In the past and as recently as today, in fact, I have been philosophically and steadfastly opposed to taking such a shortcut route towards our ultimate goal. However, after reading the rather lengthy Bleacher Report article by Howard Beck, I find myself more open to the idea. Below are choice excerpts from that piece. While it seems like a lot, it is actually a small portion of the entirety of the article. [Mods: If I need to trim down or remove some of the excerpts to meet the community guidelines, please let me know.]
Now why am I more open to the Brotherhood scenario in Los Angeles? I'm not saying it's my preferred choice or even acceptable, because frankly I'm still not sure what to think, but I admittedly find myself more open to the idea in this case for whatever reason(s). Part of it has to do with roster fit. Part of it has to do with relating my experiences of playing team basketball to the LeBron-Carmelo relationship described in the Bleacher Report piece where teammates build each other up and complement one another as a functional unit. Part of it may have to do with being desperate and more resigned to Doc's shortcomings. In any case, it is personally not the ideal scenario for the Clippers to get its first ever championship in franchise history.
As Griffin has begun his 4-game suspension before being active and available for this season, I was contemplating how much of an adjustment this team would need to make in order to accommodate his presence. I'm not saying Griffin makes us worse, but I am concerned with how his presence affects our current style of play and have been even before his injury/incident. While Blake is an able playmaker, he tends to slow the flow of ball movement as he is slower to make smart decisions with the basketball than Chris. On top of that, his reliance on the mid-range game during the regular season causes some spacing issues for both Redick and DJ. Plus, the over-reliance on his mid-range shot--while significantly improved--is not as efficient or frankly valuable as a CP3 mid-range shot, Redick 3-pointer, or Jordan slam. In Blake's absence, Chris Paul has also been more aggressive early and often like we have all wanted him to be. What happens now with Blake taking on more possessions?
Again, I'm not saying we're better off without Blake, but these are legitimate concerns when recent statistics show how much more potent our offense has been under Paul's stewardship in Griffin's absence. Plus, our defense has actually improved to being among the best teams in the league. There is definitely food for thought here.
Now speaking of LeBron and Melo, let me first say that I have proactively rooted against them as I view LeBron's leadership as overrated and Carmelo's selfish decision-making on and off the court not conducive to building winning teams. Having said that, I can't deny that stylistically LBJ plays the game very close to how my ideal player would with his playmaking and defense. Anthony is a natural scorer with preternatural ability. What I found of particular interest is that Carmelo Anthony purportedly had playmaking ability and actually emulated playmakers like Anfernee Hardaway (one of my all-time favorite players), Lamar Odom, and Scottie Pippen.
I've even heard of Carmelo playing great defense under Coach K when he was on the Olympic team, so there has been a belief that Melo had the ability to be more well-rounded if he wanted to be. I simply wrote him off as not wanting to be that committed and more inclined to coast on his natural abilities. However, the article points to the possibility that his circumstances--part of which, was of his own doing--didn't allow for it. I used to think Rudy Gay had the ability and inclination to be an all-around talent but was mis-handled by his coaches both in the NBA and college. This line of thinking may actually apply to Carmelo Anthony. I'm not saying I believe it yet, but my eyes are more open to this possibility. If that were true, the question would be is it too late for him to change his spots now?
What is encouraging is that Anthony has supposedly made more of an effort to be a playmaker given his career high of 4.2 assists per game this season as well as his 7.9 rebounds per game (just shy of his 8.1 rpg career watermark). He's still an inefficient volume shooter, but there is no doubt he's a more talented offensive player than Griffin. The Chris-Paul bump may get the most out of him as long as he's inclined and committed to playing team ball.
Would I trade Blake Griffin for Carmelo Anthony straight-up for each other? Not a chance. Kevin Durant, on the other hand...however, what if that allowed for LeBron James to sign on as a free agent at a discounted rate? Is this realistic? I'm inclined not to think so. Such a scenario would present its own problems. Would we have to trade DJ to make it work? Would we have to take on Dwayne Wade and/or J.R. Smith as well?
In any case, if it were to happen, it should happen soon rather than indulging the Brotherhood fantasy during their twilight years a la Paul Pierce. The one obvious benefit to the Brotherhood of CP3-LeBron-Melo representing the Los Angeles Clippers is that it would be in Doc's wheelhouse given his "leadership" in handling the quartet of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo in Boston.
Howard Beck, BleacherReport.com (3/23/16)
"I think they love one another," said Mike Krzyzewski, who has coached James and Anthony for more than a decade with the U.S. national team. "It's so damn genuine, and it's so cool to see...They have each others' back, on everything."
NBA friendships can be ephemeral, forming and dissolving as quickly as cloud patterns. This one is different, substantial—a rarity between two stars of James and Anthony's caliber and rarer still for two players who have been rivals since high school.
What if Anthony—who was later mentored by Billups in Denver and Rasheed Wallace in New York—had the benefit of their veteran wisdom from day one? As teammates over the years will attest, Anthony has always been at his best when paired with a strong point guard and seasoned veterans.
..
"That ball-stopping mentality that Carmelo has? He wouldn't have had that if he was a Piston," Billups said. "We wouldn't let him play like that. He would have been a much better player than he is now—and he's a great player now.
"This guy would have been," Billups said, pausing to chuckle for a moment, "he would have been an absolute icon, because winning takes you there."
Soon, they will all be neighbors, as well, with James and Wade recently buying summer homes in Los Angeles, where Anthony and Paul already spend the offseason.
James and Anthony, who have known each other the longest, are the hub of this basketball Rat Pack, the tightest pair among the four.
As a high school senior, Anthony averaged six assists, in addition to his 21.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.
"All he wanted to do was win," said Steve Smith, the longtime head coach at Oak Hill Academy.
If you asked Anthony then to name his favorite NBA players, he would list Penny Hardaway and Lamar Odom—long, multiskilled stars who played a complete game. He aspired to be just like them.
...
"He was a phenomenal passer," said Troy Weaver, the former Syracuse assistant coach, who recruited Anthony in high school.
The 2003 NBA draft guide, listing Anthony's strengths, noted: "He is an unselfish player who can make the pass on the move or out of a double-team in the low post."
"I never thought that Carmelo got credit for his well-rounded game," said Weaver, who is now assistant general manager for the Oklahoma City Thunder. "It's like they pigeonholed him as a scorer. And that's not who he really was. I think that kind of was thrust on him."
Somewhere along the way, the playmaking was de-emphasized, first in Denver and then in New York, as Anthony evolved into a volume shooter, whether by necessity or by choice. And that has made it more challenging to create the right supporting cast.
Anthony needs a co-star to share the scoring burden, but he also needs to be the No. 1 option, with strong passers and defenders around him to hide his deficiencies.
"Playmaking has never been his game, even though he can," Wade said. "What you have to do is put people around that allows Carmelo to be Carmelo....Not saying he can't pass, but he's a scorer. He's not LeBron James. It's not his makeup, at all."
"I saw his physicality," Anthony said of James. "I fell in love with his game right then and there."
"A little skinny kid out of Baltimore, braids in his hair," James said of Anthony. "I just remember coming back home and telling my high school friends, 'Man, I played against one of the best guys I ever played in my life so far.'"
Anthony was only there for a day, but James quickly took note of his rare combination of size, strength, ball-handling and shooting skills. He reminded James of Lamar Odom and Scottie Pippen.
Brotherhood: As Their Careers Diverge, LeBron and Carmelo Share Unique Friendship
