And So Begins The Offseason
This team needs to get better. Now.
It has definitely turned into beating a dead horse on here, but the supporting cast around LeBron James is garbage. Mike Brown detractors are going to cringe when I say this, but LeBron James and the defensive culture embedded by Brown are the only reasons this team got all the way to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals this year.
Look at the boxscore from Sunday’s 97-92 Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics: LeBron James scored 45 of the Cavs’ 92 points. It’s flat out embarrassing that this team, franchise, and organization are so overly-dependent on one guy. They expect him to drive and dunk. They expect him to be a great free-throw shooter. They expect him to be their best shooter. They expect him to be their best defender. They expect him to shut down the opponents’ best perimeter player. They expect him to fight for himself and be an enforcer for other guys, too. They expect him to make the garbage that has been put around him better based on his skill of elevating the games of those around him.
But 45 out of 92 points…that means that the rest of the Cavs scored all of 47 points. LB scored nearly half of Cleveland’s Game 7 output on Sunday. Eight other Cavaliers other than #23 suited up for Game 7, and here’s the breakdown of how they performed:
- Delonte West: 15 points, five assists, three rebounds, two-for-four 3-point shooting, six turnovers
- Zydrunas Ilgauskas: Eight points, five rebounds, one block, two-for-eight from the field
- Ben Wallace’s Corpse: Three points, four rebounds, one block (so much for that “defensive presence”)
- Wally Szczerbiak’s Expiring Contract: Zero (I repeat: ZERO) points, oh-for-three from the field, oh-for-two from downtown, a rebound, two turnovers, four fouls
- Joe Smith: Six points, six boards, three-for-five from the field in 16 minutes of burn
- Anderson “$60 million” Varejao: Five points, two boards, three fouls in 11 minutes
- Sasha Pavlovic: Seven points, three-for-eight from the field, one-for-two on 3s, five fouls
- Damon Jones’ Inexplicably Inflated Ego: Three points, one-for-three from the field, one-for-two from downtown in 10 minutes
This team minus LeBron James absolutely sucks. This is worse than the group of role players that Allen Iverson led to the Finals in ‘01. I don’t see how they can beat anybody in the league if you take LeBron away. I’d take the New York Knicks’ trainwreck in a heartbeat over a LeBron-less Cavs team. LB almost willed the Cavs to victory with a second-half comeback, but in the end, the better team wins. While there is no question that LeBron James is the best player on either squad, the Celtics are clearly the better team.
But you can’t completely absolve LeBron of all blame for this Game 7 loss. LB was a 31.5 percent shooter from 3 this season. He’s been a 32.4 percent shooter from beyond the arc in his five-year career. So what the hell was he doing jacking up 11 treys in this game??? He only connected on three of them, a 27 percent mark for the game.
Why in the world this guy throws up so many 3s is beyond me. LeBron is not a good three-point shooter. He just isn’t. Yet something keeps telling him that he is. He wasn’t a good three-point shooter when he entered the league. He wasn’t a good three-point shooter a couple years ago. He isn’t a good three-point shooter now. You don’t even see great three-point shooters like Steve Nash or Reggie Miller hurling up 11 three-pointers in a playoff game.
The defining moment of Game 7 came at the 1:43 mark in the fourth quarter with the Cavs trailing, 89-88. Cleveland moved the ball around to set up a good shot, but the great defense from the C’s prevented the Cavs from getting a high-percentage shot. After Ben Wallace returned an entry pass to LeBron with five seconds left on the shot clock, LeBron, who was getting some space from Paul Pierce, decided to throw up a 3 that was a good five feet from behind the arc. The shot missed (of course), and the Cavs never got within one point again.
Not even good 3-point shooters take shots like those in a Game 7. If they do, it’s in desperation with the shot clock about to expire or in the midst of a career night. Far be it me to tell LeBron James what to do or tell Mike Brown how he should coach, but it would have been far better to put the ball on the floor, try to get to the line, or even take a higher percentage shot. There’s no guarantee that it would have worked, but it sure beats chucking 30-footers in crunch time with the season on the line by a guy barely shooting over 30 percent from downtown on the year.
As far as supporting casts, look at what happened for the C’s: Kevin Garnett is Boston’s franchise guy, but his line of 13 points and 13 boards, while solid, isn’t nearly good enough for a guy of his stature in a game of this magnitude. Ray Allen continued being worthless by scoring just four points on one-for-six shooting in 30 minutes. Everybody else on that roster looked quite Cavs-ish - except Paul Pierce.
Pierce isn’t Boston’s franchise player. He’s KG’s wingman. And on a day when KG just wasn’t feeling up to it, Pierce was the guy who dropped 41 on the Cavaliers and almost single-handedly took the Celtics back to the Eastern Conference Finals. If LeBron had a guy like that as his wingman, he might already have a championship ring on his finger, and Cleveland fans wouldn’t be saying “44 years and counting” for their next championship of any sort.
The Cavs let a guy like Carlos Boozer get away, but think about how much having a guy like him would have helped in this series. And what if the Cavs had been able to land Michael Redd in 2005 free agency instead of settling for Laura Hughes? What if they had took a gamble on Joe Johnson, who is quickly elevating himself as a superstar, as a restricted free agent?
Upgrading this sorry-ass roster is what this summer should revolve around at One Center Court. The Cavs need a second All-Star to put next to LeBron James. Jordan never won without Pippen. Shaq never won without Kobe (don’t even tell me it was the other way around back then, Kobe fans). Duncan never won without David Robinson at first, and then Parker and Ginobili afterwards. Even D-Wade needed a serviceable Shaq to win in ‘06.
The thing is that those kind of guys are available every year on the trade market. Every single season there is a team treading water paying a guy an exorbitant amount of money looking to make a salary dump and start all over. This year, it was Pau Gasol and the Memphis Grizzlies. Last offseason, it was Garnett and the Minnesota Timberwolves. In 2006-07, it was Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers. In 2005-06, it was Ron Artest and the Indiana Pacers. In 2004-05, it was Baron Davis and the New Orleans Hornets.
We could keep going back to find more, but I think you get my point.
What do these rebuilding teams look for? Hoards of expiring contracts, draft picks, and if possible, a few young and cheap prospects. That’s why Kwame Brown’s $9 million expiring contract was gold for the Lakers this year.
Even with February’s trade deadline shakeup, GM Danny Ferry maintained the kind of cap flexibility he had before the trade. The Cavaliers are in a prime position to be the kind of team that has the assets to give a team that is rebuilding, possibly as soon as this summer. Szczerbiak is entering the last year of a contract that pays him $13 million this upcoming year. Eric Snow is $7.3 million off the books in ‘09. Joe Smith and Damon Jones are at $5.5 million and $4.5 million, respectively.
That’s $30.3 million in expiring contracts for 2009. A team saddled with a superstar player making big-time money would love to shed that contract, save a ton of money, and acquire draft picks along the way.
And that’s something the Cavs finally have. They’ll have their first-round pick every year from now on, marking the first time in God-knows-how-long that they haven’t recklessly traded away draft picks.
So who’s on the block?
Well, Carmelo Anthony, for one. Denver has not only lost in the first-round of the playoffs in each of Melo’s first five seasons in the league: they’ve been blown out and embarrassed. The Nuggets are 4-20 in the postseason in their Melo era, losing 4-1 to the Timberwolves, Spurs, Clippers (yes, the Clippers), and Spurs again before getting swept out altogether by the Lakers last month.
That kind of track record on the court combined with Anthony’s numerous off-court issues has led the Nuggets to finally listen to trade offers for Melo:
Denver already has Allen Iverson. On a team that is ridiculed for their lack of defense, you can’t see them trading away the one good defender they have in Marcus Camby. But the Nuggets are still a team saddled with bad contracts that can look to take a step backward to take two forward, even if it involves doing it without the Melo Man.
The Cavs should also be willing to take back some bad contracts in return. And boy, do the Nuggets have plenty. Kenyon Martin may be known now more for having the worst contract in the league instead of the high-flying alley-oop finisher with Jason Kidd he was in New Jersey. K-Mart’s deal runs through 2010 with a player option in excess of $16 million for 2010-11. Seeing that he’s not going to get anywhere close to that on the open market when he’ll be 32-years old and even more washed up, bet the mortgage on him exercising that option.
But if the Cavs look to entice the Nuggets for Melo, then they have to take K-Mart back. If not K-Mart, then Denver will throw Nene and his poor health combined with bad contract at the Cavs. Nene’s deal goes through 2011 with a player option worth $11.6 million for 2011-12.
And if you’re Ferry, you let the Nuggets pick which one is coming your way if this is all a question of whether or not you’re getting Carmelo Anthony. As for the specifics of Melo’s contract, he was the lone member of the 2003 draft headliners to not take a shorter deal, opting instead for a four-year contract with a player option for a fifth season. That deal, like Nene’s, goes through ‘11 with an option for ‘11-12.
So here’s what the Cavs can do to get a talent like Carmelo Anthony next to LeBron James: Szczerbiak, Jones, Smith, first-round picks in ‘09 and ‘11, whichever player the Cavs draft this June, Anderson Varejao, and Daniel Gibson all to the Nuggets for Carmelo Anthony and Kenyon Martin. Denver gets $23 million coming off the books in 2009 and gets rid of two contracts that go through 2011. They also get two first-round picks, a draft prospect from 2008, and two solid young role players in Varejao and Gibson.
Sure, LeBron would be sad to see AV and Boobie, two of his favorites, leave. But we all know of his well-documented friendship with Anthony, and it would be a dream come true for him to join forces with Melo in Cleveland. While both guys play the small forward position, both are versatile enough to move around and play at multiple spots. At 6′9″ and 260 pounds (according to himself), LeBron’s big enough to play the power forward position. He is just coming off a season where he averaged a career-high 7.9 boards as a small forward.
Or he can play the two-guard. That combination of size and speed would be devastating for every shooting guard in the NBA.
Melo, on the other hand, showed a vast array of post moves in FIBA two summers ago. He had developed a versatile offensive game and also averaged a career-high in boards with 7.4 this past season. He can play either one of the forward positions and is also versatile enough to play the off-guard at times, as well.
The matchup nightmares would be absolutely devastating. And in a Game 7 where LeBron is carrying his team on his back and looking around breathlessly for help, he’d have to look no further than Melo, who would gladly step up and pick up the scoring load for his high school pal.
Is it a long shot? Well, not nearly as much of a long shot as the Cavs getting either Jason Kidd or Mike Bibby at this past deadline based on the garbage assets they had. But now, they have all the things that a team looking to rebuild is looking for. If Denver is serious about moving Carmelo Anthony, Cleveland’s package of $23 million in expiring contracts, two first-round picks, whoever is drafted in the first-round this year, and two guys like Varejao and Gibson is an absolute homerun.
And they get rid of Martin’s contract. Absolute gold on both ends.
Guys like Elton Brand, Baron Davis, and Gilbert Arenas might also be on the block soon. But remember: star players are always available every year. This kind of trade is what Ferry was brought in for. This is the move that could determine LeBron James’ future in Cleveland, and it’s the kind of move that may decide if the city’s 44-year championship drought is finally coming to an end.
Hey, they laughed at “Kwame Brown for Pau Gasol” once upon a time. Good GMs find a way to make pipedreams a reality.
This entry was posted
on Sunday, May 18th, 2008 at 10:02 pm and is filed under Kwame Brown, Nene, Carlos Boozer, David Robinson, Shaquille O'Neal, Jason Kidd, Marcus Camby, Manu Ginobili, Ray Allen, Anderson Varejao, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Joe Johnson, Kenyon Martin, Wally Szczerbiak, Danny Ferry, Delonte West, Michael Redd, Damon Jones, Paul Pierce, Joe Smith, Los Angeles Lakers, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, Cleveland Cavaliers, New Jersey Nets, Detroit Pistons, Ron Artest, Carmelo Anthony, Pau Gasol, Ben Wallace, Allen Iverson, Sasha Pavlovic, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Mike Brown, Tony Parker, Larry Hughes, Boston Celtics.
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27 Responses to “And So Begins The Offseason”
May 19th, 2008 at 1:11 am
I doubt that the Nuggets really deal Melo like that, but I think you’re looking at the right team as a trade partner. Except it’s Iverson you should try to get your hands on. AI still has about two good years left in the tank. You may not even have to give up nearly as much as you say you would for Melo. Probably all those expirings, just one draft pick, plus Varejao for both AI and Kenyon. KMart would be a hell of an upgrade over pansy ass Anderson Varejao.
May 19th, 2008 at 3:41 am
there is one reason LBJ shots so many 3’s against good teams. It’s easier. I mean, the guy has to get tired of trying to take it to the rim everytime down the floor. it’s the one time lebron can rest either on offense or defense. and if he makes 1 or 2 along the way, even better.
LBJ shooting 3’s is yet another side effect of not having a consistent second scorer. I can’t blame him.
May 19th, 2008 at 5:18 am
Brand over Anthony every day of the year. Anthony is simply an improved version of Laura Hughes. He’ll take too many shots and not play very good defense.
Mmmm, Elton Brand. That’s a solid 20-10 every night. He likely won’t cost nearly as much as you suggest here for Anthony (although why the Nugs would want 5 players is debatable) either.
May 19th, 2008 at 5:27 am
It begs the question.
Is Cleveland positive it keeps LeBron or is he truly destined to leave for a bigger market?
I would cringe at the thought of what the Cavs would be then.
May 19th, 2008 at 7:27 am
[…] I remember many recent crushing defeats: Indians in last year’s ALCS, any of the 3 OSU title game let-downs, the Cavs’ obliteration in the Finals… all of them stung more than yesterday’s win. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I’ll try.” [Sons of Nev] “Look at the boxscore from Sunday’s 97-92 Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics: LeBron James scored 45 of the Cavs’ 92 points. It’s flat out embarrassing that this team, franchise, and organization are so overly-dependent on one guy. They expect him to drive and dunk. They expect him to be a great free-throw shooter. They expect him to be their best shooter. They expect him to be their best defender. They expect him to shut down the opponents’ best perimeter player. They expect him to fight for himself and be an enforcer for other guys, too. They expect him to make the garbage that has been put around him better based on his skill of elevating the games of those around him.” [Cavalier Attitude] […]
May 19th, 2008 at 7:30 am
[…] to say — even after the much ballyhooed mid-season trade — the Cavaliers organization really needs some quality players to put around the face of their […]
May 19th, 2008 at 7:32 am
[…] Spurs. - Gilbertology - Rodney White, Joseph Forte, and Jeryl Sasser have one thing in common. - Cavalier Attitude - LeBron James and Mike Brown: good. Everybody else: garbage. - Dime - Is Paul Pierce “The […]
May 19th, 2008 at 8:28 am
“don’t even tell me it was the other way around”
It was whether you want to hear it or not.
Frequently people point out that Shaq won the Finals MVP three years running; but in each of those three years, the Finals wasn’t the most difficult series the Lakers played. The East was weak and the Lakers beat up on the Pacers 4-2, on the 76ers 4-1, and on the Nets 4-0. What each of those three teams had in common was that they lacked a center who could slow Shaq down in any meaningful way. The Pacers had Rik Smits at the end of his career; the 76ers had 90 year old Dikembe Mutumbo and Todd MacCulloch; and the Nets had … Todd MacCulloch, who signed with them as a free agent in the 2001 offseason. Predictably, Shaq tore through them.
The story was different when Shaq faced big men who could make him work. The Lakers most difficult series in 2000 was the Portland series, where the Lakers were down fifteen points early in the fourth quarter of Game 7 to a very good Blazers team, before beginning the biggest Game 7 fourth quarter comeback in the history of playoff basketball. Without that game, the Lakers 3-year run wouldn’t have happened … and it’s worth looking at the box score for that game, and seeing who led the team in points and assists … and rebounds … and blocked shots:
Shaquille O’Neal: 18 pts, 5 assists, 9 rebounds, 1 blocked shot
Kobe Bryant: 25 points, 7 assists, 11 rebounds, 4 blocked shots
In 2001 the Lakers put together the best post-season run ever — 15 & 1. They swept the first three teams they faced — Portland, Sacramento, and San Antonio — before losing one game to the 76ers in the Finals. (If I recall, it was the first time a team had won a championship while playing 4 straight 50+ win teams.) Despite losing a game to them, the 76ers weren’t the best team the Lakers face in the post-season; the Spurs were. The Spurs won 58 games that year. They had David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Sean Elliot, Derek Anderson, Malik Rose, Terry Porter, Avery Johnson — a deep, veteran squad. Had they gotten past the Lakers, they’d have handled the 76ers … but they didn’t get past the Lakers, principally because of Kobe. Kobe killed the Spurs in that series. They started that series off in San Antonio — mostly because of injuries, the Lakers only won 56 games that year themselves — and beat the Spurs behind 45 points by Kobe Bryant in the first game, and 28 in the second. Then they went home and humiliated the Spurs in Los Angeles in two straight games — the Lakers were a very, very good team that year, when healthy — and Kobe didn’t lead the team in either of those two home games. But — again — the most dangerous team the Lakers faced that year was in the Western Conference, and had an MVP award been handed out for that series, there’s no doubt who’d have won it.
2002’s the only year I’d have handed the MVP to Shaq; the Lakers most difficult series that year was against the Sacramento Kings (you remember, the one Ralf Nader thought important enough to lead a national movement over…). It went 7 games (and overtime of the 7th game) and in the four games the Lakers won, Shaq was superb. Kobe led the team in scoring in the first win, but in the next 3 it was Shaq, and he had 9, 18, 17, and 13 rebounds in those four games. More importantly, Shaq, a legendarily bad free throw shooter, shot 13 of 17 in Game 6, and 11 of 15 in Game 7. It was Shaq at his best — the sorts of games that make you wonder what he might have done had he worked at the game the way Magic or Jordan or Kobe have, over the course of his career.
May 19th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Great…I write one sentence on Shaq being better than Kobe and Laker fan comes back with an essay to glorify the ground that Kobe walks on. Just great.
May 19th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
The way the season started, I guess worse endings could’ve been scripted. Hey, the way the *series* started, it could’ve been worse. The Cavs had several chances in the last two minutes to take the lead and couldn’t catch a break. That’s the way these things go.
I disagree that LBJ’s supporting cast is garbage. Z seemed to wear down at the end of the Boston series, but he’s solid at center. Delonte has emerged as the best point guard we’ve had since Andre Miller–he’s a solid defender, he’s a competent scorer, and I think a full year next year with LeBron will give him more confidence and opportunities to initiate the offense.
The bench was deep as well. If we had Boobie in Game 7 taking those threes, we might very well be getting ready for Detroit right now. Every team would love a Joe Smith coming off the bench. And so on. Don’t get me wrong–we need another star. But it’s not like we need to blow up this team either.
Personally, I see the team’s biggest needs as the 4 and 2 in that order. This team with a 20-10 bruiser at the 4 would be positively scary. Maybe Brand’s that guy, I don’t know. I just am tired of playing 5 on 4 at the offensive end … we had that situation with ESnow for years, and now with the two-fro’ed monster (Big Ben & Wild Thing).
As for the 2, what the hell was up with Wally? He’s never played as poorly in his career as he did with Cleveland. I blame Mike Brown for some of that … I would’ve started him immediately after he was acquired to try and get him in a groove. But really, at this point he looks much more valuable as an expiring contract than as a player.
We knew this would be a bit of a transition year as we were waiting for the expiring contracts to come up. I think we are a better team now than we were when we started the year. Now we have a ridiculous amount of expiring contracts coming off the book … and let’s remember that Big Ben’s contract will be an expiring one the last year we’re guaranteed the services of King James. I’m optimistic that the Cavs can make moves over the next two years to convince LeBron to stay. Now we wait and see.
May 19th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
The best way to build a team overnight when you have nothing is like this.
1. You have to get a good player with your first round pick. The Cavs pick around 19, Donte Green is a good young forward that will be a good player.
2. Trade two future number ones (2010 and 2012) with lottery protection plus expiring contracts for one good player. (Vince Carter)
3. Use your MLE to attract another good player. (Quenton Ross-defensive stopper Clippers)
4. Give up expiring contracts for Zach Randolph. He is way overpaid, but can score down low.
Next years team.
PF Randolph Varejao
SF LeBron Green Sczerbiak
C Ilgauskus Wallace
PG West Gibson
SG Carter Ross Pavlovic
The Nets definitely want to move Carter, The Knicks are begging teams to take Randolph, Green should be there and the Clipps are not going to pay Ross.
Thoughts?
Anything you don’t like about this team? Am I unrealistic? I don’t mortgage the future because with lottery protection on the picks, if James goes I don’t give up anything.
May 19th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
“Great…I write one sentence on Shaq being better than Kobe and Laker fan comes back with an essay to glorify the ground that Kobe walks on. Just great.”
Shrug. Don’t troll if you don’t want responses.
May 19th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
If I’m the Cavs, I’m very wary of trading with either the Knicks or the Nets, just because of 2010. I don’t know if I want help them get rid of either Carter or Randolph, despite their talent, just due to their contracts alone. Plus, I don’t trust either of those guys all that much and I wouldn’t want to be the farm on those two producing.
I’d love, absolutely LOVE Elton Brand, but I think that Redd, Carter or even ‘Melo is a more realistic option, just because of his contract situation (now if he wants to opt out and do a sign-and-trade, then I’m 100% on board).
May 19th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
amar who do u think the cavs have the best chance of landing and wud u take brand or melo if u had the choice?
May 19th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Ed-
Vince Carter might be available now, and ironically it’s because of the fact that the Nets are the ones who might land Melo soon based on what I read this morning. The thing you have to be careful with over here is that you can’t get a guy who will be washed up in two years when LeBron’s a free agent. I don’t know if VC can hold up through 2010, but I do like the possibility of him being LB’s sidekick for next season.
A frontcourt of Z and Zebo would be a blackhole. Any team featuring Zebo as a prominent part has always been a lottery team.
Ben-
I’m starting to think that Denver wants actual talent back in return for Melo instead of just expirings and picks. The Nets are dangling Richard Jefferson along with Marcus Williams as well as whatever lottery pick NJ gets tomorrow. That seems very attractive if I’m Denver compared to a ton of expirings and future picks. But we’ll see if they can make it happen.
May 19th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Brett-
Given a choice, I’d take Melo simply because he’s 1) younger, 2) less injury-prone, and 3) a legitimate superstar. That said, I’d still love EB if there was no chance that we’d get Melo.
May 19th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Why choose? Let’s get both! haha
May 20th, 2008 at 12:34 am
The Cavs have 2 choices:
1) Get some serious backup for LeBron. Whatever it takes. The role players right now just ain’t doing the job.
2) Watch LeBron playing in a Knicks or Nets uniform.
May 20th, 2008 at 4:52 am
haha yeah i guess thats a good point
May 20th, 2008 at 6:24 am
Amar, lebron is not 6′9″ and 260. I don’t care what he says. He’s not big enough to play power forward.
Danny Ferry has to get something done this summer or it’s over. There’s no way that the Cavaliers will wait until 2010 and hope that the unrestricted James stays. They’ll have to trade him before his contract is up in order to get “something” for him.
May 20th, 2008 at 6:47 am
We need to use the next two years wisely. Ferry needs to make a move this offseason (to appease LBJ, if nothing else), but it doesn’t necessarily have to be THE move. If Ferry gambles on the first deal across his desk and it makes us unable to make another move during the rest of LBJ’s guaranteed tenure here, that’s infinitely worse than Ferry waiting a little and trying for an in-season Pau-like trade.
Ferry needs to have a sense of urgency … but not panic.
And no way does LeBron get traded unless we’re 10-30 halfway through his last year and he’s already buying up real estate in New York. But you know, I really just don’t see the inevitability of LBJ jetting for New York, especially if it’s anywhere close to the mess it is now. I know it’s hard for people on the coasts to fathom–that not everyone is drooling for a chance to live in their city–but what LeBron wants to do most of all is win: just like another #23 who played out (almost) all of his career in a midwestern city that worshiped him. Get LeBron his Pippen, LeBron stays, and the rings will hopefully follow.
May 20th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Looks like Melo could be headed to the Nets:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/05202008/sports/nets/nets_have_eye_on_anthony_111750.htm
I always thought that Melo was gonna end up like a TMac who gets traded around a few times in his career. He just isn’t a franchise guy. A lot of it had to do with the fact that he benefitted from all the LeBron hype in ‘03. It was LeBron and Melo, always synonymous with each other, when in reality Melo’s game wasn’t anywhere near LeBron’s, and we’re certainly seeing it now five years into their respective careers.
That being said, Melo is a perfect “sidekick” player. We all thought that AI was brought in to Denver to be Melo’s sidekick, when in reality it was the other way around. You just can’t build a championship team around Melo…but he can be a big piece to a championship team.
Cornerstone? No.
May 20th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TgJE7C5wiU
check out the shiftiness at the 5:15-30 mark
will they do it again tonight? We all no what would be the motivation… I got a bad vibe watching ESPN
May 20th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
“know” for all you spell-checkers
May 20th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Melo’s going to the Nets, so that’s a done deal. Cleveland can get Vince Carter and DeSagana Diop for Szczerbiak’s expiring and Anderson Varejao. I can see the Nets doing that. They’ve been after Varejao for a while and Wally gives them $13 million in savings this summer.
May 22nd, 2008 at 6:21 am
If ‘Melo ends up on the Nets there is NO WAY I’m taking Vince Carter and his bloated contract off of their hands. That ain’t happening.
I’ve seen talk that the Knicks will throw in the 6th pick in order to dump Curry’s or Randolph’s contract. If I’m the Cavs I take a long look at that, especially if OJ Mayo is still on the board at 6….
May 24th, 2008 at 11:29 am
i like, Danny Ferry, make the trade please. If you do this, i WILL get a championship for you.
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