Around the League: Week 12 1/12-1/18

[Dan H]

I don't know. I don't think it's a Carmelo but maybe it is.

[Indy]

It is not Carmelo.

[Ring_Wanted]

Apparently the Nets don't want Lance so Charlotte is getting cut out.
https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/556114669287378945 Good decision by the Nets.

[Dan H]

Anyone have Insider?

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/ ... LoveTrades

[Superbone]

Anyone have Insider?

Yes.

Unfortunately not me or anybody I know. (Sorry, saw The Imitation Game last weekend.)

[Cap]

I'll go out on a limb and guess that Haberstroh's suggestions do not include trading Love for Bledsoe.

[Sunsfan4life]

Roto saying Minnesota is actively shopping Thad Young. He's an Expiring making I think 7mil per?

[ShelC]

Philosophically, I don't think you can win with a volume scoring SF like Melo. You need to be able to slow it down and play down low, not have a SF take mid range jump shots (as good as Melo is at those). I think Bledsoe and Melo would be a dynamic duo, who could really play off each other well, but I also think Melo marginalizes other players around him, and would stunt the development of a guy like Len for example. We would only go so far with Melo taking 25 jumpers a night and I'm not an advocate of playing him at the 4 (even though he had a great year there last year).

[EDC]

If we want the Melo effect just give Kieff the ball 90% of the time down the court. Saves us a lot of cap space as well.

[Cap]

Philosophically, I don't think you can win with a volume scoring SF like Melo.

Didn't Miami recently have a little success with a volume scoring SF?

[Sunsfan4life]

Lebron isn't just a "volume" scoring SF. He does so many other things better then Melo. But just takes better shots too as evidence by his FG% when he was in Miami...

Lebrons FG% in Miami....
51%,53,57,57
FGA 19,19,18,18

Melos FG% over those 46,43,45,45
19,22,21,20

Melo is a chucker plain and simple. A talented one, but Its laughable how people call him a superstar. Can't play D, Takes plays off, and the majority of his shots are contested jumpers. When he's on he's on, but IMO he is one of the most overrated players in the league.

[Mori Chu]

I just want us to get guys who pass, hit 3s, defend, and/or rebound like hell. Chuckers, ballhogs, guys who can't hit open jumpers, guys who slack on defense, knuckleheads, are not welcome.

[ShelC]

Guys like LeBron and Durant transcend positions. LeBron can play anywhere, same as Durant. Melo's a natural scoring SF.

Regarding his defense...don't be fooled. He absolutely CAN play defense, he just picks and chooses when. More than anything, he's not a leader. Look at his most successful teams and look at the roster. On the Nugs, it was Chauncey, KMart, Camby keeping the lockerroom in check. With the Knicks it was Kidd, Kurt Thomas, Camby, KMart, Sheed. Those guys left and it's been downhill since.

[The Bobster]

Anyone have Insider?

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/ ... LoveTrades

Cavaliers get: G Eric Bledsoe and C Alex Len
Phoenix Suns get: PF Kevin Love
See the trade

Why the Cavs would do it: James is as close to Bledsoe as any young player in the league, and they share an agent in Rich Paul. Plus, Bledsoe just happens to excel where the Cavs are weakest: defense. Bledsoe can guard 2s as well as point guards that Irving can't. Bledsoe is slowly shooting better from deep, and if the Cavs want to get younger and more athletic, this is the deal for them. At 7-foot-1, Len gives them a young giant who can take up space in the middle and provide depth for Mozgov and Thompson in case the latter doesn't agree to a deal this summer.

Why the Suns would do it: The Suns wanted Love this summer and now they have a logjam at point guard. This deal solves both issues. The tri-point guard lineup has actually been successful this season, but keeping all three players -- Goran Dragic, Isaiah Thomas and Bledsoe -- happy all season long might be too tall of a task. Dragic running pick-and-rolls in space with Love like he did with Channing Frye last season? That's a scary proposition. Plus, Len becomes a bit of a luxury now that Brandan Wright is in the fold. (WTF???)

[The Bobster]

No thank you.

[Cap]

I'll go out on a limb and guess that Haberstroh's suggestions do not include trading Love for Bledsoe.

Wow, I guess that limb broke.

Trade Bledsoe and Len for a guy who will opt out in the summer. Brilliant.

[Ring_Wanted]

No thank you.

Agreed.

[LazarusLong]

Anyone have Insider?

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/ ... LoveTrades

Cavaliers get: G Eric Bledsoe and C Alex Len
Phoenix Suns get: PF Kevin Love
See the trade

Why the Cavs would do it: James is as close to Bledsoe as any young player in the league, and they share an agent in Rich Paul. Plus, Bledsoe just happens to excel where the Cavs are weakest: defense. Bledsoe can guard 2s as well as point guards that Irving can't. Bledsoe is slowly shooting better from deep, and if the Cavs want to get younger and more athletic, this is the deal for them. At 7-foot-1, Len gives them a young giant who can take up space in the middle and provide depth for Mozgov and Thompson in case the latter doesn't agree to a deal this summer.

Why the Suns would do it: The Suns wanted Love this summer and now they have a logjam at point guard. This deal solves both issues. The tri-point guard lineup has actually been successful this season, but keeping all three players -- Goran Dragic, Isaiah Thomas and Bledsoe -- happy all season long might be too tall of a task. Dragic running pick-and-rolls in space with Love like he did with Channing Frye last season? That's a scary proposition. Plus, Len becomes a bit of a luxury now that Brandan Wright is in the fold. (WTF???)

Yeah, I remember my first acid trip ... sorta ...

[Superbone]

Boy does he devalue Len. Depth behind Mozgov and Thompson? Len a luxury because of Wright? Sheesh.

[Dan H]

Yeah that's a horrible trade.