The super Melo to Portland thread + The Big Blockbuster

realgm approved:

Remove your hearts and think NBA Championship this year or next:

Roy + Oden + Pryz + Batum to Denver
for
Carmelo + Nene


Starting Lineup:

Miller + Matthews + Carmelo + LMA + Nene

Reserves = Mills + Rudy + Cunningham + Camby + others


and in 2012, CP3 comes to Portland!

 

Except Melo won't sign here and we don't have the cap space to sign CP3 (and he probably wouldn't sign here either).

 

I hate Melo's game. Guy is an amazing scorer but he takes way to many shots to get those points.

 

I hate Melo! LaMarcus's game would suffer big time playing with him. NO THANKS!

 

All of that for Melo for a mere 30 games or so and then he bolts to the Knicks in the off-season during free agency? Thanks, but I'll pass.

 

So you're saying there's a chance? /dumb and dumber

 

turrible. denver wouldnt do it. if they did, couldnt get melo or cp3 to sign. no interest in melo anyway let the knicks or nets have him. and cp3 isnt going anywhere.

the only part of your idea i like is nene...

 

Permit me to defend this a bit:

1. If, at the end of the day we rid ourselves of Roy's contract and pipe dreams for a healthy Oden - and in doing so, we obtain Nene, then this is a successful trade for Portland.

2. Let's suppose this trade went down, the (new and improved) Blazers were to find some chemistry - do you not think our chances to dethrown the Fakers would not be increased this season? I truly believe that if we can get by the Lakers and Dallas, we get into the Finals with Miller + Matthews + Carmelo + LMA + Nene, with Camby and Rudy and others contributing. Shoot, we might just win a title.

3. Now let's then suppose we make it to the Finals - even win it.....you don't think Carmelo would THEN re-sign with Portland and the Owner with the deepest pockets in the league? I think we'd have an 85% chance of seeing Carmelo stay put.

4. So we make it to the Finals (this season) maybe even win it, Carmelo signs a new contract.....you with me so far? We move Camby and Miller and bring in CP3 - shoot, a sign and trade would most likely work with New Orleans for this package of players, especially if CP3 says he's going to Portland.


Imagine (which is what we do when we propose blockbuster trades afterall) a starting lineup of:

CP3 + Matthews + Carmelo + LMA + Nene (with Rudy as our 6th man)

I'll run this line-up against Miami, LA, Boston any day of the week.


Oh yeh, so why does Denver do this? For more reasons than what they'd get in return from any other team. The Knicks and Nets can offer crap in comparison to Roy + Oden + Pryz + Batum. Come on! Batum alone is better than what either the Knicks or Nets have to offer. And if Roy returns to form - and if Oden ever does play - Denver is way ahead. And Pryz can expire and they wind up under the cap too boot. So Denver would be dumb to pass on this offer over anything the Knicks or Nets can muster up. The larger question is "why does Portland do this?" We do this to get Carmelo and Nene. We already have a PG and 2 and a 4. We need a top 3 and a tough 5. And in a year or two, we can replace Miller (and other expiring contracts, like Camby) and seek out CP3 or another PG of the future.

 

I would not dump Oden as filler. If anything this season LaMarcus' emergence has shown that a top2 pick who is underperforming can radically turn things around in a brief period of time. Do I expect Oden to? No, but I'm not dumping him primarily for salary savings.

Plus who knows what the next CBA will look like? Maybe we can dump Roy ala a Derek Anderson type of amensty.

 

I certainly can't predict something like this, but I could see how it could happen. It works for both the players and the league. The player being dumped in the amnesty still gets paid, but the team has more salary space to give another player money if they choose. The team gets more flexibility to buy talent if they choose (so it's not a forced cost to them) and there's more "pool" for players to dip into.

It gives teams more leeway to spend, which circumvents the idea of a cap...but only very slightly. The benefit to overall team quality (teams not being handcuffed by a bad contract and therefore putting better product on the court) may be worth more to Stern and the league than a one-time ability to spend more than the cap strictly allows.

 

What if there is no luxury tax but only a hard cap? What if salaries are only 1/3rd guaranteed? There could be amnesty or parital amestry of all previous-CBA contracts if the player is released.

Even if Roy is damaged goods the cost of his contract on the books post lockout is very unknown.

 

Very interesting and insightful responses to my post. Thanks!

I was trying to figure out how to complete a three-way trade involving NJ or NY, but just wasn't coming up with anything exciting.

Where else might Carmelo "like" to play besides NY or NJ? I'd guess he'd consider LA and Miami. Would he consider Chicago?


Portland Out = Roy + Pryz + Oden
Portland In = Deng + Noah

Denver Out = Carmelo + Andersen
Denver In = Pryz + Roy + Brewer

Chicago Out = Deng + Noah + Brewer
Chicago In = Carmelo + Oden + Andersen

 

I have a personal trainer that i'm pretty close with who today tells me, that he watched game 5 last night with a Blazer front office exec. He says he talked informally about Blazers plans or what they're looking to do in the draft. Source said that the Blazers are talking with the Knicks about a Leonard+15 swap for Carmelo (other players would be involved, but they weren't mentioned).

A couple of big caveats:

• The Blazers are eyeing a player or two in the mid-lottery, and if able to get them, the Knicks deal will not go thru
• Its dependent on Carmelo allowing the trade

Disclaimer: don't shoot the messenger

EDIT:

something like this would work

http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=yddwywx4

Leonard/Festus/Davis -> Melo/O'Quinn

 

Ugh.

 

Crap! Short term highly questionable gain for long term pain. Throw in turner and Crabbe and knicks pick then I like it better.

 

No way Melo waives his no trade to come to PDX.

I'd take on his deal just to rid myself of watching Leonard "play" basketball.

Fit wise, I actually like Melo as a 4 next to Nurk in the frontcourt provided we get a versatile, lockdown defender at the 3.