Melo left out of ESPN's top 10 NBA players...again.

[Trueblue25]

This has to be a joke.

James Harden over Melo? Jesus.


I get it he has no post season success. Don't tell that to NY, it'll fall on empty ears.

 

[Brooky03]

James Harden lol.

Strategy: run at guys, fall over, chuck ball near rim/backboard, repeat.

 

[Jesus8123]

Nooooo way you take Hardin over Melo, on pure skill alone, it's Melo all the way, I enbision great things for him in the triangle O

 

[Melancer46]

Alright, trying to figure out who's left for the top 10 now:

1. LeBron
2. Durant
3. Blake Griffin
4. CP3
5. Dwight
6. Westbrook
7. James Harden
8. Steph Curry
9. Kevin Love
10. Anthony Davis

None of those guys have been listed yet, right? I don't think Harden > Melo is that bad honestly. If I were ranking guys in terms of MVP odds, Melo would definitely be higher, but I imagine the argument is:
1. Both are elite and versatile scorers.
2. Both are lackadaisical defenders that can play decent defense when they decide to try.
3. Both are above average rebounders for their positions.
4. Harden is a much, much better creator for teammates.

Honestly, I expect that Harden is not the #10 guy that kept Melo out of the top 10. I imagine it will be close to the way I have it listed above.

 

[CForth51]

Of the ten players left only 2 do not have teammates included in the top 10 (Curry and Davis). I don't think analysts are very sophisticated on how they evaluate Melo. Who is his best teammate in his NBA career? A past his prime Chauncey Billups? Amare? Give Melo any sort of support and he would be in the conversation for the top 3. Look at how he has played with team USA - maybe the best player on the floor. The guy deserves a lot more respect.

 

[Trueblue25]

Lets take a look at Kevin Love's post season success..

Or we could just look at his regular season success.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Minnesota_Timberwolves_seasons

 

[Melancer46]

Looks like it was Dwight that "snubbed" Melo, as he beat him out for #10 by 0.04 points.

 

[triplethrea]

Don't take it seriously. They put Durant at #8 because of his injury. They like to manufacture "controversial" rankings to get more clicks. "What Durant is #8???? WHY!?"

 

[jordoo]

Its really hard to say with these lists. The situations the players are in very greatly. Other than Lebron at #1 and Durrant at #2 you can probably argue a lot of different ways for the rest of the top 10. To me though as far as forwards and offensive skill sets Melo is right there with those two and on the USA teams this bears it self out clearly when everyone is surrounded by equal talent.

 

[djcon57]

I'm outraged.

 

[SWFLCUSE]

Of the ten players left only 2 do not have teammates included in the top 10 (Curry and Davis). I don't think analysts are very sophisticated on how they evaluate Melo. Who is his best teammate in his NBA career? A past his prime Chauncey Billups? Amare? Give Melo any sort of support and he would be in the conversation for the top 3. Look at how he has played with team USA - maybe the best player on the floor. The guy deserves a lot more respect.

Honestly the best teammate I can think off was probably A.I. Those two made quite a scoring duo, but that never translated into anything more.

 

[Eric15]

Alright, trying to figure out who's left for the top 10 now:

1. LeBron
2. Durant
3. Blake Griffin
4. CP3
5. Dwight
6. Westbrook
7. James Harden
8. Steph Curry
9. Kevin Love
10. Anthony Davis

None of those guys have been listed yet, right? I don't think Harden > Melo is that bad honestly. If I were ranking guys in terms of MVP odds, Melo would definitely be higher, but I imagine the argument is:
1. Both are elite and versatile scorers.
2. Both are lackadaisical defenders that can play decent defense when they decide to try.
3. Both are above average rebounders for their positions.
4. Harden is a much, much better creator for teammates.

Honestly, I expect that Harden is not the #10 guy that kept Melo out of the top 10. I imagine it will be close to the way I have it listed above.

I actually consider Kevin Love the 3rd best player in the NBA. His versatility as arguably the best rebounder in the league and a legitimately good three point shooter just isn't human.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Alright, trying to figure out who's left for the top 10 now:

1. LeBron
2. Durant
3. Blake Griffin
4. CP3
5. Dwight
6. Westbrook
7. James Harden
8. Steph Curry
9. Kevin Love
10. Anthony Davis

None of those guys have been listed yet, right? I don't think Harden > Melo is that bad honestly. If I were ranking guys in terms of MVP odds, Melo would definitely be higher, but I imagine the argument is:
1. Both are elite and versatile scorers.
2. Both are lackadaisical defenders that can play decent defense when they decide to try.
3. Both are above average rebounders for their positions.
4. Harden is a much, much better creator for teammates.

Honestly, I expect that Harden is not the #10 guy that kept Melo out of the top 10. I imagine it will be close to the way I have it listed above.

Dwight?

 

[NineOneSeven]

Steph Curry is a top five talent in the league and he'll show it (again) this season.

 

[MikeSU02]

Steph Curry is a top five talent in the league and he'll show it (again) this season.

He's terrible at defense. To be fair, he wants to be better but he has serious issues because of his size, inability to handle screens and the depth of quality point guards in the league.

You cannot be top five when you play one half of the game at a poor level and only raise to passable if you are on ball without getting screened and part of a team D that is built to hide you.

The Warriors couldn't include Klay in the Love deal because 1) Klay' on-ball defense allows GSW flexibility in defensive assignments and 2) NBA teams can't rely on their two top superstars (would have been Love and Curry) being poor defenders while giving up a very good on ball defender in Klay.

Steph is fun to watch on offense and he can go off for 40 when his J is falling, but he is not top five.

 

[Melancer46]

Dwight?

Yes, Dwight Howard.

I was off anyways. The top 5 is some combination of LeBron, Blake Griffin, Westbrook, Anthony Davis, and CP3. Howard was 10. Harden 9. Durant 8. Love 7. Curry 6.

 

[Knicks411]

I actually consider Kevin Love the 3rd best player in the NBA. His versatility as arguably the best rebounder in the league and a legitimately good three point shooter just isn't human.

I think his defense just isn't good enough to get him to the top 3. Great player though. I may be jumping the gun here by a few months, but I'll take Anthony Davis at #3. (Durant is #8 because he's going to miss time, fair enough, but everyone knows its Lebron, a small gap, Durant, a big gap, everyone else, right?)

Melo for me is right around the top 10. The pro Melo team USA argument does nothing for me. Basically all they ask him to do is spot up and score. That's great, he can excel at that. It doesn't mean anything to me as far as his value in the NBA.

Harden and Melo are very similar to me. Harden is probably worse on defense though. Harden is a much more efficient scorer and playmaker, but he doesn't use as many possessions and turns it over more. That's a coinflip as far as I'm concerned.

Westbrook is not a top 5 player to me.

 

[SoBeCuse]

I think his defense just isn't good enough to get him to the top 3. Great player though. I may be jumping the gun here by a few months, but I'll take Anthony Davis at #3. (Durant is #8 because he's going to miss time, fair enough, but everyone knows its Lebron, a small gap, Durant, a big gap, everyone else, right?)

Melo for me is right around the top 10. The pro Melo team USA argument does nothing for me. Basically all they ask him to do is spot up and score. That's great, he can excel at that. It doesn't mean anything to me as far as his value in the NBA.

Harden and Melo are very similar to me. Harden is probably worse on defense though. Harden is a much more efficient scorer and playmaker, but he doesn't use as many possessions and turns it over more. That's a coinflip as far as I'm concerned.

Westbrook is not a top 5 player to me.

Good post. I agree and would also take Davis #3. I have no problem with Melo anywhere between 10-12. He and Harden are very similar like you say. Both poor defenders and you pointed out the rest.

 

[Tony DeFranco]

I don't know if anyone watched the finals but the best player on the court was Leonard - and every GM would take Leonard over Melo - there is more than being a great scorer to success in the NBA - so far Melo has proven to be the ultimate chemistry killer - we'll see what happens under Phil but this is his last chance to prove he's not a garbage player like Vince Carter, Iverson and McGrady - all nice players with about as much say in winning a title as you or I do

 

[rrlbees]

I don't know if anyone watched the finals but the best player on the court was Leonard - and every GM would take Leonard over Melo - there is more than being a great scorer to success in the NBA - so far Melo has proven to be the ultimate chemistry killer - we'll see what happens under Phil but this is his last chance to prove he's not a garbage player like Vince Carter, Iverson and McGrady - all nice players with about as much say in winning a title as you or I do

The ultimate chemistry killer?

 

[OrangeDW]

I don't know if anyone watched the finals but the best player on the court was Leonard - and every GM would take Leonard over Melo - there is more than being a great scorer to success in the NBA - so far Melo has proven to be the ultimate chemistry killer - we'll see what happens under Phil but this is his last chance to prove he's not a garbage player like Vince Carter, Iverson and McGrady - all nice players with about as much say in winning a title as you or I do

I honestly don't even know where to start.....wow.

Leonard was a great role player on a great TEAM. Replace Melo with Leonard on the Knicks and they might win 20 games, while his FG% drops like a rock.

 

[OrangeDW]

How bad Melo is on defense is so exaggerated. I swear people who don't even watch actual NBA games just repeat this nonstop because they heard someone else say it.

Yet everyone loves Steph Curry and doesn't say a word about his defense.

 

[Knicks411]

I honestly don't even know where to start...wow.

Leonard was a great role player on a great TEAM. Replace Melo with Leonard on the Knicks and they might win 20 games, while his FG% drops like a rock.

I'm a big fan of Leonard. I'm not sure he's ready to be a leading player yet, but I think he's getting there. Not ready to say he's a better player than Melo though.
I think the Melo as a chemistry killer idea is overrated. He's not Lebron, but nobody is. I think he could do a better job getting his teammates involved, but there is something to be said for a guy who can use a huge amount of possessions while maintaining solid scoring efficiency and limiting the turnovers.

 

[Tony DeFranco]

My problem with Melo is not defense - he get's the ball - and holds it - runs the clock down - then jacks up a long jumper - and he wonders y all his teammates suck

I love Melo but he is 10 years in the league - if his career ends on its current path no one will know who he was in 20 years from now outside of Syracuse

 

[SoBeCuse]

How bad Melo is on defense is so exaggerated. I swear people who don't even watch actual NBA games just repeat this nonstop because they heard someone else say it.

Yet everyone loves Steph Curry and doesn't say a word about his defense.

Curry is bad too. Melo is bad. Undeniable. I swear Melo watches guys get layups right in front of him more than anybody I have seen in recent memory in the NBA. It's a two way street. I believe if you put Melo on the Spurs in Kawhi's spot then the Spurs take a step back. Partly because Kawhi defends and does more on the court. Part of it the system in SA and Leonard's role in it. Melo is a better offensive player and Leonard doesn't have that in his arsenal to be able to be the main guy on a bad team. Does that make Leonard a worse player? Maybe, maybe not.