, since it would be an expiring, you may be able to move Stat's deal too. I like watching this team make the playoffs and whatnot, but we're NOT winning ANYTHING as long as the Heat are together, the Nets have their core together, the Bulls have Rose, and the Pacers have Hibbert, George, Granger, etc. So why not try something new?

IMO you have to put things in perspective. The disappointment from not getting to the ECF's is far different than the failure to get out of the 1st round. I don't see the Knicks being a 1st rd. victim. I personally don't ascribe to the notion that this team will finish the #5 seed. I think the Knicks are one of the top tier teams in the East and as such they will be hard to beat by any 1st rd opponent. Even weak and injured it still took the Pacers 6 games to get rid of the Knicks. It seemed apparent to me that in that 6th game if we had just a little better talent around Melo he did enough to help the team win. Melo wasn't the part that let us down in that game. Just think about who the 2nd best player after Melo was and compare that to the 2nd best player on the Heat, Spurs or even Pacers.

Melonoma wrote:And I'm talking 5th seed, first round exit, can you really justify re-signing Melo after the season?

If we have another disappointing season this year, it will be clear that we'll never win with Melo as our best player. That's fine, we gave it a shot, but wouldn't hanging onto mediocrity be the worst thing this franchise could do?

I'm well aware of how long it took to build a playoff team here (although I think Donnie Walsh was an AWFUL GM), but this is New York. If a formula isn't resulting in wins, you should be able to blow it up and try something new without fear of being incompetent for a decade.

I wouldn't mind dealing Melo for a few first round picks in a sign and trade in the offseason. Hell, since it would be an expiring, you may be able to move Stat's deal too. I like watching this team make the playoffs and whatnot, but we're NOT winning ANYTHING as long as the Heat are together, the Nets have their core together, the Bulls have Rose, and the Pacers have Hibbert, George, Granger, etc. So why not try something new?

I don't like this mentality that seems to dominate the nba these days- that its better to tank than to compete, that a terrible team is better than a mediocre team due to the draft lottery, that you should only try if your guaranteed victory. I'd rather root for a mediocre team that tries hard every night, than one thats given up for a few seasons. Its like the Jazz getting blasted because they chose to try and make the playoffs (heaven forbid! image that, trying to finish with the best record you can get!) last season instead of tanking for the lottery. When did it become so shameful to actually try your best?

Melonoma wrote:And I'm talking 5th seed, first round exit, can you really justify re-signing Melo after the season?

If we have another disappointing season this year, it will be clear that we'll never win with Melo as our best player. That's fine, we gave it a shot, but wouldn't hanging onto mediocrity be the worst thing this franchise could do?

I'm well aware of how long it took to build a playoff team here (although I think Donnie Walsh was an AWFUL GM), but this is New York. If a formula isn't resulting in wins, you should be able to blow it up and try something new without fear of being incompetent for a decade.

I wouldn't mind dealing Melo for a few first round picks in a sign and trade in the offseason. Hell, since it would be an expiring, you may be able to move Stat's deal too. I like watching this team make the playoffs and whatnot, but we're NOT winning ANYTHING as long as the Heat are together, the Nets have their core together, the Bulls have Rose, and the Pacers have Hibbert, George, Granger, etc. So why not try something new?

If the team is worse...you move in another direction....there is a reason why this is Woody's last guaranteed year...prove or move.

Same with Melo...cant peak out at 2nd round, and a regression would warrant him being shown the door....no talks of a new contract should exist.

I would endorse a full rebuild, but it would be almost impossible to do....you cant trade Melo if he opts out....and if you dont re-sign him, you dont really inherit cap space, and no one giving draft picks for an amare expiring, and that final year is so huge, I doubt anyone willingly takes it up.

And then that makes the previous deals look disastrous as the 2016 pick would be assured lotto AND the one given up for Bargnani as well.

But basically, this team has no choice but get to the ECF...thats the bar...anything else and they can all kick rocks.

Vmart wrote:

Melonoma wrote:And I'm talking 5th seed, first round exit, can you really justify re-signing Melo after the season?

If we have another disappointing season this year, it will be clear that we'll never win with Melo as our best player. That's fine, we gave it a shot, but wouldn't hanging onto mediocrity be the worst thing this franchise could do?

I'm well aware of how long it took to build a playoff team here (although I think Donnie Walsh was an AWFUL GM), but this is New York. If a formula isn't resulting in wins, you should be able to blow it up and try something new without fear of being incompetent for a decade.

I wouldn't mind dealing Melo for a few first round picks in a sign and trade in the offseason. Hell, since it would be an expiring, you may be able to move Stat's deal too. I like watching this team make the playoffs and whatnot, but we're NOT winning ANYTHING as long as the Heat are together, the Nets have their core together, the Bulls have Rose, and the Pacers have Hibbert, George, Granger, etc. So why not try something new?

I think you answered your own question. The Knicks care only about playoffs and everything after that is gravy. It won't matter if the team has peaked with Melo or not. Just have go back to the Allan Houston contract, you knew the winning days of Ewing era were coming to a close yet the Knicks threw a 100 mill contract to Houston. This leads me to think the Knicks will break the bank for Melo and just shoot for playoffs, with absolutely no intention of winning a championship.

yellowboy90 wrote:SO if the Knicks finish higher than expected, do you sign Melo to a max contract?

Unless Melo becomes the best player on the planet by that I mean surpass LeBron in everything. As of Now I feel there is only one max player and that is LeBron. Giving max contract to an undeserving 44% shooter who has a lot of brain farts on court is basically shooting the team in the foot. A max contract makes sure that the talent level won't get better around Melo to win a chip. At that point Melo would be the main culprit for not having the necessary talent to win.

tkf wrote:

nixluva wrote:I don't see why we would move away from Melo as if he's the reason we're not winning a title. Rarely does a title come down to one elite player. It's ALWAYS about the team. You build a team that can win a title. If we have in fact built a better team this year then I don't see how they fail so miserably that we would not re-sign Melo.

IMO you have to put things in perspective. The disappointment from not getting to the ECF's is far different than the failure to get out of the 1st round. I don't see the Knicks being a 1st rd. victim. I personally don't ascribe to the notion that this team will finish the #5 seed. I think the Knicks are one of the top tier teams in the East and as such they will be hard to beat by any 1st rd opponent. Even weak and injured it still took the Pacers 6 games to get rid of the Knicks. It seemed apparent to me that in that 6th game if we had just a little better talent around Melo he did enough to help the team win. Melo wasn't the part that let us down in that game. Just think about who the 2nd best player after Melo was and compare that to the 2nd best player on the Heat, Spurs or even Pacers.

DUDE There IS Nothing wrong with trying to find a positive spin with everything, but lets be honest..carmelo is not an elite player. He is a good volume scorer. He doesn't pass, or defend. He doesn't make anyone better...The knicks should be looking to build a team with players that actually compliment one another. you guys talk about getting rondo, well then look for two way players, ball movers, defenders, guys who can rebound.. guys who have their best years ahead of them. Carmelo is a Dinosaur.. that old jab step, fake, jab step, fake, jab step, shoot, game is old. It is prohibitive.. Hard to build around and certainly makes it hard to put players who like to move with out the ball around him..

Maybe you should focus on how can we eventually put a team together that can grow and be good for a long time..Carmelo may not stop us from getting a title, because we were never that good, but honestly he will not help us get one either.... Ok, so you say it isn't his fault.. great.. so now lets find solutions.. He isn't part of it.. and he wants mega money.. I say NO!!!!! leave CARMELO!!!

This is a ridiculous post and thread. Im not saying that we should pay Carmelo 30mm per but it would be difficult to replace him for 4 more years.

Carmelo Anthony averaged nearly 29 points per game on an eFg of .503 and took down 7 rebounds a game with a 25 PER. For his career he has averaged 25-6.3-3.0 and .48 eFG there are few players in the history of modern basketball with these numbers. Hes been a winner on every level--college and pros. Its not Carmelo's fault that we had injury after injury last year. If there was criticism of CA he made the Knicks pay too much for him at the trade so we were not able to put the appropriate pieces around him and he did not perform in the playoffs as well as the regular season but these posts are absolutely absurd nonsense with numbers supporting quite the opposite. The guy is a top 10 NBA player.

nixluva wrote:I don't see why we would move away from Melo as if he's the reason we're not winning a title. Rarely does a title come down to one elite player. It's ALWAYS about the team. You build a team that can win a title. If we have in fact built a better team this year then I don't see how they fail so miserably that we would not re-sign Melo.

You're right that the NBA is a team game. Too bad Melo isn't a team player, and you have to bend over backwards to build a team around him, and it still doesn't work. See Denver.