Carmelo officially retiring!

[Orangezoo]

Much love to Melo who gave us the single greatest season in Syracuse basketball history. I still remember being at his first game in MSG against Memphis and thinking wow this guy is good. It goes by too fast. You'll always be Orange.

Having the luxury to be blessed as a longtime cuse fan before being an alum and being a freshman the year we won it all... Melo and all the memories holds a special place in life for me I'm sure as many others. Not to diminish the others on that team or others but what an incredible run.

Add in what a wonderful ambassador for the university, the NBA and basketball he is from what he does for the communities he is from to the very public example as a parent. Look forward to all he continues to do around and outside the Cuse universe.

 

[721Comstock]

Interesting, I'm not sure there were enough shots to go around for Wade, LeBron and Melo... Also LeBron and Melo's games were way to similar back then. Bosh was the perfect complementary player to LeBron and d-wade.

It's too bad Stoudamire's knee gave out... and they could never get a good point guard beyond Felton. But then again a lot of that is on Melo forcing his way to NYC was waiting 3 freaking months. Oh well... regardless he had a great career, has his health and happiness and is set for life. Can't ask for more.

Yeah, I never understood why he wanted it to go down that way, rather than waiting for free agency??

Knicks had to gut their young talent to send to Denver to get Melo, which then screwed their chances of actually winning with him.

Oh well.


I remember a LOT of people said the move for him was to go to Chicago instead, since they "had the pieces" to surround him and get a Ship.
Except then every one of their best players got hurt, and that team was never the same again.

So, other than not holding out for a Heatles thing w/ Bron & D'Wade, he prolly did the best he could've.

All of that said - Olympics Melo was the BEST MELO. *
When he got to be A Man, rather than THE MAN, he was just soooo much more effective.

(* post-Syracse, naturally. Cuse Melo is the GOAT)

 

[RandygoCuse]

I remember reading an article before the draft -it was a given that LeBron wold go first. For the 2nd pick the writer favored Darko. He said Melo would be an All Star but Milicic would be a Hall-Of-Famer. Glad Melo beat expectations.

 

[Orangezoo]

Yeah, I never understood why he wanted it to go down that way, rather than waiting for free agency??

Knicks had to gut their young talent to send to Denver to get Melo, which then screwed their chances of actually winning with him.

Oh well.


I remember a LOT of people said the move for him was to go to Chicago instead, since they "had the pieces" to surround him and get a Ship.
Except then every one of their best players got hurt, and that team was never the same again.

So, other than not holding out for a Heatles thing w/ Bron & D'Wade, he prolly did the best he could've.

All of that said - Olympics Melo was the BEST MELO. *
When he got to be A Man, rather than THE MAN, he was just soooo much more effective.

(* post-Syracse, naturally. Cuse Melo is the GOAT)

Yeah the dynamics in Denver were odd.. not the least of it the doing of Karl, Billups and then Melos decision in response to it all.

I don't think any party did a good job in handling it all and that unfortunately had impacts to everyone's future.

 

[Orangezoo]

I remember reading an article before the draft -it was a given that LeBron wold go first. For the 2nd pick the writer favored Darko. He said Melo would be an All Star but Milicic would be a Hall-Of-Famer. Glad Melo beat expectations.

Yeah that Pistons team could have been something.. not to mention the existing Cuse royalty connections to Detroit already...

 

[atlanticuse]

amazing cohort (draft) he was in. 2003 was legendary.

 

[RandygoCuse]

Yeah the dynamics in Denver were odd.. not the least of it the doing of Karl, Billups and then Melos decision in response to it all.

I don't think any party did a good job in handling it all and that unfortunately had impacts to everyone's future.

I also think that right after he signed the long-term deal with NY, he realized it was a mistake.

 

[JDubbin]

Yeah, I never understood why he wanted it to go down that way, rather than waiting for free agency??

Knicks had to gut their young talent to send to Denver to get Melo, which then screwed their chances of actually winning with him.

Oh well.


I remember a LOT of people said the move for him was to go to Chicago instead, since they "had the pieces" to surround him and get a Ship.
Except then every one of their best players got hurt, and that team was never the same again.

So, other than not holding out for a Heatles thing w/ Bron & D'Wade, he prolly did the best he could've.

All of that said - Olympics Melo was the BEST MELO. *
When he got to be A Man, rather than THE MAN, he was just soooo much more effective.

(* post-Syracse, naturally. Cuse Melo is the GOAT)

This is such a cliched take on the Melo to Knicks trade, and honestly is just the default take when it’s discussed. The gutted “young talent” was Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari & Timofey Mozgov… all except Gallinari haven't done ANYTHING - Raymond Felton ended up back on the The Knicks anyway. The 2012-13 Knicks has plenty of talent, that wasn’t a problem

 

[Orangezoo]

This is such a cliched take on the Melo to Knicks trade, and honestly is just the default take when it’s discussed. The gutted “young talent” was Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari & Timofey Mozgov… all except Gallinari have done ANYTHING - Raymond Felton ended up back on the The Knicks anyway. The 2012-13 Knicks has plenty of talent, that wasn’t a problem

If not for the Jamal Murray pick- not sure this ever gets a good score for Denver when you look back. Denver didn't need the team blown up at the time but that didn't stop them from seeing it that way. Such a shame.

 

[UpstateSM]

Having Melo around while Kiyan plays for Syracuse is going to be so cool

 

[SP_Gilbs]

 

[mikemorg]

20 years ago, who had JB and Melo retiring in the same year? Amazing longevity for both.

Congrats Carmelo and thanks for the greatest sports memory of our lives.

I was 30 in 2003 and just remember following him around Bourbon Street like a puppy after the Texas game.

 

[shandeezy7]

Yeah, I never understood why he wanted it to go down that way, rather than waiting for free agency??

Knicks had to gut their young talent to send to Denver to get Melo, which then screwed their chances of actually winning with him.

Oh well.


I remember a LOT of people said the move for him was to go to Chicago instead, since they "had the pieces" to surround him and get a Ship.
Except then every one of their best players got hurt, and that team was never the same again.

So, other than not holding out for a Heatles thing w/ Bron & D'Wade, he prolly did the best he could've.

All of that said - Olympics Melo was the BEST MELO. *
When he got to be A Man, rather than THE MAN, he was just soooo much more effective.

(* post-Syracse, naturally. Cuse Melo is the GOAT)

I'm fairly certain part or most of the motivation to make the trade happen immediately was financially-related. There was a looming lockout the following off-season, with changes to contract structures and max contracts a strong possibility. By facilitating the trade to NY before the offseason, he was able to sign a 3 year/$65M extension with them before the off-season lockout mess. Basically got his guaranteed money without having to deal with CBA instability.

 

[atlanticuse]

re: Kiyan Anthony ... 24/7 Sports thinks we have 2 SG's on our roster, . Howard and B. Bayer...

Kiyan Anthony Recruit Interests

247sports.com

I think they have to update their data.

 

[rrlbees]

Gmac on Melo. Then he talks a little about this guard group and what they bring, Joe, and finally Judah.

 

[OrangeDW]

Careful. A buddy is a big detroit fan and if they draft melo they don’t get Rasheed and don’t win in 04. Bottom line though hard to imagine they don’t still have success with melo over darko.

I was also told Darko would have been an all star if denver drafted him and not detroit.

Hard to say in terms of championships. But we can certainly say that Detroit’s run as a contender would’ve likely been extended by numerous years if they drafted Melo.

 

[DoctorBombay]

And here's another reason I loved the farewell video so much. Melo looks and speaks like a man very much at peace with himself and his legacy.
So many haters throughout his career. He wasn't LeBron or even Wade, but he was who he was. And it was always his peers...Kobe, LBJ, Wade, Pierce, Garnett, et al, who knew how great a player he truly was.
Sometimes media hates you more when they try to knock you down, but you keep getting back up.

 

[Orangezoo]

Gmac on Melo. Then he talks a little about this guard group and what they bring, Joe, and finally Judah.

Great interview. Gerry just needs a year or two of cuse having strong seasons and he will be ready for a HC job. We are lucky to have him as is Red.

 

[Zepharus]

CHILLS - that was outstanding. Get him to Cuse post haste!

 

[Yeti]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangeDW]

Interesting, I'm not sure there were enough shots to go around for Wade, LeBron and Melo... Also LeBron and Melo's games were way to similar back then. Bosh was the perfect complementary player to LeBron and d-wade.

It's too bad Stoudamire's knee gave out... and they could never get a good point guard beyond Felton. But then again a lot of that is on Melo forcing his way to NYC was waiting 3 freaking months. Oh well... regardless he had a great career, has his health and happiness and is set for life. Can't ask for more.

Sounds like the Knicks fault to me, not Melo’s. Everyone knew he wanted to go there. They should’ve just waited.

Obviously Denver wanted to get something for him.

 

[OrangeDW]

Yeah, I never understood why he wanted it to go down that way, rather than waiting for free agency??

Knicks had to gut their young talent to send to Denver to get Melo, which then screwed their chances of actually winning with him.

Oh well.


I remember a LOT of people said the move for him was to go to Chicago instead, since they "had the pieces" to surround him and get a Ship.
Except then every one of their best players got hurt, and that team was never the same again.

So, other than not holding out for a Heatles thing w/ Bron & D'Wade, he prolly did the best he could've.

All of that said - Olympics Melo was the BEST MELO. *
When he got to be A Man, rather than THE MAN, he was just soooo much more effective.

(* post-Syracse, naturally. Cuse Melo is the GOAT)

People in 2014: “Melo just cares about money, he should’ve went to Chicago to play with Rose and Noah to win a title!”

People in 2016: “Melo should’ve went to Chicago! (Presumably to play with Rose and Noah, even though Rose and Noah are now on the Knicks and largely washed up!)”

Make it make sense.

 

[MikeSU02]

Can go ahead and write his name in sharpie for first ballot.

Has one of the best looking jump shots of all time. Was an offensive force. Pulled the nuggets out of irrelevance. Same with the Knicks. Crushed the Olympics. #9 in NBA all time scoring leaders.

Everyone should go to their local court/gym and do a jab step in his honor.

I wonder if he’ll have JB do his HoF intro.