Here's my ditch 2015 plan to keep Melo outline for this offseason:
2 Trades. Dependent on if the Thunder doesn't make the finals again.
TRADE #1
THUNDER-CELTICS-KNICKS-PISTONS
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=mds2ypyKnicks acquire - Russell Westbrook, Gerald Wallace, Keith Bogans & Josh Smith(trading: Raymond Felton, JR Smith, Iman Shumpert, Tyson Chandler & 2018 1st round pick)
WHY? Russell Westbrook & DEFENSE!. Take back bad contracts in Wallace & Josh Smith, but make them useful around Westbrook & Melo. We end up giving Melo the max, because we don't care. 2015 won't matter after getting Josh Smith along with Westbrook.
Thunder acquire - Rajon Rondo, Tyson Chandler & Raymond Felton(trading: Russell Westbrook, Kendrick Perkins, Reggie Jackson, Hasheem Thabeet & 2014 1st)
WHY? How many times are you gonna roll with the Westbrook/Durant duo & it not work? Durant needs to be THE man & Rajon Rondo would help him be that for many years, unlike Westbrook. Also, Tyson Chandler next to Ibaka is a major upgrade vs. Perkins. Felton replaces Reggie Jackson for backup PG because Reggie Jackson would be going into his contract year, where he would be getting way more than Raymond Felton to possibly even start somewhere.
Celtics acquire - Andrea Bargnani, Iman Shumpert, Kendrick Perkins, Reggie Jackson, Hasheem Thabeet, 2014 1st rd pick via OKC, 2018 1st round pick via NYK & future 1st from the Pistons(trading: Rajon Rondo, Jeff Green, Gerald Wallace & Keith Bogans)
WHY? Rajon Rondo is leaving, they're better off getting something before it's too late. Get out of Wallace's & Green's contracts in the process. Obtains nothing but expirings, nice youth pieces (also expirings) & picks.
Pistons acquire - Jeff Green & JR Smith(trading: Josh Smith)
WHY? Josh Smith isn't going to work out there with Monroe & Drummond down low. Jeff Green is a better fit for SF with those guys & is much cheaper for shorter years. JR Smith fills in for Stuckey & helps them maintain some offense on a decent deal that's shorter than Josh Smith's deal.
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TRADE #2
KNICKS-BUCKS-PELICANS
After completing that trade, we still use Amar'e & his expiring to take on a struggling player. Since we're already in cap hell with the above trade, it's better to just trade Amar'e for more useful players instead of having him expire.
Knicks acquire - Tyreke Evans & Zaza Pachulia(trading: Amar'e Stoudemire)
WHY? obvious reasons. Swapping Amar'e for some type of useful players
Bucks acquire - Eric Gordon & Amar'e Stoudemire(trading: OJ Mayo, Larry Sanders & Ersan Ilyasova)
WHY? Save a lot of money!, helps their tank for 1 more season so they can build around G. Ante & maybe even Gordon, who they had interest in at the deadline & is making his way back to playing some good ball.
Pelicans acquire - Larry Sanders, OJ Mayo & Ersan Ilyasova(trading: Eric Gordon & Tyreke Evans)
WHY? They swap pieces that don't fit into pieces that do basically. Larry Sanders fit nicely next to Anthony Davis. OJ Mayo fits nicely next to Jrue Holiday. Take a chance on Ilyasova at SF maybe in the process. Better than what they have currently.
OUR LINE-UP FOR NEXT SEASON BECOMES THIS:
Russell Westbrook / Pablo Prigioni
Tyreke Evans / Tim Hardaway Jr.
Carmelo Anthony / Gerald Wallace
Josh Smith / MLE or Kenyon Martin ?
Jeremy Tyler / Zaza Pachulia