MeloDrama Part V

[Brooklyn_Yards]

Knicks are getting played just like Memphis did with Pau Gasol.

Phil is not a real Knicks exec. He is a Lakers mole just like Jerry West was with the Grizzlies.

News flash: Phil's WIFE is the OWNER OF THE LAKERS.

Melo to LA for nothing, Phil retires within 12 months

The Grizzlies received the rights to their current franchise player in return though. If what you are saying is true a lot of folks will be happy to receive a franchise player in return for Melo.

[Kidknick!]

Melo recently moved out of his east side apartment on Madison ave. Destination was L.A.

[ITGM]

Melo recently moved out of his east side apartment on Madison ave. Destination was L.A.

[IrishBeatdown]

Melo wants to go to Chicago. What he's doing is using the Lakers as leverage. At this point they are the only team outside of NY that can offer him the 4-yr $96mm max. Bulls and Rockets would have maneuvering to do. Mavs are said to be unwilling to offer him the 4-yr $96mm max. So that leaves the Lakers.

What Melo is trying to do is threaten to sign with the Lakers with credibility (since they can offer him the most money outside of NY) so that Phil Jackson takes the threat seriously. Then his agent will present the option of instead of losing him for nothing, they can sign & trade him to Chicago for Boozer. Melo knows Phil is reluctant to sign & trade him to Chicago. So that is where the Lakers come in.

Melo cannot genuinely want to play for the Lakers. Their roster is worse than ours, they still don't have a coach, Jim Buss hasn't been on the same page as Jeanie Buss so there's front office disharmony, and Kobe is on his last legs while Gasol may walk. Nash is a corpse. I can't see how he would envision LA as a favorable situation to NY at this point.

This is a leverage power play to get him signed & traded to Chicago. Which is why Chicago all of a sudden are signing Mirotic, keeping Taj Gibson, and not actively dumping Dunleavy.

Completely agree with this post, it's the only way the recent developments make any sense, no one in their right mind would believe he would seriously want to join that LA roster. That being said:

Option 1: LA is a smokescreen. Trying to force a S&T to Chicago or Houston. I don't think this play works, because Melo is not actually going to go to LA.

Phil Jackson is going to call this bluff. I think Phil Jackson has great big balls of steel and calls him on it. Melo ends up re-signing, end of story. It might have already happened, TBH. If he intended to re-sign all along, he would not be posturing at the last minute with the lakers.

Option 2: Melo is **** crazy and actually wants to go to LA. He would deserve your pity. That's all I got.

[Kidknick!]

I am at the point where I don't care where Melo goes. But the fact that people are writing the Lakers off is laughable, if they can get both Melo and James there with assurances that they will along with Kobe choose the coach they will be the ultimate attraction for the numerous ring chasers that are free agents right now.

This is the new, new NBA the post Riley salary cap circumvention era. This is why the Knicks need a cap wizard as a GM, and not a puppet like they have now.

[IrishBeatdown]

I am at the point where I don't care where Melo goes. But the fact that people are writing the Lakers off is laughable, if they can get both Melo and James there with assurances that they will along with Kobe choose the coach they will be the ultimate attraction for the numerous ring chasers that are free agents right now.

This is the new, new NBA the post Riley salary cap circumvention era. This is why the Knicks need a cap wizard as a GM, and not a puppet like they have now.

People are writing off the Lakers because they can't sign both James and Melo, even if they dump every salary conceivable and stretch provision Nash. They have neither the money to sign both Melo and James, nor fill out the roster if they somehow fit them under the cap, both at discounts. Miami would be a better spot for James and Melo if they wanted to go that route, and even though no one has mentioned it, I believe that is a more viable option than LA for Melo.

[Sprewell4Three]

Wait people think Kobe would want LeBron James on the same team? Even in Kobe advanced age he's still thinks about going toe to toe with LeBron not playing with him.

[KnicksGadfly]

Wait people think Kobe would want LeBron James on the same team? Even in Kobe advanced age he's still thinks about going toe to toe with LeBron not playing with him.

No way. Kobe wants championships...doesn't matter how or what or who. I'm pretty sure that if Lebron signed in LA or Melo signed, Kobe would still have it in his head that he is the alpha dog.

In any case, I'm not too worried about LA. A team with Melo, Kobe and Gasol is much worse than the team that we could put up right now, and is still in the West. We still have more to offer, including money.

[BodyCount]

This is the new, new NBA the post Riley salary cap circumvention era. This is why the Knicks need a cap wizard as a GM, and not a puppet like they have now.

our puppet was doing just fine untill he said max is on the table for melo.

[kane]

why would melo use phils wife's team as 'leverage to get to the bulls' you bulls fans are seriously delusional

A. its the lakers they are worse off then the knicks in the 'whos going to win first race'

B. if hes going to walk why not help out you're WIFES F'ING TEAM.... if he doesn't like the bulls package CYA MELO BYE BYE now go play for my wife

[nytonm]

I'm neutral towards this whole LA thing. It would suck losing him for nothing but long term I think we're better off not giving Melo a super max contract at 30.

Still hoping we can fleece Chicago...

[Kidknick!]

This is the new, new NBA the post Riley salary cap circumvention era. This is why the Knicks need a cap wizard as a GM, and not a puppet like they have now.

our puppet was doing just fine untill he said max is on the table for melo.

I'm talking Mills here.

[BodyCount]

1997-98 Chicago Bulls Salaries
1 Michael Jordan $33,140,000
2 Toni Kukoc $4,560,000
3 Ron Harper $4,560,000
4 Dennis Rodman $4,500,000
5 Luc Longley $3,184,900
6 Scottie Pippen $2,775,000
7 Bill Wennington $1,800,000
8 Scott Burrell $1,430,000
9 Randy Brown $1,260,000
10 Dickey Simpkins $1,235,000
11 Robert Parish $1,150,000
12 Jason Caffey $850,920
13 Steve Kerr $750,000
14 David Vaughn $693,840
15 Keith Booth $597,600
16 Jud Buechler $500,000
17 Joe Kleine $272,250
18 Rusty LaRue *$242,000

if Anthony takes 5 years/100mil, he'll still be payed 7 times more then Pippen and he was all around better player.

[Rasho Brezec]

Where's offense when you need him?

[WinCity]

why would melo use phils wife's team as 'leverage to get to the bulls' you bulls fans are seriously delusional

A. its the lakers they are worse off then the knicks in the 'whos going to win first race'

B. if hes going to walk why not help out you're WIFES F'ING TEAM.... if he doesn't like the bulls package CYA MELO BYE BYE now go play for my wife

As you yourself noted the idea that he would go to LA makes no sense. So to rational the recent rumors many are assuming he is using them as leverage to his preferred destination i.e. HOU or CHI

Wont be long before we find out what the deal really is. All I know is I am tired of seeing that fat chic on ESPN talking about LA as a favorite

[Rasho Brezec]

Lakers being a serious option makes sense:

- he lives in LA
- he loves the attention, I've never seen anyone more happy to have paparazzi scum following him
- his wife could make more terrible attention whore reality shows
- he's friends with Kobe for some reason
- he wants to play with Pau
- he was always style over substance

[WinCity]

Lakers being a serious option makes sense:

- he lives in LA
- he loves the attention, I've never seen anyone more happy to have paparazzi scum following him
- his wife could make more terrible attention whore reality shows
- he's friends with Kobe for some reason
- he wants to play with Pau
- he was always style over substance

If he doesnt give a frack about basketball all that makes complete sense

[Rasho Brezec]

He cares about basketball. He just cares about extracurricular activities more. He couldn't get that in Denver, he exhausted New York, and LA is the capital of all things wrong with the media.

[WinCity]

Looks like these 2 are about to have a pie eating contest

[WinCity]

Well it all adds up now. Jim Buss threw on some make up and assumed the name Ramona Shelburne to spin the news cycle for LA!