Hottest girl at the bar syndrome. Nobody thinks they have a chance so no one is trying. Lebron goes home crying and is out of the league next year.

Lebron is on vacation, I think. He's got some Nike thing going on in Brazil or something (maybe that hasn't started yet though). His agent is handling everything (right now) and some reports indicate he's staying quiet while Melo goes through his process so that Melo (his good friend) can get his one moment. There have also been reports that Melo wants to beat Lebron and has no interest in teaming up with LBJ. He wants to show that he was the best pick out of that draft (and he's been quoted in the past as saying he should have been the top pick).

Knicks are going to have massive amounts of cap room in 15. The 3M cap hold for Butler will not impede their ability to sign Kevin Love and provides Phil and the Knicks with a young, attractive asset to have on the roster to go with Love and whomever else they plan on signing.

 

Big IF there. Just like all of these other potential signings. If you're Melo, not sure that you want to waste one guaranteed year of sucking, and then maybe multiple years if none of those deals work out. In Chicago, Houston or Dallas you have guaranteed contenders from day one.

 

Sigh, yet logic isn't going to be the deciding factor unfortunately.

Big IF there. Just like all of these other potential signings. If you're Melo, not sure that you want to waste one guaranteed year of sucking, and then maybe multiple years if none of those deals work out. In Chicago, Houston or Dallas you have guaranteed contenders from day one.

 

Sigh, yet logic isn't going to be the deciding factor unfortunately.

Everything is an IF, but I have little doubt in Phil's ability to land a star. He's going to have all the buzz and successes that Riley had, imo. Dude with that many rings and respect, add in deep pockets and the city of New York, people are going to come to Phil. I personally think Melo is just in a situation where he should leave cause the window is just too far down the road, but I fully buy into Phil (as long as he doesn't retire / have health issues) fixing the Knicks. I think Lebron will end up in New York in the next couple of years, possibly with KLove and others.

Big IF there. Just like all of these other potential signings. If you're Melo, not sure that you want to waste one guaranteed year of sucking, and then maybe multiple years if none of those deals work out. In Chicago, Houston or Dallas you have guaranteed contenders from day one.

 

Sigh, yet logic isn't going to be the deciding factor unfortunately.

If it was, Lebron and Bosh would have signed in Chicago.

I think Dolan gets in the way and Phil is gone in 2-3 years.

Again..makes total sense and means a lot of those rumors about Melo being turned off by Bulls making 16M offer being total crap.

 

K.C. Johnson @KCJHoop

Reported Bulls, Melo didn't talk $ much if at all Tuesday. Just general air of "we'll make financials work" if verbal commitment.

I think Dolan gets in the way and Phil is gone in 2-3 years.

I think if the Lakers don't figure things out in a year or two, Phil ends up over there (because of Dolan).

Marc Stein ✔ @ESPNSteinLine

Pessimism among some of Melo's suitors, I'm told, is undoubtedly rising about having any hope of getting Melo away from Knicks

Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine 1m

You can see where this is headed. Knicks are surely hoping they get a verbal commitment from Melo to re-sign TONIGHT in their meeting in LA

It is kind of funny Phil's girlfriend is part of the Lakers pitch to Melo.

Ha Gage is all over this.

 

I still don't believe anything being reported but I'm also still positive that he ends up back in NY.

I'm hoping Melo meets with Knicks to tell him he's going to Chicago but he wanted to tell them in person and another meeting is secretly being lined up w/Bulls to work out terms, etc.

It is kind of funny Phil's girlfriend is part of the Lakers pitch to Melo.

Fiance.

Let's keep in mind Stein's sources are all Texas based....

Knicks fans are also saying if they take Boozer we gotta take Smith....Which I'm all for. Smith has a little bit of Nate Robinson in him and Thibs kinda made that work. If they take on Smith that leaves 1 less hole to fill with the the 2 exceptions they have.

 

 

 

 

 

Let's keep in mind Stein's sources are all Texas based....

IMO, Stein's reporting has been complete junk on this since it started. All very "opinionated" type stuff. Just my 2 cents.

Knicks fans are also saying if they take Boozer we gotta take Smith....Which I'm all for. Smith has a little bit of Nate Robinson in him and Thibs kinda made that work. If they take on Smith that leaves 1 less hole to fill with the the 2 exceptions they have.

That wouldn't make sense for the Bulls. It wouldn't free up as much money.

@FisolaNYDN: Knicks hoping to get a verbal commitment from Carmelo tonight in LA. A source "doubts" it will happen this quickly.

Knicks fans are also saying if they take Boozer we gotta take Smith....Which I'm all for. Smith has a little bit of Nate Robinson in him and Thibs kinda made that work. If they take on Smith that leaves 1 less hole to fill with the the 2 exceptions they have.

 

I think Thibs would kill Smith as soon as he went rogue. Which will be the first official practice

WOJ has spoken. He's been pretty quiet the past day.

Adrian Wojnarowski ✔ @WojYahooNBA

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Around Carmelo Anthony, there's a belief that he plans to take the weekend in Los Angeles to make a decision on his free agency choice.

I think Thibs would kill Smith as soon as he went rogue. Which will be the first official practice

I am okay getting Smith to faciliate things but he will never play 1 game in Chicago. He'd be waived immediately (just like he was the last time we acquired him). He does not fit in our lockeroom and on our team.

That wouldn't make sense for the Bulls. It wouldn't free up as much money.

If you S&T Boozer + MJD / Snell and our non-guaranteeds they would be able to find ways to get this to work and still get Melo the max. You have a little more flexibility in terms of what you need to line-up. I've seen stuff go through the trade checkers involving this scenarios and it checks out. Team would likely have to get creative and make some other moves.

I think Thibs would kill Smith as soon as he went rogue. Which will be the first official practice

 

I think we were saying some of the same things about Robinson.

 

Somewhat off topic, I'm really liking what I'm hearing about Bairstow. Kid sounds like a guy who Thibs will love. If it takes Mirotic to get Melo I think I'd be fine with him backing up Taj.

Edited July 3, 201411 yr by scs787

I don't like the idea of Pat Riley in LA.

Adrian Wojnarowski ✔ @WojYahooNBA

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Pat Riley is still setting up free agent meetings for his trip to L.A. this week, selling promise of rings over Miami's shrinking cap space.

Interesting. Might not be a good sign. Would appear meeting was moved up so he could meet w/Knicks.

 

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA 33s

Kobe Bryant has lost hope on making it to Lakers-Anthony meeting today, source tells Yahoo. He's traveling, meeting time had been moved up.