Melo Stays with the Knicks !!!!

[TheCusian]

How are the Knicks trending up? They added Calderon and rookie head coach who has never coached anything. That is a lot of optimism rather than fact. Gasol could get more than 17 million in a max deal.

The moves Phil has made.

- Retaining a top ten NBA player who just has his statistical best season.
- Making a good trade to get rid of dead weight to get Calderon (a much better fit for Melo and the triangle.

The young players.

- Tim Hardaway Jr. is a good player who might grow into a star. Either way - I have faith that Phil/Fisher can lead him to playing his best. He was good last year on a bad team with coaching issues.

- Early is a good pick. He fits the triangle, plays smart, local kid (Brooklyn), and is hungry to get better.

Melo.

- In picking Phil, he's choosing the triangle. An offense built to move the ball. Melo told Phil in their FA meeting that he loved how San Antonio wins and plays. These all point to curbing some if Melo's perceived weaknesses.

- He is in his prime. He is Melo.

Competition is weaker.

- The East sucked last season.
- The East got weaker. Indy will probably lose Stephenson. Miami is much worse without LeBron. Cavs will be good, but it will take some time. Washington is trending upwards, but I'm not scared of them. Brooklyn is old and Deron Williams is washed up.

 

[TheCusian]

This is a good read on why they are trending up: http://www.msg.com/teams/knicks/knicks-fix/melo-takes-ownership.html

 

[KaiserUEO]

This is a good read on why they are trending up: http://www.msg.com/teams/knicks/knicks-fix/melo-takes-ownership.html

again, i dont see any reason why the Knicks WONT win the Atlantic next year.

which would make for 2 of the last 3 years and that hasnt happened since the Ewing era, if it even did (i think there was only 2 divisions back then, who knows? who cares?)

granted the NBA is not baseball where starting pitching can turn a series, or the NHL and a goalie and certainly NOT the NFL where if you get healthy and hot...fuggetaboudit. but if they can get themselves in position for a run...with 1 of the top 5 guys in the league...they could make a go of it.

if anything people may start to want to take a discount to come PLAY with Melo in the Garden.

hes the Alpha Dog in the Alpha Town.

this is good, i understand why everyone was so damn afraid of Melo signing to stay.

but just remember, we wont forget who the haters and debbie downers are, you guys are pathetic.

those who are outright afraid of the on-coming Knick Championship Train??...its ok, go cower in a corner, we get it.

 

[TheCusian]

again, i dont see any reason why the Knicks WONT win the Atlantic next year.

which would make for 2 of the last 3 years and that hasnt happened since the Ewing era, if it even did (i think there was only 2 divisions back then, who knows? who cares?)

granted the NBA is not baseball where starting pitching can turn a series, or the NHL and a goalie and certainly NOT the NFL where if you get healthy and hot...fuggetaboudit. but if they can get themselves in position for a run...with 1 of the top 5 guys in the league...they could make a go of it.

if anything people may start to want to take a discount to come PLAY with Melo in the Garden.

hes the Alpha Dog in the Alpha Town.

this is good, i understand why everyone was so damn afraid of Melo signing to stay.

but just remember, we wont forget who the haters and debbie downers are, you guys are pathetic.

those who are outright afraid of the on-coming Knick Championship Train??...its ok, go cower in a corner, we get it.

It's like 2nd place in the East two years ago doesn't count or something. That team had an aging Jason Kidd and other assorted dinosaurs and did okay...

There's an negative over-reaction to all things Knicks, that I don't get.

 

[Bayside44]

It's like 2nd place in the East two years ago doesn't count or something. That team had an aging Jason Kidd and other assorted dinosaurs and did okay...

There's an negative over-reaction to all things Knicks, that I don't get.

Ownership and bad cap management (Stat and Bargs are killers). I like Hardaway, and some of the talent.

 

[Knicks411]

It's like 2nd place in the East two years ago doesn't count or something. That team had an aging Jason Kidd and other assorted dinosaurs and did okay...

There's an negative over-reaction to all things Knicks, that I don't get.

A lot of the reasons they were good 2 years ago are gone. Kidd was definitely a part of it. Chandler was too. Melo was of course the biggest part of it.

If Fisher can coach, maybe the Knicks can surprise. But they could also end up playing Bargs for 30 minutes per night at center.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

- The East sucked last season.
- The East got weaker. Indy will probably lose Stephenson. Miami is much worse without LeBron. Cavs will be good, but it will take some time. Washington is trending upwards, but I'm not scared of them. Brooklyn is old and Deron Williams is washed up.

You forgot Chicago. Gasol's a good get.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

This may be semantics, but I'm not sure how likely it is. They're projected for about $17 million in cap space, they could for su re carve out more money if they had to. Gasol would be awesome, that's probably the best case scenario, right? Aldridge has already said he's planning on sign an extension next summer. We'll see if Love gets traded.

My one worry is that it just seems like the general idea is the Knicks have some cap space next summer and they have Phil, so stars will just magically appear on the roster.

Eh, even if they can't lure a star, I think whatever they use that cap space on will net them much more production than Stat/Bargs. I don't have any doubt they'll actually spend and try to compete, and in the Eastern conference it doesn't take much.

 

[Knicks411]

Eh, even if they can't lure a star, I think whatever they use that cap space on will net them much more production than Stat/Bargs. I don't have any doubt they'll actually spend and try to compete, and in the Eastern conference it doesn't take much.

Ha, getting literally anyone will give you more production than Bargs, so no argument there. I just don't think its a given that now the stars will be flocking to MSG is all.

 

[Alsacs]

The Knicks are not the favorites in the Atlantic its a 3 way wide open race between Toronto, Brooklyn, and New York.

Somebody said last year was Melo's best statistical season? Um, no he didn't even make 3rd team All-NBA last year. I love Melo but he did not play well last year he hated Woodson and didn't play hard at all in a lot of games. I think Melo is the bottom half of the top 10 in terms of NBA players, but he doesn't make teammates better. Melo is Bernard King he is a scorer and you need surround him with players that will do the dirty work and play defense as he isn't a good defender but will score you 30 point a night.

I get people are Knicks fans in this thread, but Melo is never going to be the best player on the championship if he is taking up 23 million dollars of a 63-70 million salary cap. Players want to play where the weather is good LA, Texas, Florida or where they can get 5 years. The East might be wide open but their are still a LOT of teams better than New York. Cleveland, Chicago, Indiana, hell even Miami have better rosters than New York right now. Everyone was saying Pau Gasol would consider NY and he didn't even visit. Marc Gasol could go to Boston, Orlando, New York, Memphis right now and I doubt Gasol going to NY even puts them as a top 4 East team.

 

[Bayside44]

You forgot Chicago. Gasol's a good get.

Gasol is also 34 right now, not sure that would've been a good long term get for the Knicks considering they need other things first.

 

[Alsacs]

Right now if I was doing O/U for East teams it would go like this off the top of my head.

Cleveland(without Love) 54.5
Chicago 52.5
Indiana 50.5
Miami(assuming they resign Wade) 46.5
Washington 45.5
Atlanta 44.5
Brooklyn 43.5
Toronto 43.5
New York 43.5
Detroit 40.5
Boston 34.5
Orlando 30.5
Milwaukee 25.5
Philadelphia 20.5

 

[Alsacs]

Gasol is also 34 right now, not sure that would've been a good long term get for the Knicks considering they need other things first.

Pau Gasol at 33 set a career high with 11rpg and still scored 17ppg on a team without a PG and terrible coach for using his talents. Gasol with Noah and Gibson playing 5 will thrive in Chicago giving them scoring they have desperately needed.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Somebody said last year was Melo's best statistical season? Um, no he didn't even make 3rd team All-NBA last year.

He had the highest per game averages in his career in rebounding and assists, and also had his best season shooting 3s and FTs by percentage, all while playing the most average minutes in his career. He didn't make an All-NBA team because people were drunk on Paul George, not because as an individual player he didn't have an incredible season.

 

[Knicks411]

Melo played great last year. He might have been a little better the year before, but the last 2 years were probably the two best years of his career.

 

[TheCusian]

You forgot Chicago. Gasol's a good get.

Good point.

 

[Alsacs]

He had the highest per game averages in his career in rebounding and assists, and also had his best season shooting 3s and FTs by percentage, all while playing the most average minutes in his career. He didn't make an All-NBA team because people were drunk on Paul George, not because as an individual player he didn't have an incredible season.

I am a Syracuse fan and love Melo but Paul George is the BETTER PLAYER. George can play defense. George melted down because of the catfish he was caught in and women extorting him for a lot of money. That plus the Pacers killed their locker room with Bynum and Turner.

 

[Bayside44]

Pau Gasol at 33 set a career high with 11rpg and still scored 17ppg on a team without a PG and terrible coach for using his talents. Gasol with Noah and Gibson playing 5 will thrive in Chicago giving them scoring they have desperately needed.

Good for Chicago. He still isn't a good choice for where the Knicks are today considering his age and the big bodies with the big salaries most likely on the roster next season. The NYK went old two seasons ago, didn't help.

 

[Alsacs]

Melo played great last year. He might have been a little better the year before, but the last 2 years were probably the two best years of his career.

If last year was one of Melo's 2 best years and he couldn't lead the Knicks on his own to the 8th seed in the East that is sad. Atlanta wanted in the lottery and Knicks couldn't catch them. I love Melo but if your a top 10 player in the crappy Eastern conference YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS.

 

[TheCusian]

The Knicks are not the favorites in the Atlantic its a 3 way wide open race between Toronto, Brooklyn, and New York. Somebody said last year was Melo's best statistical season? Um, no he didn't even make 3rd team All-NBA last year. I love Melo but he did not play well last year he hated Woodson and didn't play hard at all in a lot of games. I think Melo is the bottom half of the top 10 in terms of NBA players, but he doesn't make teammates better. Melo is Bernard King he is a scorer and you need surround him with players that will do the dirty work and play defense as he isn't a good defender but will score you 30 point a night. I get people are Knicks fans in this thread, but Melo is never going to be the best player on the championship if he is taking up 23 million dollars of a 63-70 million salary cap. Players want to play where the weather is good LA, Texas, Florida or where they can get 5 years. The East might be wide open but their are still a LOT of teams better than New York. Cleveland, Chicago, Indiana, hell even Miami have better rosters than New York right now. Everyone was saying Pau Gasol would consider NY and he didn't even visit. Marc Gasol could go to Boston, Orlando, New York, Memphis right now and I doubt Gasol going to NY even puts them as a top 4 East team.

A core of Marc Gasol, Melo, Calderon is near perfect for the triangle and on offense would be top 2 in the east. D is the issue, though Gasol and Melo can be good defenders if they want to be.

Why would Gasol go to Orlando?

 

[Alsacs]

Good for Chicago. He still isn't a good choice for where the Knicks are today considering his age and the big bodies with the big salaries most likely on the roster next season. The NYK went old two seasons ago, didn't help.

If Gasol would have considered the Knicks Phil Jackson would have signed him in a cocaine heartbeat. However, Gasol wants to win and he knows he has no chance to win a championship with the Knicks during the rest of his decent playing career. Gasol is probably the best C in the East right now unless you like Hibbert more.

 

[Alsacs]

A core of Marc Gasol, Melo, Calderon is near perfect for the triangle and on offense would be top 2 in the east. D is the issue, though Gasol and Melo can be good defenders if they want to be.

Why would Gasol go to Orlando?

I didn't say he would go to Orlando, but they will be able to offer a full max offer and not 17 million a year which is the assumed Knicks cap space and Florida has no income tax.

 

[TheCusian]

If last year was one of Melo's 2 best years and he couldn't lead the Knicks on his own to the 8th seed in the East that is sad. Atlanta wanted in the lottery and Knicks couldn't catch them. I love Melo but if your a top 10 player in the crappy Eastern conference YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS.

Dd you watch them last year? Felton, JR, and Shumpert were awful. Felton and Shump had issues with trades and coaching - and JR is JR.

If Melo did what he did statistically and they still couldn't win? From a numbers standpoint - it's not on him.

Last year: best numbers in a lot of categories, no playoffs.

Year before: good numbers, #2 in the East.

 

[TheCusian]

I didn't say he would go to Orlando, but they will be able to offer a full max offer and not 17 million a year which is the assumed Knicks cap space and Florida has no income tax.

So one Gasol brother chooses Chicago because he wants to win, despite money. The other brother chooses max money on a bad team?

It hardly matters, as a lot can happen in a year. But NY is a much better situation than Orlando if you care about winning.

 

[Knicks411]

A core of Marc Gasol, Melo, Calderon is near perfect for the triangle and on offense would be top 2 in the east. D is the issue, though Gasol and Melo can be good defenders if they want to be.

Why would Gasol go to Orlando?

Gasol is a very good defender. Melo, not so much. Maybe he can be average, but he's just not a good defender. Calderon is very poor. But you would expect th at to be a very good offense.

The Knick team was a dumpster fire last year. They were playing Bargs at the 5. Ray Felton was probably the worst starting guard in the league. If Chandler doesn't break his leg, or if Bargs does miss the whole season, they probably do make the playoffs.