Trading Melo is not an option
by Nate Timmons on Jul 23, 2010 5:00 AM MDT
in Denver Nuggets: News and Opinion
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My collegue here at Denver Stiffs, Andrew Feinstein, suggested in his latest piece that, "if Melo waffles on signing the extension ... the Nuggets may have to do one more right thing and trade Melo while they can." While I agree that Denver should do something if Melo doesn't re-sign, I don't think anyone will be happy with the options.
Before we start ... I'm totally getting ahead of myself with any kind of trade talk involving Carmelo Anthony, but Melo's contract status is a hot topic and I feel the need to weigh in.
Most Nuggets fans remember in the summer of 1996 when Dikembe Mutombo signed with the Atlanta Hawks. Not only was Mount Mutombo leaving the Nuggets, but even worse Denver received nothing in return for their All-Star center. But in today's NBA, teams almost always get at least something for their departing free agents because of the way the current collective bargaining agreement works. With the sign-and-trade tool, players like LeBron James and Chris Bosh can use the loophole where they "re-sign" with their former team for the more money and years than the team they are switching to is allowed to offer and then they are "traded." So, Cleveland and Toronto gave into their hard-stances that they wouldn't do sign-and-trades in order for their teams not to get Mutombo'd. (Stealing the LeBron'd type phrase from Feinstein.)
Now for some gruesome truth that might become reality ...
If Melo decides to leave the Nuggets in free agency (assuming Denver doesn't trade him before it reaches that point) it's almost a foregone conclusion that Denver wont get Mutombo'd again because Melo will certainly want the money attached that a sign-and-trade can bring him. Now, Miami didn't really pay a high price to Cleveland or Toronto as they didn't have to give up any players (probably good since they didn't have anyone to trade) in the deals, so it doesn't really bode well for the Nuggets to let things get to the same point Cleveland and Toronto did.
Here is what Cleveland got for James.**
Here is what Toronto got for Bosh.
BUT ...
It's not really looking too good for Denver if they do decide to ship #15 out of town, if he doesn't re-sign with the team. A lot of you reading this might be thinking ... "Melo would bring back all sorts of talent in a trade!" Guess what ... I don't think that's the case and the reason is because Melo has a pretty good stranglehold on the situation.
The rage these past couple of days around the League has centered around Chris Paul aka CP3 aka Mr. Flop. Fans on this site, as well as on other sites, can't believe Paul has the audacity to leak a list of his preferred teams to the media. Well, unlike Melo, Paul doesn't have nearly the gripe on the Hornets that he needs at this point. New Orleans can pretty much trade him wherever they like because he's under contract for next season as well as for the 2011-12 season, with a player option season coming for the 2012-13 season (that's the one he will more than likely tear up if he's not on a team of his approval). So if you trade for Paul now, you'll get him for all of the upcoming season as well as however much of the 2011-12 season that is played (depending on how the lockout plays out). So the Hornets have some options and the first one is to try to convince Paul that the team is heading in the right direction with a new general manager and head coach.
The Nuggets are also in a similar boat with Melo as they are looking to improve the team for a championship run and let's face it, to make the team a competitive one that Melo wants to play for. Now, let's pretend the worst happens ... Melo wants out and he's doing enough behind the scenes to show the front office that he's serious. This situation would likely cause the team to start looking for trade partners while at the same time trying to keep it as quiet as possible, you know, like when you're in a crowded room and feel a little gassy and you know if you can keep it quiet people may smell it and look around to see who else notices, but they don't have that "WHOA!" reaction with an abrupt head turn. (I had to call my buddy for this reference because I've never been in that kind of situation myself and he eats a lot of fried foods.)
But let's face it, once the Nuggets fart they may as well grab a trumpet and announce to the league that Melo is on the trade block. Denver might be able to go to a few select teams that Melo approves and keep things pretty quiet, but he's too big of a star not to have some leaks. Are you thinking, "Teams that Melo approves?!?!...Denver can send him wherever they like!" I don't think that's true.
Melo is only under for the 2010-11 season as he has a Player Option season for the 2011-12 season (no duh Nate!). What does this mean? It means that if Denver is pushed to look for a trade during the season then the team that wants to trade for him will want some assurance that they are not just renting Melo for the remainder of the 2010-11 season, they will likely want Melo to sign an extension with them before completing any trade with Denver. What does that mean? It means Denver's list of trade partners now looks like I would after going one-round with UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar. About the only hope Denver has is it that a general manager crazy enough to think he can convince Melo to stick around after a trade - comes knocking on the door. What's that ... Billy King is back in the NBA and running the New Jersey Nets?!?!
Now, a couple other hurdles the Nuggets have to overcome.
1.) Teams will not want to gut their roster to get Melo because we'll presume he will want to go somewhere that he can win or to a team that has a star in place to play alongside of ... so he wont be inking an extension with the like of the Golden State Warriors or Memphis Grizzlies.
2.) Teams will not want to give up a King's Ransom for Melo if they think they can sign him in the offseason. Again the Heat only had to part with draft picks and trade exceptions to land James and Bosh as they already had the two committed to sign with the team.
And let's toss in a third part to this equation ...
3.) Since we deal in conspiracy theories on Denver Stiffs (right Laker fans?) we'll have to assume there could be a hint of truth to the did he or didn't he Chris Paul wedding toast rumor that Paul, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Melo could form their own StarTrio in New York ... if this is the case then the Hornets could strike a deal with the Knicks first and take all their assets, leaving the Knicks waiting on Melo in free agency, thus leaving the Nuggets getting Mutombo'd or something close to it.
Okay, now the Nuggets have to find a trade partner ... the list as I see it includes the following teams: Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, and Orlando Magic.
Not the most extensive list and not one with the jewels you would hope for. Melo is due $17.1 million this season so let's run through some Melo for trade possibilities just so you get a sense of what the Nuggets are facing. I'm not combining Kenyon Martin, J.R. Smith, or any other players in the deal from the Nuggets perspective and I'm not making a list of players I want, but players I think teams would be willing to part with in order to land Melo somewhat on the cheap because let's face it, if Denver is forced to trade Melo they wont get back equal value.
Los Angeles Lakers:
Andrew Bynum $13.8 million + 2 more years and roughly $31.5 million
Sasha Vujacic $5.4 million expiring contract
Any 1st Round draft picks as they own all their future picks
Los Angeles Clippers
Chris Kaman $11.3 million + 1 more year at $12.2 million
Al Farouq-Aminu $2.5 million + 3 more years of roughly $9.3 million and a qualifying offer of $5 million
Randy Foye $4.2 million + 1 more season of $4.2 million
Any 1st Round draft picks as they own all their future picks
Minnesota's 1st Round pick in 2011 (protected Top 10), unprotected in 2012.
Chicago Bulls
Luol Deng $11.3 million + 3 more years of roughly $39 million (BARF!)
Kyle Korver $5 million
Any 1st Round picks
2012 Charlotte Bobcats 1st Round pick (heavily protected)
Houston Rockets
Kevin Martin $11.1 million + 2 more years of roughly $24.9 million
Patrick Patterson $1.8 million
Jared Jeffries $6.8 million expiring
or
Trevor Ariza $6.3 million + 3 more years of roughly $21.6 million
Any 1st Round picks
2011 New York Knicks 1st Round pick (right to swap, 1st Overall protected) VALUE!
2012 New York Knicks 1st Round pick (heavily protected)
New Jersey Nets
Travis Outlaw $7 million + 3 more years of roughly $21 million
Derrick Favors $4.1 million + 3 more years of roughly $15.1 million and Qualifying Offer of $7.8 million
Kris Humphries $3.2 million expiring
Courtney Lee $1.3 million + 1 more year of $2.2 million and Qualifying Offer of $3.2 million
Any 1st Round Picks
2012 Golden State Warriors 1st Round pick (heavily protected)
New York Knicks
Eddy Curry $11.2 million expiring
Kelenna Azubuike $3.3 million expiring
Danilo Gallinari $3.3 million + 1 year roughly $4.9 million and Qualifying Offer of $5.5 million
No 1st Round picks until 2013 as they owe the Rockets their 2011 and 2012 picks
Orlando Magic
Vince Carter $17.3 million expiring
Any 1st Round picks (will be low since they are a playoff team)
Not a very pretty list above, but I don't see Melo assuring any other teams that he'd sign an extension with them before a trade and the Clippers are REALLY pushing it to be on the list. I'm sure there will be arguments with the list above and with the players that could be had for Melo, but again ... he really does have the Nuggets by the throat in a sense because of his impending free agency. A team making a playoff push could be talked out of some young talent if they think they are in the title hunt and want to rent Melo to increase their chances and hey, John Salmons re-signed with the Milwaukee Bucks in that scenario last season as he was traded near the deadline from the Bulls to the Bucks.
What do the Nugget have going in their favor? Quite a bit actually. For all the hype we hear that Melo wants to head back to the East Coast ... it's just that - H.Y.P.E. I'm a bit more stressed that he bought a house in Los Angeles, but stressed is too strong of a word. Also, all the public backlash towards James could help Melo realize that that doing something for one team could cement his legacy and set him apart from his 2004 draft class buddies. Having Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson come out and say they would not have formed a SuperFriends team could also play a role in Melo's decision as there is no doubt he respects both NBA legends.
I'm also not totally sold on the fact that Melo would want another Lakers situation on his hands ... meaning why go play for the Eastern Conference and chance having to get past the Miami Heat every year just to get to the Finals when you could stay out West and beat SuperFriends for the title.
There is no doubt that small market fans are in a frenzy right now. The Raptors got burned, the Cavaliers got burned, and now it appears that Hornet fans might get burned as well. The Melo situation will have a magnifying glass on it because it could prove to be a final dagger in small market fans' hearts. People will look around and say for every Kevin Durant there is a Dwyane Wade (the orchestrator), a LeBron James, a Chris Bosh, a Chris Paul, and perhaps a Carmelo Anthony that tore out their fanbases' soul. Fans in small markets wont want the Superstars because of the fear they will leave.
What would happen if fans started rooting for team play over Superstars? Could the era of the Superstar be over? Have fans been giving too much credit to individual players all this time without realizing that great teams always prevail over great players?
It's always been about finding the right mix of players to create the best team. The Nuggets have been trying to find that winning combination since they moved from the ABA to the NBA and whether Melo is here or not, the team will keep looking for that right mix.
It's funny to have to talk about Melo leaving now, but there is no time like the present right? I guess the surefire way to figure out if Melo is leaving town would be to place spies around tattoo parlors in the Denver area and if he's adding the words "LOYALTY" to his torso, the Nuggets better start working the phones ... whether we like what we get or not.
**NBA Traded Player Exception: If a team trades away a player with a higher salary than the player they acquire in return (we'll call this initial deal "Trade #1"), they receive what is called a Traded Player Exception, also known colloquially as a "Trade Exception". Teams with a trade exception have up to a year in which they can acquire more salary in other trades (Trade #2, #3, etc) than they send away, as long as the gulf in salaries for Trade #2, #3, etc are less than or equal to the difference in salary for Trade #1. This exception is particularly useful when teams trade draft picks straight-up for a player; since draft picks have no salary value, often the only way to get salaries to match is to use a trade exception, which allows trades to be made despite unbalanced salaries. It is also useful to compensate teams for losing free agents as they can do a sign and trade of that free agent to acquire a trade exception that can be used later. Note this exception is for single player trades only, though additional cash and draft picks can be part of the trade.
ntimmons73@yahoo.com
Twitter: Nate_Timmons
Photo courtesy of AP Photos Louis Lanzano
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Nice
I especially like your “gas in a crowded room” scenario, ha, ha! I think your post is right on Nate, not a pretty picture. I think if the “Superstars” are going to join ranks, the NBA will be even more tilted then Baseball – where the Yankees & Red Sox are guaranteed to vie for a championship each year and the rest of us, i.e,. Rockies fan, do our best to compete with them. I hope Melo listens to the Jordans, Birds, and Magic and makes his own legacy rather then following the Miami project.
Nice post!
So I have a theory...
LeBron knows he’s leaving Cleveland and “taking his talents to South Beach” at the end of the 2010 season. Therefore, he knows he can’t and shouldn’t win a championship for Cleveland, or it would ruin his plans to move to Miami and be with his buddy D-Wade…so he bails on the Boston series and throws cleveland under the bus.
First – is any human being this horrible, even LePout?
Second – if Melo doesn’t sign, to me he clearly plans to bail, probably to NY. Therefore, should you trade him to get value before he pulls a LeBron…clearly implying that, if the aforementioned theory is true, Melo is just as bad a Lebron and would basically tank the Nuggets season because he has nothing invested in the club…but I’m not sure Melo is that guy.
Just a theory.
Suspicious
Some of Lebron’s play against the Celts was very suspicious. Theories were his elbow hurt, he was trying to get teammates involved, etc. You could take the opposite view of him thinking, “I won them a championship in Cleveland, fulfilled my duties, now I can move on”. Who knows! Only Lebron knows for sure. Melo, I believe, has more character and would not do that (I say this because Melo is my favorite athlete in all sports and I am a huge fan of his) and also, I’m assuming (hopefully assuming) that he doesn’t want to take a 30%? pay cut by becoming a FA after this year with the new CBA – remember he wanted the money when Lebron and Wade wanted him to do the signing deal they did so that they would become FA’s this year.
He would make up any paycut..
…with ad revenue by being in NY, especially if he joins CP3 and Amare…the “other, other big three”. I’m sure he and his team are crunching (or have crunched) those numbers and I’m sure the Knicks brass is more than happy to share those numbers with him. Remember, he’s married to LaLa…do you think LaLa is a big fan of DV?…she being a “celebrity” and all.
Just sayin’…if he stays in DV, it won’t necessarily be because of the money, and he’s got lots of things pulling him in the other direction, just like LeBron.
FYI – I really like Melo, as a huge Cuse fan and a Nuggets fan…pessimism is a great defense mechanism.
I really hope Melo only coddles his wife to a minimal extent
She was an MTV VJ like, what, almost 10 years ago? She’s be forgotten by now if she wasn’t married to an NBA star. This is a case where his career should come first, no question.
by Artimus Mangilord on Jul 23, 2010 3:36 PM MDT up reply actions
The kids these days don't even realize that MTV used to be a music video channel, for chrissakes
by Artimus Mangilord on Jul 23, 2010 3:36 PM MDT up reply actions
It is sad
It is however the #1 source for reality TV and prank shows that originated in Japan.
FIGJAM Bitches!
Via con Dios Brody
Q.P.U. # π
by Joelsopinion on Jul 23, 2010 3:42 PM MDT up reply actions
made me think
Melo already has a record of doing things his own way. like not listening 2 lebron and wade about free agency. he took the deal he wanted to take. and he did say he didnt need all the attention and recruiting things that lebron had. and i think he is already wanting to play against Miami. i think Melo is made up a lot more different then from all those drama queens. he seems to be more independent. and i think he likes the competition. we have a full season of basketball to come though. and its not like Melo has even mentioned ne thing about staying or leaving. come to think about it, i dnt remember him ever talking about it.
In time the criticism turns to praise
Carmelo balled hard, relentlessly attacking the bucket-Colin Powers
There is no quit in Carmelo Anthony-Reggie Miller
visionsfromthecut.tumblr.com
QUITTER'S PEOPLE UNITED #115
by m3llofan on Jul 23, 2010 10:44 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
Late night writing…thanks for the catch!
Denver Stiffs.com
Denver.SBNation.com
by Nate Timmons on Jul 23, 2010 11:09 AM MDT up reply actions
lol
i didnt understand that part until ur comment
In time the criticism turns to praise
Carmelo balled hard, relentlessly attacking the bucket-Colin Powers
There is no quit in Carmelo Anthony-Reggie Miller
visionsfromthecut.tumblr.com
QUITTER'S PEOPLE UNITED #115
Heard this FUD before
Replace basketball with football and replace Carmelo Anthony with Elvis Dumervil. All the blogs and news outlets were saying the same thing about Dumervil and now he’s signed his contract extension and will be here a long time.
’Melo will sign the contract. He loves Denver, he has a much better relationship with the Nuggets brass than LeBron ever did in Cleveland, and he wants to lock up his financial future before the lockout next summer.
If we trade him
We need to make it a 3-teamer… I don’t want the draft picks that come from a team that’s going to the ECF’s every year. We somehow need to get David Kahn or Chris Wallace in on this motha!!!!
Great point about the picks
I just wonder if Wark and co. would be able to get it done.
Stiff 4 Life
by GoldenNugget on Jul 23, 2010 11:01 AM MDT up reply actions
Did Wark re-up?
What’s the deal there?
by Artimus Mangilord on Jul 23, 2010 3:38 PM MDT up reply actions
Durant
Is one of the few class acts in this league. How can you not like him?
Melo needs to sign so he can earn something and not have it given to him. If Melo resigns it will tell me alot about him and I will respect him a bit more for not taking the easy road.
Quitter's People United Member #27.5
Durant is a class act, there's no denying that
But look at the talent he has around him. If Lebron or Bosh had that type of young talent surrounding them as well as a GM as good as Presti there’s no way they would have bounced.
Stiff 4 Life
by GoldenNugget on Jul 23, 2010 10:58 AM MDT up reply actions
Well, maybe they would have, I really don't know
But it’s my guess that a big reason both of them fleed their cities is their lack of faith in their GMs as well as their surrounding teamates.
Stiff 4 Life
by GoldenNugget on Jul 23, 2010 10:59 AM MDT up reply actions
cle had talent
i dnt see how ppl can say a team that had consecutive 60 win seasons didnt have talent. especially when after getting Jamison from the Wizard ppl had them as the favorites to win it all. there loosing falls right on the shoulders of lebron. now, TO, thats another story lol
In time the criticism turns to praise
Carmelo balled hard, relentlessly attacking the bucket-Colin Powers
There is no quit in Carmelo Anthony-Reggie Miller
visionsfromthecut.tumblr.com
QUITTER'S PEOPLE UNITED #115
True, I hate bringing up Lebron once again
But Jamison basically sucked once they aquired him, averaging only 12 ppg and Mo Williams, isn’t anything special either. Other than that it was really just a bunch of roll players. You look at a team like the Thunder, they got 4 dudes who are potentially All-Stars on their roster not to mention one of the best GMs in the league. It’s easy to sign extension after extension when you have the kind of security Durant does. But yeah, it’s clear he’s a class act, and a really nice guy.
Stiff 4 Life
by GoldenNugget on Jul 23, 2010 11:26 AM MDT up reply actions
yea. i agree about Durant
i dnt wanna keep talking about Lebron either lol. so i will just say, i dnt think Jamison sucked. he and williams production are not gonna be high because Lebron had the ball 2much. he always seemed to be running point. i remember williams scoring 20 pnts in the 1rst half of 1 of the playoff games agnst BOS. he was actually playing point, handeling the ball. 2nd half cavs were loosing because lebron took over the ball. i think if lebron played his position they would have all been more successfull
In time the criticism turns to praise
Carmelo balled hard, relentlessly attacking the bucket-Colin Powers
There is no quit in Carmelo Anthony-Reggie Miller
visionsfromthecut.tumblr.com
QUITTER'S PEOPLE UNITED #115
The Durant part is rhetorical right?
Love his scoring and rebounding…needs more D or just teammates that will D for him.
Denver Stiffs.com
Denver.SBNation.com
by Nate Timmons on Jul 23, 2010 11:10 AM MDT up reply actions
a dude with that wingspan
needs to learn some D
by deezNuggets on Jul 23, 2010 12:54 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
His D depends on who he's guarding.
When Durant is on Melo he gives Melo fits. He just needs to make it a whole package on any player because clearly he has it.
agree about Durant
I loved how he handled himself after Phil Jackson said that the refs give him all the calls. I also equally disrespect Phil Jackson for saying those things right before the first round (just trying to get a few more calls; that’s not a “Zen-master”…).
I remember Garnett said that stuff about KD first, and a couple games later Durant got fouled shooting a three at the buzzer with his team down one (I think) and he didn’t get the foul. The great thing is that he didn’t complain about it at all. He just walked off the court, even though the replay shows he was clearly fouled. THAT is what a real zen-master would do.
classy, classy, classy …and he’s just a tadpole.
by deezNuggets on Jul 23, 2010 12:53 PM MDT up reply actions
Yes. Durant seems like a very nice guy and is a class act..
but if he doesn’t win any ring for the next 5 years? He might be leaving too. He is still very young….
I don't get this
Why should Anthony sign that contract right now? Seriously, what’s the hurry? Because we’re in “panic mode”? Because we don’t want to see Anthony pull a “LeBron” in Denver? Give me a break.
It’s true that Carmelo should be recruiting players to come to Denver, but the Front Office should be out there signing the right players.
Instead, we re-signed Anthony Carter, signed Sheldon Williams…
We also signed Al Harrington, who will help offensively, but he’s still not what we’re looking for.
Since Anthony isn’t around to say anything, we’re assuming the obvious, and it’s retarded, but understandable. Even if the Front Office decides to trade him, we’re not going to get what we want. No matter who you trade Anthony for, you won’t receive an equal amount.
While I’m confident he’ll sign the extension, I’m also prepared for the worst, as everybody should be. I don’t want to see people burning his jersey because the Front Office didn’t get the job done. I wouldn’t boo or wish any harm on him.
The Nuggets need to prove that Denver is the place for Anthony, and until that happens, we’re not going to see or hear what we want to hear. But Anthony has to prove to us that he’s willing to stay.
Chris Andersen could be in a porno with his 'stache. Too bad he still wouldn't know how to box out.
Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy.
Quitter's Proud United Member #11
There is a timeline on the extension, but there also isn't a big rush.
It all comes down to comfort … fans want to know his plans and the unknown is always a little scary. But I agree both Melo and the front office have work to do.
Denver Stiffs.com
Denver.SBNation.com
by Nate Timmons on Jul 23, 2010 11:20 AM MDT up reply actions
Great article Nate...
I will say this….we laud Kevin Durant for basically signing the same deal Carmelo did after his third year only Durant’s is a year longer. Just wanted to point that out. Melo said very similar things after he signed his deal 4 years ago that KD is now.
Secondly, I’m starting to believe the reason people are freaking out is, well, Melo hasn’t said anything. It’s nice when we have something to point concrete wise either way. But Melo hasn’t said a word….because he’s got other things on his mind. We kind of just dismiss the fact that he got married last week but clearly that was a big deal to Melo.
Thirdly. The media in Denver seems to be kinda like Andrew…..loving the fact that basketball was saved in Denver, but hating the fact that Melo was the one who did it. I turn on the sports talk, or read columns and they all seem to want to diminish Melo in some way but to a man (or woman) they all want to keep Melo here. I think the media in Denver needs to figure out what they want.
"If there's a new way....I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time...." Peace Sells....but Who's Buying
Proving that you can be gay and not like Madonna, and rock out to Metal. One step at a time.
Quitter's People United Member # 78
by jpage78 on Jul 23, 2010 10:55 AM MDT reply actions 6 recs
i couldnt agree more
none of all this talk is even coming from Melo. and Melo and Durant are kinda similar, mostly in the fact that they arent drama queens. but of course, no one gives Melo any credit. ppl act like we dnt have a full season of basketball to be played.
In time the criticism turns to praise
Carmelo balled hard, relentlessly attacking the bucket-Colin Powers
There is no quit in Carmelo Anthony-Reggie Miller
visionsfromthecut.tumblr.com
QUITTER'S PEOPLE UNITED #115
Great points jpage78.
Really like that Durant/Melo parallel on the first extension.
I think a lot of lines get draw over Melo because of his attitude. He hasn’t always had that fierce competitor on the outside feel and I think that bugs some folks. Always have to remember his nickname can reflect his outside appearance at times, but we don’t truly know what makes Melo tick. I think that also can bug folks when they don’t totally know what a person is thinking. Just my two cents …
Denver Stiffs.com
Denver.SBNation.com
by Nate Timmons on Jul 23, 2010 11:19 AM MDT up reply actions
I think people have jumped the gun on Durant because they want him to be Mr. Nice Guy
which I’m sure he is…..but in the NBA it’s not your first or second contract that makes the difference. As we all know its the THIRD contract that gets you big time money in the NBA. So while KD has signed this second contract, lets play out the string and see (if OKC doesn’t make significant changes or improves to a legit contender) if Durant is singing the same tune in 4 seasons.
Seriously. Melo hasn’t said a word publicly, and I think people just freak out when they don’t know….and start making shit up to fill in the blanks.
"If there's a new way....I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time...." Peace Sells....but Who's Buying
Proving that you can be gay and not like Madonna, and rock out to Metal. One step at a time.
Quitter's People United Member # 78
Two types of family
You are dead on with your comment about Melo getting married and (reaching here) might be a insight into what makes him tick outside basketball. He solidified his family by marrying La La. He has made that the most important thing this summer and it should be. I like the fact that he is focused on what is important.
If you follow my reach then you will see that family is important to him and I think that he will take care of his other family next…
by Shannon1127 on Jul 23, 2010 11:22 AM MDT up reply actions
THIS. ALL OF THIS!
And especially THIS.THIS.THIS.THIS.THIS.THIS.THIS.THIS.THIS.THIS.THIS.THIS.
The media in Denver seems to be kinda like Andrew…..loving the fact that basketball was saved in Denver, but hating the fact that Melo was the one who did it. I turn on the sports talk, or read columns and they all seem to want to diminish Melo in some way but to a man (or woman) they all want to keep Melo here. I think the media in Denver needs to figure out what they want.
I cannot rec this enough!!!!!!!!
Ubaldo Jimenez: He's still gonna win the CY
Brad Hawpe: Fix that swing!
Todd and Tulo: Ready to Rox and roll
QPU Member #4, NYYHEG Member #4, Proud Member PR Gynocracy
a this to your this m'lady
Seriously. I have no doubt that everyone in this town longs to have Melo stay….it’s just that some channel it in curious ways
"If there's a new way....I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time...." Peace Sells....but Who's Buying
Proving that you can be gay and not like Madonna, and rock out to Metal. One step at a time.
Quitter's People United Member # 78
Meh...I'm not convinced that Andrew wants him to stay...lol...
Ubaldo Jimenez: He's still gonna win the CY
Brad Hawpe: Fix that swing!
Todd and Tulo: Ready to Rox and roll
QPU Member #4, NYYHEG Member #4, Proud Member PR Gynocracy
Denver media is a joke.
If you want to hear Sandy Clough talk about baseball for 20 straight hours then tune in. Don’t expect them to talk more about Nuggets than they do about whether or not kids should have televisions in their bedrooms.
That's only one of those rare days where the local radio station mentions Nuggets.
You could tune in and listen to Big Al say “man, that’s off tha chain” about 100 other subjects besides basketball. Those guys are about 90% idiots.
Great description
LOL, you’re right on
by Artimus Mangilord on Jul 26, 2010 5:25 PM MDT up reply actions
Especially about Big Al
That dude has no right being on talk radio. I literally can’t listen to him and that’s rare for me because I love sports so much. Big Al should just stick to doing resturaunt comercials and leave the sports talk to real analysts.
Stiff 4 Life
by GoldenNugget on Jul 26, 2010 9:48 PM MDT up reply actions
He's the Slim Jenkins spokes-guy
He’s not as off tha chain as the Blackeyed Pea’s drink specials and home made side dishes.
FIGJAM Bitches!
Via con Dios Brody
Q.P.U. # π
by Joelsopinion on Jul 27, 2010 1:21 PM MDT up reply actions
Along this posts lines, can we all PLEASE STOP including Ty Lawson or Shaq's name in trade rumors?
Both are just silly ideas and would do nothing to improve this team.
Swats.
I don't get it
I keep hearing “Melo is very close to signing the extension, it should come at any time,” then the next day I hear “I’m told by sources very close to Melo that he wants to be in NY.” So it’s kind of hard right now for me to really believe anything.
Personally, I just think there’s too much money on the table for Melo to turn it down, especially with the lockout and how good we still are right now. We’ve made the playoffs for the last, what, 8 years in a row? Melo can’t get that security anywhere else that we’re likely to trade him to.
It’s gonna be a tough call for our front office if he doesn’t resign though. You can’t just let him walk, but at the same time if we trade Melo our chances of doing anything in the postseason drastically decrease.
Stiff 4 Life
by GoldenNugget on Jul 23, 2010 11:36 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs
Boeheim
(HoopsHype) If Carmelo Anthony’s college coach has any say, he’d like the star forward to stay long-term in Denver. "I would hope that Denver could make improvements like they’re going to try to do and that he’ll be able to stay there,‘’ Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, a Team USA assistant, said in a Thursday interview with FanHouse after the third day here of training camp. "I think that’s the best thing. But that’s just my opinion. He’s there. He knows what it’s like.’’ FanHouse.com
I re-Tweeted that this morning! Good read.
Denver Stiffs.com
Denver.SBNation.com
by Nate Timmons on Jul 23, 2010 12:36 PM MDT up reply actions
Interesting read...
Glad to see some positive remarks about Melo’s character. In my opinion he has grown up since coming to Denver. Getting married is also interesting to me… he took his time which appears he waited to make the right decision… good for their child that they made it official… So is he a man who takes his time on big decisions? Didn’t know he bought a house in LA, but was that more for LaLa than for any other reason? I think when he signs the extension, he will gain more respect around the country from fans, from some of those ‘NBA Legends" to which Nate referred, and even from other NBA players. I’m for seeing Melo play his entire career in Denver… okay FO, show Melo you want him to remain here. I still think Harrington is a step in the right direction. Take some more steps.
Nothing wrong taking time to make big decisions either.
Also agree…Harrington is a step in the right direction. I like that guy and his attitude thus far has been AWESOME!
Denver Stiffs.com
Denver.SBNation.com
by Nate Timmons on Jul 23, 2010 12:55 PM MDT up reply actions
Harrington has definitely impressed with what he's said
I just hope he makes a commitment to D…..if he does maybe it will rub off on Melo to grab more rebounds.
"If there's a new way....I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time...." Peace Sells....but Who's Buying
Proving that you can be gay and not like Madonna, and rock out to Metal. One step at a time.
Quitter's People United Member # 78
at the very least he spreads the offense and gives melo more room
QUITTER'S PEOPLE UNITED # 3
win/loss records do not matter when you have a magnificent bastard
"If my players don't start producing there'll be more fireworks around here by the Fourth of July than anyone can imagine." The Boss (1982)
"The next time you drive me to the wall, I'll throw you over it."
"What do you mean try? If I want to fire you, I'll fire you." (on martin)
Crowd should chant "SIGN" instead of MVP
when Melo is at the free throw line this season.
I’m hoping that Dumerville’s signing gets juxtaposed against LeBron’s behavior locally and nationally on how to be rewarded and respected by being a class act, and that that gets added onto the advice of Bird, MJ, Magic, Boeheim and the negative attention LeBron received in Melo’s consideration.
QPU # 2.
by margabelle on Jul 23, 2010 1:25 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs
rec'd
"Don't chase the money, chase the dream"
Quitters People United Member #71
by Garrett Olsen on Jul 24, 2010 1:21 AM MDT up reply actions
Great post, Nate
I like the hypothetical questions you raised. Very thought provoking
by Artimus Mangilord on Jul 23, 2010 3:31 PM MDT reply actions
Thanks man. I find I don’t have a lot of answers, but I sure as sh!t have a lot of questions. haha
Denver Stiffs.com
Denver.SBNation.com
by Nate Timmons on Jul 23, 2010 3:44 PM MDT up reply actions
The questions about the 'end of the superstar' era got the wheels turning
Kind of like your article re: european contributions to the game did a while back. While I don’t see the power of the superstar ever ending, who knows. The game will always evolve, as you’ve pointed out before.
by Artimus Mangilord on Jul 23, 2010 3:51 PM MDT up reply actions
"Melo"
Ok as for the Lakers rumor…I dont think Kobe would let this happen. I mean he just not too long ago was praised by Michael Jordan by being called, “Last of a Dying Breed”..yes Kobe is already a ring winner..however some of his star power will be taken away if Melo joins. And people wont look at him the same way..at least thats what i think.
As for the NY rumor..that is a good possiblity..this is his home! Amare Stoudamire is his friend, etc. I could see them pulling off with the “LEBRONISM”..along with Paul..only difference I doubt Melo would get on tv and announce after 50 mins that he is going to another team. Denver cant really blame Melo for going back home to a place he grew up in. Cleveland had some right in being angry at Bron..that was his home. So, with that said wouldnt mind Melo coming to the East Coast and signing with the Knicks. Paul on the other hand is beginning to become an egotist..
Orlando…to me they would be the 2nd best choice for Melo…him and Dwight Howard..and i guess lil ’Meer would be a nice duo. Melo would do what Rashard Lewis isnt doing…be consistent. And they could very well make it to the finals and win it.
Those are my top 2 choices if Melo gets out of Denny-Town. I wouldnt mind him going back home to NY…but I really dont wanna see another LeBron-like move lol…Id rather him go to Orlando if possible and give big Dwight the help he has been looking for.
stay, melo
I believe Melo can bring us a championship and I hope he stays.
If, Stan forbid, he does leave, personal reasons aside, I think Orlando would be a much better fit for Melo to win a championship than NY. Now I hear Orlando is at the top of Chris Paul’s list. If the three of them win a championship over there it would be every bit as watered down as if Miami wins it.
Win one here and be a hero, Melo.
by deezNuggets on Jul 24, 2010 12:55 AM MDT up reply actions
"End of the Superstar"
Just wanted to comment on this..I was thinking about this earlier..and if every guy who becomes an overnight superstar sensation wants to team with another overnight superstar sensation..then who is really working hard to earn a ring/paycheck?! I dont get why no one wants to work at it…I mean is Kobe that good that everyone needs to go call up their superstar buddies and join their team or vice versa…the Lakers have flaws just like every team..Kobe has flaws…the Lakers are beatable…we dont need every superstar in the NBA forming their own SuperTrio..let it end with JaWaBo
by Jon Cutro on Jul 23, 2010 5:32 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs
Like I have been saying for a long time.
Kobe is a monster!
by GottaLoveMelo on Jul 27, 2010 10:32 AM MDT up reply actions
Taking the money and playing in Denver isn't Melo's plan A
Or probably even his plan B, it’s his fall back option, his worst case scenario. I was in denial about it too until I heard Al Williams talking about it on the radio yesterday.
To paraphrase what he said, if a superstar isn’t helping his team he’s hurting it. Melo not signing the extension told everyone in the league that he wants to play somewhere else. Chris Paul wants to play along side another super star, he even mentioned Melo, but Denver wasn’t a team on his list. Had the extension been signed right away and he came out and said “I’m committed to winning Denver, come here and win with me” chances are Denver would have been more than a footnote in the off season so far. But he didn’t, and the damage has been done. We don’t have a creative Pat Riley type as a GM who can convince a free agent all by them selves, there aren’t a whole lot of tradable assets on the current roster, and as a team over the cap the only money that can be spent is the MLE. A committed Melo is the best asset the Nuggets have in getting more talent, and they don’t have that right now.
Depending how things turn out the biggest mistake of the summer might not be unsuccessfully wooing Melo, but rather not rebuilding a team to prepare for his impending exit. Rather than spending it locked in a game of chicken, daring Melo to walk away from the money, as soon as it became clear he wasn’t interested in playing here anymore the Nuggets should have went all in rebuilding on the fly; getting in the draft for Cousins, sending Melo to where he wants to go and using the TPE for a guy like Jefferson, etc.
Ironically, Mark Cuban may be the best thing that ever happened to Nuggets fan’s by landing Paul and leaving the Nuggets payday as Melo’s last good option.
Wow, you're making it sound like you don't are if Anthony signs or not
Chris Andersen could be in a porno with his 'stache. Too bad he still wouldn't know how to box out.
Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy.
Quitter's Proud United Member #11
I don't think it's Melo's obligation
to sell other players on joining the Nuggets. Many people seem to think it is, but I’d see that as just buying in to something else that basketball seems to be becoming. I also don’t see Melo not signing as some kind of definitive message that he’s leaving. I also don’t see a signed commitment from Melo being some overwhelming asset in attracting talent to Denver.
[On a tangent, let me just interject that I know it’s a small market, but living in CO is f$cking sweet, and I don’t see why players only want to live in NY, or Miami, or LA or Chi-town. Those are some pretty cool cities, but wtf? CO is like one of the top two or three beautiful states in the country, am I right? I know, small market…]
One more thing I also don’t see: “not rebuilding a team to prepare for his impending exit” as a mistake… and I won’t see it that way even if he does leave. If there’s a chance he stays, he’s the piece we built our team around, the right thing to do is try to keep him. If he we’re a free agent, he’s the one we try to get. It wouldn’t make sense not to try to keep him now. Hoping he stays doesn’t guarantee he stays, but rebuilding the team now guarantees that he leaves.
and who’s Al Williams? some kind of mutant Al Harrington/Sheldon Williams hybrid?
Its not necessarily his obligation to sell the nuggets
But, no commitment from your best player does nothing for the team as far as it making it an attractive place to play for players with leverage to choose where they want to go. Its something that goes with being the face of a franchise these days unfortunately, now that individual players have more brand equity than some of the teams they play for. The Denver Nuggets given an ultimatum to make a deal or suffer the ultimate price, and the Denver Nuggets with their best player on board and in the ear of other stars he shares an agent with are two very different destinations. I don’t see how Melo doesn’t know this, and if getting the Nuggets over the top were his top priority he probably wouldn’t be spending the summer on the sidelines, but this is just my assumption.
Al Williams is a radio show host and former Broncos line backer.
I can see the pull Melo would have
and, you and Al are right, not signing is not helping matters. You may ultimately be right about him leaving, but I just don’t see enough evidence to assume that. Interesting points, for sure.
Ah, I have heard Al Williams recently, now that you mention it. I was picturing a cross between a teenage mutant ninja turtle and a forehead.
by deezNuggets on Jul 24, 2010 12:49 PM MDT up reply actions
I'd respectfully disagree
with just about everything Al Williams said there.
1. Melo has done nothing to hurt this team yet. And his mere presence on the team is helping. He’s not trying to force a trade like CP3.
2. There is nothing Melo could have done to make the Nuggets a bigger player in this offseason. The idea that the Nuggets could have gone out and gotten somebody like Chris Bosh if the front office or Melo had just “tried harder” is so stupid it makes my brain hurt. Look at how hard teams like NY and Chicago and New Jersey tried to get him, and they had much more to offer Bosh and a lot more assets. If you can’t point out a move that they could have made but didn’t and you think they should have, then this is just not a valid criticism. I love your suggestion that they should have got in the draft for Cousins. Yes, they should have, um, kidnapped the Maloofs and threatened to kill them if they don’t trade the pick for Balkman? I can think of literally no way in which they possibly could have acquired that pick, even if they were willing to trade Melo. Sacramento’s not trading for him if he’s not going to commit beyond this year, and if he won’t do that with us there’s no way he’d do that in Sacramento or the other teams at the top of the draft.
It’s also rediculous how people mythologize some of the GMs in the league. There are definitely some bad ones, but the guys here have overall done a pretty good job. Take a guy like Joe Dumars. Got Chauncey, Rip, the Wallaces, and Prince and won a championship. He’s a genius! Got Darko, Villanueva, and Gordon, traded Chauncey, extended Rip. He’s an idiot! No, he’s just a solid GM who took some calculated risks some of which panned out and others which didn’t. Or even Presti in OKC. He’s done a lot of good things, but I think it’s abundantly clear that taking Harden over Evans or especially Curry was clearly a mistake. And with much better assets and the same need as the Nuggets, a big defensive center, Presi has also come away from this offseason without one. If he’s such a great GM, why didn’t he just “try harder” and make it happen? Maybe its b/c Durant is not sufficiently committed to the team?
There is nothing Melo could have done to make the Nuggets a bigger player in this offseason.
Then why did Haslem turn down more money from Denver to go to Miami? Why wasn’t Denver as valid of a contender in the eyes of JO as was Boston? Would Harrington have picked Denver over Dallas if Chauncy hadn’t recruited him? Why wasn’t anybody coming to Denver to win? Could it have anything to do with fizzling out in the playoffs in a spectacular display of underachievement and then having their best player decide he might not want to be here in the off-season? Its not about blockbuster moves, its about the little things, its about projecting your intentions of winning. Can you really say, by objectively looking at the Nuggets right now, that they are all about winning? Whether it should be the case or not Melo controls the fate of the organization. The only move the front office had was using the MLE, which you have to think someone in Melo’s camp knew and communicated to him. Is this what Melo was holding out for? Was it worth the bad PR, and potentially missing out on your first two choices to add to your roster?
I love your suggestion that they should have got in the draft for Cousins. Yes, they should have, um, kidnapped the Maloofs and threatened to kill them if they don’t trade the pick for Balkman? I can think of literally no way in which they possibly could have acquired that pick, even if they were willing to trade Melo.
If Melo is no longer the guy you build around then you no longer have to keep a core intact. That leaves basically the whole roster tradable for that pick, and everybody has a price.
Respectfully, it's hasty
To call for blowing up the team right now
by Artimus Mangilord on Jul 24, 2010 4:39 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions
Then why did Haslem turn down more money from Denver to go to Miami?
Haslem turned down more money from Denver to go to Miami because he was born, grew up, and played his entire NBA career in Miami, which he loves and is where he has his family. Also, he’s really close friends with Wade, and not with Melo, so who’s recruiting do you think would matter to him? And they’ve put together a contending team in Miami that doesn’t have to beat the Lakers to make it to the conference finals.
Why wasn’t Denver as valid of a contender in the eyes of JO as was Boston?Is this question a joke? Boston has been to 2 of the last 3 finals, has won a championship, and doesn’t have to go through the Lakers to get back to the finals. Also, O’Neal said it really came down to style of play and Boston’s fit him better. Not sure how Melo could have changed any of those things.
Would Harrington have picked Denver over Dallas if Chauncy hadn’t recruited him?Probably. The Mavs are already overcrowded at his position and he would have had no chance to start, with a good possibilty he might fall out of the rotation. And he’s a better fit on this Nuggets team.
Why wasn’t anybody coming to Denver to win?Al Harrington came. And, in my opinion, I’d much rather have Al Harrington than either of those two guys.
Could it have anything to do with fizzling out in the playoffs in a spectacular display of underachievement and then having their best player decide he might not want to be here in the off-season?I sure don’t see how it could. They went after two players who choose other teams for reasons Melo could do nothing about. And they got the third player.
Can you really say, by objectively looking at the Nuggets right now, that they are all about winning?Just about as much as any other team in the league, yes. The moves I’ve criticized have been the clearly cost motivated ones, like not getting Blair and Caracter in the last two drafts or giving up our first this year to get rid of Hunter. (See, I’m not against criticizing the Nuggets, I just think it should be tied to actual facts rather than general unspecified dissatisfaction with the fact that the Nuggets didn’t win a championship last year or pull another superstart out of thin air). But I think I can safely say that they didn’t make those moves because of anything Melo did or didn’t do. But overall the moves they’ve made have all made the team better, and they are going to pay crazy luxury tax this year after signing Harrington.
The only move the front office had was using the MLE, which you have to think someone in Melo’s camp knew and communicated to him. Is this what Melo was holding out for?I seriously doubt it.
Was it worth the bad PR, and potentially missing out on your first two choices to add to your roster?I don’t think he cares about bad PR at all, or at least not enough to make him rush into an important decision affecting the next 5 years of his career. And I think he knew that his committment wouldn’t really have any impact on the MLE level free agents out there.
If Melo is no longer the guy you build around then you no longer have to keep a core intact. That leaves basically the whole roster tradable for that pick, and everybody has a price.Sure, but that price can still be higher than anything the Nuggets have to offer. What trade offer can you come up with that Sacramento would have accepted and wouldn’t have been crazy stupid for the Nuggets to do if they were going to blow it up and start over (which means no giving up Lawson or future draft picks)?
I think he knew that his committment wouldn’t really have any impact on the MLE level free agents out there.
You don’t think, to a free agent, there is a difference between a team with its superstar on board and ready to win and a team with a superstar waffling on an extension and rumored to be go somewhere else? Whether or not it had any bearing on Haslem’s and O’Neal’s actual decisions I have no idea, I’m not them, but you have to assume they at least thought about it. And what if there was a free agent out there to whom it did matter, thats a hell of a risk to take.
I don’t think he cares about bad PR at all
There-in lies the problem, and what I said before; If he’s not helping the team he’s hurting it. The front office(or atleast half of it) isn’t totally with out blame, they fed into the fire by lashing back in the media with a trade threat, and made them selves look just as unresolved. However, if Melo truly wants to play and win here in Denver, he is gonna have to take the high road, sign, and be the most committed and enthusiastic player on the team. That he hasn’t done it already, and lets the days pass in an extremely volatile trade season, communicates to me, and probably many others, that he has plans to be somewhere else.
Sure, but that price can still be higher than anything the Nuggets have to offer. What trade offer can you come up with that Sacramento would have accepted and wouldn’t have been crazy stupid for the Nuggets to do if they were going to blow it up and start over (which means no giving up Lawson or future draft picks)?
I have no idea what Sacramento would have been looking for or even Minnesota for that matter, but a chance to get an impact player in the draft(and an undervalued one at that) with out tanking a season or two is worth a very serious push, even making some deals that initially appear extremely lop-sided.
I just think you are caught up in a false “if you’re not helping, you’re hurting” dichotomy. I just think this is totally false. You can also just be irrelevant. Could Anthony have signed and aggressively recruited all of the Nuggets MLE targets, yes. But that wouldn’t have helped at all. Conversely, his not doing so didn’t hurt them at all. It was just totally irrelevant.
And what if there was a free agent out there to whom it did matter, thats a hell of a risk to take.And who is this mystic free agent candidate? We know who the free agents are. Who is the difference maker that you think Anthony hurt us from getting? Do you think it hurt us from getting Big Z? (nope, no chance he was coming here). Is he hurting us from getting Amundson? (I don’t think so, and I don’t think he even approaches a difference maker on this team).
I have no idea what Sacramento would have been looking for or even Minnesota for that matterI do. I’ve been following the NBA and its GMs for decades. And in my opinion, there was no workable trade available there. Your assertion that they could have based on your “having no idea what Sacramento would have been looking for” is not a very convincing argument to make me change my mind.
I think maybe you and other fans get this idea that the front office isn’t doing a good job because they are not even trying to pull off a big deal, as evidenced by newspaper reports of failed trade attempts or signings. Personally, I don’t blame them when there aren’t reports in the paper everyday that they tried to trade Kenyon for Pau Gasol, but were turned down. Because that trade just has no chance of happening. I do wish they would have been more involved in trading for Chandler, but ultimately they couldn’t have matched the salary dump that Dallas was able to offer, so it really didn’t matter.
Paul prefers Orlando
Chris Broussard, ha, ha! if you can believe him, says Chris Paul’s #1 trade team is now Orlando because, 1) they can win now unlike the NYK and 2) they have better players to trade to NO so a deal would get done with NO management if they decide to move him.
Hmmmm? (Wishful thinking on my part). Does that mean that Paul’s good bud Melo has told CP3 not to count on him heading to NY? Just speculation AND, as has been mentioned on these posts, if Paul wants to play for a contender and another star – why wouldn’t he join forces with Melo in Denver. Patience, Patience, Patience (Not a quality of mine as I’ve said before) but more patient Stiffs tell us impatient ones to calm down right?
honestly
I have this really weird feeling Denver is going to find a way to trade for Chris Paul while keeping Chauncey and playing him at SG. Idk what the deal would look like or how teh numbers would look but somthing like Kenyon, JR and Ty for Okafer and Paul or something. I just have a feeling I will be at work and breaking news will hit on 104 3 teh fan saying Denver traded for Paul. It prob won;t happen but idk i had this feeling when they traded for AI so who knows.
Also, I think Paul doesn’t have Denver included on his list because of Billups and the fact he knows Denver isn’t trading him. But i think a starting 5 of Paul, Billups, Melo, Nene, Okafer would be insane. Chaucney could basicallyu play as a wing player and wouldn;t suffer as much wear and tear while Paul does all the dirty PG work.
"Don't chase the money, chase the dream"
Quitters People United Member #71
That would be awesome
But I don’t know if NO would go for that. From what I’ve read NO wants a lot of talent in return or Paul. Plus Collison appears to be a good PG so I can’t see them trading for Ty. But never underestimate those types of psychic feelings. Crazier stuff has happened!
Stiff 4 Life
by GoldenNugget on Jul 24, 2010 4:19 PM MDT up reply actions
Sources: Paul prefers Magic to Knicks
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5405528 maybe he found out melo is gonna sign the extension
I wanna put an end to this "Melo not recruiting players" bs that's been popping up lately
Is Jermaine O’Neal a difference maker? no….Udonis Haslem? No…Amundson? Nope.
Due to an owner that wants to keep things in check financially we were only able to offer the Mid Level exception (used on Harrington) and frankly that wasn’t going to attract great talent. So what could Melo do? Well…..nothing. He got married. That’s clearly where his priorities are right now.
The front office has bungled a series of moves since the Billups trade that have boxed the Nuggets in to the position they are now. There was a gigantic traded player exception last off season that was available that was not used…..made to expire. This was the Nuggets opportunity to acquire a quality big man. However, in what seems to be an oddly calculated move the FO let it expire….and did nothing. When Rex Chapman said after the draft (which we can all say he handled extremely poorly) that “if we had known we would have the injuries that we did we would have gone after someone in the offseason or at the trade deadline harder”….)which could possibly be the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard an executive say) you knew that saving money was the name of the game.
So rather than blaming Melo for not “recruiting” players in free agency, lets look at reality and ask ourselves what exactly did the front office do to bolster the front line when they had a giant cherry to use for a year. “Big Bertha” as Wark called it.
Also, lets keep this in mind. We have two expiring contracts that will most likely be used at the trade deadline (or before) that we can use to acquire more talent. All the Nuggets need to do is hold it together long enough to get to the deadline. While that’s not an appealing prospect at all, I think the talent remaining on the roster can keep us afloat till we can get some help.
"If there's a new way....I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time...." Peace Sells....but Who's Buying
Proving that you can be gay and not like Madonna, and rock out to Metal. One step at a time.
Quitter's People United Member # 78
Let me also add that no one is going to trade for Kmart's expiring contract until he's proven healthy
so that eliminates him being traded this offseason.
"If there's a new way....I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time...." Peace Sells....but Who's Buying
Proving that you can be gay and not like Madonna, and rock out to Metal. One step at a time.
Quitter's People United Member # 78
well I think you are wrong about that
Kenyon’s contract just prob won;t be valuable until the deadline for a team who is for sure a lottery team in which his talent won;t matter b/c he’ll prob just be bought out of his contract anyways.
"Don't chase the money, chase the dream"
Quitters People United Member #71
by Garrett Olsen on Jul 25, 2010 4:27 PM MDT up reply actions
The Nuggets pushed very hard to trade Kenyon at the draft
but the assumption is that his surgery killed any deal that could have been made.
"If there's a new way....I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time...." Peace Sells....but Who's Buying
Proving that you can be gay and not like Madonna, and rock out to Metal. One step at a time.
Quitter's People United Member # 78
Melo
Still could have called up Bosh and tried to persuade him to want to play in Denver.. Just cuz Denver doesn;t have money to sign him upfront doesn’t mean they couldn’t use a sign and trade.
"Don't chase the money, chase the dream"
Quitters People United Member #71
by Garrett Olsen on Jul 25, 2010 4:27 PM MDT up reply actions
and you know he didn't try to do just that?
Just because it wasn’t in the media doesn’t mean the conversation didn’t happen.
by InboundingLobPass on Jul 25, 2010 4:38 PM MDT up reply actions
"if we had known we would have the injuries that we did we would have gone after someone in the offseason or at the trade deadline harder".
They should have known that Nene, Martin and Bird wouldn’t hold up for forever….especially Martin.
Chris Andersen could be in a porno with his 'stache. Too bad he still wouldn't know how to box out.
Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy.
Quitter's Proud United Member #11
Honestly, I stopped reading after the citation to the fart analogy
Are you serious Nate? You referenced your friend because you have NEVER been in that situation before? Congratulations if you are blessed with a golden rectum of the gods, but I refuse to believe you have never been in a situation where you have been forced to stealth one. I couldn’t read the rest of your article because I came to the conclusion that it lacked credibility after being blatantly lied to. So go ahead and live life atop your pedestal, above everyone else who has been forced into a sneak attack situation, but just keep this in mind, you’re not better than me or my colon.
DON'T TELL AL GORE WHERE I AM!!!
by manbearpig5000000 on Jul 25, 2010 10:05 PM MDT reply actions
did he just figuratively fart and blame it on his imaginary friend?
…who I imagine is very fat and prolifically flatulent; a likely scapegoat…
That metaphor is a ltitle too apt, if you don’t know it personally, and I call “doorknob”.
So let me get this straight, Chris Paul marched into a crowded room and demanded a fart?
by deezNuggets on Jul 26, 2010 12:38 AM MDT up reply actions
That is exactly what I gathered from his fart proverb as well.
Like Jesus telling a story to the disciples, to contextualize the message he is trying to get across, so to does Nate Timmons with the Denver Stiffs. It is easy to draw comparisons between a man without sin and a man with an immaculate colon. Apparently calling a doorknob on this man is like making Jesus go to confession, both acts are unjustifiable. The bottom line is that no matter how silent the Nugget front office can keep it, if it concerns Melo, there is no way to hide this proverbial shart.
DON'T TELL AL GORE WHERE I AM!!!
by manbearpig5000000 on Jul 26, 2010 1:21 AM MDT up reply actions
I may be reading too much into this butt...
I’m starting to think that MElway might be traded if he farts a lot in the locker room, on the court, on the bus, on the plane, at practice <— just talking bout practice, while training with THE HESS, while going over video, while bowling with fans on meets the nuggets night…. etc etc..
by InboundingLobPass on Jul 28, 2010 9:13 PM MDT up reply actions
...something about that pie is very unappetizing.
by deezNuggets on Jul 28, 2010 11:47 PM MDT up reply actions
That may be the other point of the graph....
Chris Andersen could be in a porno with his 'stache. Too bad he still wouldn't know how to box out.
Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy.
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