Carmelo Anthony Trade Rumors: Re-Ranking the East If Melo Joins Knicks
The 2011 NBA trade deadline is looming and ‘Melo is still a Nugget.
At this point the rumors are getting a bit ridiculous. The buzz of ‘Melo going to the Lakers was brought on by Anthony’s agent in an attempt for the Knicks to beef up their offer to the Nuggets. The deal will never actually happen.
‘Melo has done everything but actually admit his fixation with the Knicks. All signs point to ‘Melo playing in New York next season and it’s the only place where he will sign a long-term deal.
Let’s assume the Knicks throw in another trade piece and the Nuggets desperately settle on a mediocre package for one of the best player’s in history of Denver pro sports.
These are the current power rankings in the Eastern Conference with ‘Melo a member of the New York Knicks.
15. Cleveland Cavs
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Not much to say about a team with a 25 game losing streak.
The Cavs lose by an average of 11.3 points per game—five more than the next worst team.
How would you like to be Samardo Samuels and Alonzo Gee...the 11th and 12th guys on the worst team in NBA history.
Not exactly an ego booster.
14. Detroit Pistons
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Ugly season in the Motor City.
The team is going absolutely nowhere and they have found a way to alienate one of the greatest player's in the franchises history.
Rip Hamilton is rotting away on the Pistons bench until the team finds a trade for him.
The Pistons want to unload the remaining two years and $25M on Hamilton’s contract and finding a taker has been a challenging task for G.M. Joe Dumars.
This is the only situation of note for this declining franchise.
13. Washington Wizards
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The Wizards may be in the midst of a lost season, but they have found out Nick Young is a pure scorer to build with John Wall.
Just don't expect Young to pass much.
The Wizards guard is scoring a team-high 17.4 points per game and just 1.3 assists. According to ESPN.com, in the past 50 years, no guard has scored more than 17 points per game while keeping his assists average as low as Young has this season.
Uhh congrats?
Mark your calendars down...the Wizards travel to Cleveland to play the Cavs on Sunday February 13th.
Something has to give.
The Wizards have yet to win a road game (0-25) and the Cavs haven't won a game period in their last 25 contests.
12. Toronto Raptors
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The Raptors have won exactly one game in their last 14.
They are an average offensive team (15th) and a below average defensive team (24th).
Amir Johnson has been one of the few bright spots for the Raptors this season; averaging 10 points a seven rebounds a game. Pretty impressive for a guy that only averages 26 minutes a game.
He leads the NBA in a category too: personal fouls.
11. New Jersey Nets
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Brook Lopez is going to drive Nets fans crazy for year's to come.
He has steadily increased his points per game average in each of his first three seasons to a career high 19.4 this year.
Yet the rest of his numbers are declining.
He went from averaging 8.7 rebounds a season ago to 5.6 this year. How in the world does a seven-footer failed to grab six boards a night when playing 34 minutes a game?
His blocks are down, his turnovers are up and his shooting percentage has dropped from 53 percnt his rookie season to 47 percent in 2010-2011.
This is not progress.
10. Milwaukee Bucks
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The Bucks may have failed to meet preseason expectations after securing the No. 6 seed in last year's playoffs, but all hope is not lost.
Milwaukee is only 1.5 games out of first place in the Eastern Conference and Brandon Jennings is slowly finshing his recovery from an ankle injury. The Bucks young star will no longer play with a cap on his minutes, something he has been stuck with since returning on Jan. 29th.
He needs to increase that 37 percent shooting percentage, but he is a terrific scorer and someone the worst offensive team in the NBA desperately needs to step up.
9. Charlotte Bobcats
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Well it's about time.
Former No. 1 overall pick Kwame Brown is enjoying one of the best seasons in his 10-year NBA career.
Putting up seven points and seven rebounds is outstanding for Brown, and he is doing it for the guy that made him the first pick in the 2001 NBA draft...Michael Jordan.
If that is one of the more interesting facts about your team—your team isn't very interesting.
8. Indiana Pacers
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The Pacers are 4-1 since firing head coach Jim O'Brien and the sense of urgency is beginning to become apparent.
Almost half the roster and most of the front office are currently in the last season of their contracts.
Everyone is working for a new one and the Pacers effort should be strong down the stretch. They hope to find out one big question over the second half of the season...
Is Danny Granger a franchise player?
His shooting percentage has dropped every year since entering the league, reaching a career low 42 percent this season. He pulls in 5.6 rebounds a game and dishes out 2.8 assists—both are around his career averages and are respectable.
But he is averaging over three points per game less than last year and is becoming a much less efficient offensive player.
Are his best days already behind him?
7. Philadelphia 76ers
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The 76ers are improving right before out eyes. They amassed a 65-33 halftime lead in Atlanta on Tuesday night before winning by 34 points.
In the last two weeks they have beaten the Nuggets, Suns and Knicks.
No longer are they a Eastern Conference doormat.
Elton Brand may be making too much money, but he has quietly posted a nice bounce back season. With averages of 15.6 points and 8.6 rebounds, Brand has been a great veteran for the young guns to lean on. He is also shooting a career best 53 percent from the field.
Basketball in Philadelphia is back.
6. Orlando Magic
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The Knicks with 'Melo would bump the Magic down to the six spot.
The Magic mess centers around Dwight Howard and Gilbert Arenas.
Howard is dealing with all of the rumors and speculation regarding his 2012 expiring contract. Nobody wants to get "LeBron'ed" or even "Carmelo'ed" and trading Howard may not be out of the question.
The bigger problem is Gilbert Arenas.
Coming off a month where the former explosive scorer averaged a mere 7.8 points and 3.2 assists per game, he only made 12 of his 49 three point shots in January and even his free throw percentage was an awful 67 percent.
Then there is the off court issues. Arenas was served custody and child-support papers AT HALFTIME of last week's Miami Heat game.
His divorce is getting ugly and the randomness that is Gilbert is leaking out. He has recently admitted to spending $5,000 a month on food for his pet shark, while his ex is accusing him of abandoning her and his three children.
Not the best month for the Magic or Arenas.
5. Atlanta Hawks
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The Hawks are hoping Al Horford's back issue isn't too serious. He has been essential to the Hawks success this season.
Averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds a game, Horford has taken the next step in his NBA career.
Too bad the rest of the team is stuck in neutral. They are heading for another 4-5 seed and another first round exit.
4. New York Knicks
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The Knicks would get a huge boost instantly with the addition of 'Melo. His ability to score from any position on the floor would force oppositions to defend Amare Stoudemire one-on-one in the paint.
Advantage Knicks.
'Melo gives New York a crunch time scorer that can play a two-man game with Amare as the clock ticks down.
The seamless transition from one Carolina point guard to another would be a breeze. Ty Lawson and Raymond Felton have very similar games and 'Melo will develop chemistry on the floor quickly with Felton.
The potential lineup of 'Melo, Amare, Felton, Danilo Gallinari, and Landry Fields would be one, if not the, best offensive lineups in the NBA.
'Melo also brings a playoff pedigree to a team that hasn't made the postseason since 2001. He may have only reached the Western Conference finals once, but his team has made the playoffs every season since 2004.
'Melo has never played with a big man like Amare. Amare has never played with a scorer the caliber of 'Melo.
Combine the two and watch the carnage ensue.
3. Chicago Bulls
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Carlos Boozer is going to his old stomping grounds on Wednesday when the Bulls travel to Utah. It will be interesting to see the reaction of Jazz fans.
No doubt they are jealous of his success with the Bulls.
Boozer is averaging 20 and 10 for a team that is currently one of the most dangerous in the NBA.
The pick-and-roll combo of Boozer and PG Derrick Rose is possibly the most deadly in the league.
Rose as emerged as a star and his Bulls team could still beat the new-look Knicks.
2. Boston Celtics
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The Celtics are still ripping off wins at a torrid pace.
They have the best defensive numbers in the NBA and the big four are all relatively healthy at the moment. Rajon Rondo is obliterating the rest of the league in assists per game.
Yet there is something that tells me the good health wont last.
Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen are all in their mid-30's and the NBA mileage on their bodies is adding up.
They had a scare with K.G's knee early in the year and survived it. Could they recover from a nagging Pierce injury that keeps him out for an extended amount of time?
The are playing great and have zero weaknesses, but would still lose to the next team if they were to play tomorrow...
1. Miami Heat
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The Heat are a completely different team than the one that got embarrassed by the Celtics on opening night. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have learned how to complement each other and Chris Bosh has solidified the post with cast-offs Joel Anthony and Erick Dampier.
Now that sharp shooter Mike Miller is back, the sky is the limit.
The Heat have finally embraced their role as the villain of the NBA and are feeding off the negative energy of opposing arenas. All it took was a little pregame mockery by Dwight Howard for LeBron to light-up the scoreboard for an NBA season high 51 points.
All of the booing and negative media attention is driving this team and the Heat have turned into the hungriest team in the entire league.
Amare and 'Melo form a outstanding combination—but it's no D-Wade and LeBron.
