OfficiaL '16 NYK offseason thread, Melo goes to bodega in bathrobe and Olympic hat

[kingfoamnyc]

#NT Hot Take. At that Spurs Knicks game Melo was by far the least engaged player. On the Knicks.

You see it on TV every night. Kawhi isnt a vocal leader at all not even sure he knows how to speak but he damn sure leads by example on the floor. Dude never stops and his play screams "win at all costs" Melo's game just speaks "whatever" I lost it last night when dude tried to drive with FOUR Bucks defenders surrounding him.

 

[GaBeGRaMz]

You see it on TV every night. Kawhi isnt a vocal leader at all not even sure he knows how to speak but he damn sure leads by example on the floor. Dude never stops and his play screams "win at all costs" Melo's game just speaks "whatever" I lost it last night when dude tried to drive with FOUR Bucks defenders surrounding him.

Exactly.

I by no means think that the Knicks are a better team without Carmelo Anthony, arguably a top 2 scoring threat in the NBA. I didn't like the trade that mortgaged our future for him but I wont front like I wasn't happy to have the caliber of player he was.

With a consistently engaged Melo that excepts that his time is about up, we would be a strong team. He's just too inconsistent with his attitude.

But I am 100% sure we are better without Carmelo Anthony, the bi-polar, selfish, cry baby that chucks and forces things when things aren't going well. Especially with a young team, that stuff rubs off... he just doesn't seem like he's ready to give up the reigns as "the man", "fan favorite" etc. The change and rebuild is happening faster he then he probably thought.

 

[the 718 truth]

he just doesn't seem like he's ready to give up the reigns as "the man", "fan favorite" etc. The change and rebuild is happening faster he then he probably thought.

Who's he giving the reigns to tho? A rookie that has played in a grand total of 6 NBA games? [emoji]129300[/emoji]

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Melo hasn't played in 8 months and 6 games into the season he's washed up and needs to give the reigns up. Some of y'all are more irrational than usual.

 

[flyeed]

I'm only giving dude a chance because it seemed like he cared to work himself back into shape in the offseason. But damn man remember how great Melo would be in the 4th in Denver? He's had a few games for us through the seasons but I remember dude would put his team on his back so often. Now when it's close there's no feeling of ok tied down the stretch, but we have the best player on the floor so we got this. It's just, how are we gunna **** it up this time.

 

[ballinsam23]

Id only entertain trading him if we actually owned our 2016 pick. But we're definitely a better team with him, I'll give him a month before I start judging. It just pisses me off that he's been taking so many more dumb shots this season it seems like.

This Rubio trade is what needs to happen though

 

[8pm at msg]

Lets just give it some time.

 

[the 718 truth]

Lets just give it some time.

Exactly. Six games in and y'all ready to burn down the garden. Some of you guys really need to temper your expectations. Melo is coming off surgery, we have a second year coach and a reconfigured roster. What did y'all expect?

 

[kingfoamnyc]

Those Garden fans got him feeling some type of way. You see how loud the fans get when Zinger does something ? The whole fanbase is getting behind this kid and rooting for him. Melo is obviously jealous as and its sickening.

 

[njavier03]

Sky falling in here already?

You know how it is...we aren't 6-0 so everyone is freaking out, pointing fingers, tryna justify who or shouldn't be on the team. This thread sickens me some times. Some of y'all are like a bunch of pregnant women at a 50 shades of grey book club.

 

[GaBeGRaMz]

I dont mean "give up the reigns" literally today, yesterday or tomorrow, but do it ala Tim Duncan. Where you know you can still as a player, be great and probably a top star in the L, but you realize you have guys comin in as the future of the team and are also able to contribute. So you step back a little and allow them team to be better.

He needs time? He was killing in preseason. He just had 37. To me he's uncomfortable. Hes not THE guy. Its obvious.

I like Melo, I just know what i'm seeing. I respect my bball iq enough to know im not waay off.

Like Foam said about the crowd reactions. I went to the game opening night. So far from then and watching the home games since the crowd meter to me is like this:

Porzingis
Grant
Galloway
OQuinn
Williams
Melo


Im just making observations.

Fisher has been horrible too.

 

[clyde the glide]

 I don't think Fisher is ever going to be an X's and O's guy but as long as he understands to roll out the best 5 things should take care of itself.

lol if only it worked like that.  that may work when u have a high iq pg or lebron but the majority of teams need coaching

i dont see why we cant be one of the best offensive rebounding teams

 

[kingfoamnyc]

Let's compare Tim Duncan to Carmelo Anthony. Not even on a greatness level just on a teammate level. No once has Tim Duncan ever not welcomed anyone into the spurs organization without open arms, cried over max dollars, *****ed about minutes played, put full effort on the defensive end, went out of his way to make his teammates better, etc. So I'm supposed to just be okay with how Carmelo Anthony acts and portrays himself on the court ? **** outta here man. Dude is getting paid 23 million a year to act like a punk *** baby when he doesn't get his way or his shot isn't falling. This is the first time in his Knicks tenure where he's no longer the "darling" and he's playing with players that work harder than him on a consistent basis and the fans are rewarding them for it with respect and admiration. This dude is a sucker and I understand why no one wants to play with him.

 

[olx9o]

Let's compare Tim Duncan to Carmelo Anthony. Not even on a greatness level just on a teammate level. No once has Tim Duncan ever not welcomed anyone into the spurs organization without open arms, cried over max dollars, *****ed about minutes played, put full effort on the defensive end, went out of his way to make his teammates better, etc. So I'm supposed to just be okay with how Carmelo Anthony acts and portrays himself on the court ? **** outta here man. Dude is getting paid 23 million a year to act like a punk *** baby when he doesn't get his way or his shot isn't falling. This is the first time in his Knicks tenure where he's no longer the "darling" and he's playing with players that work harder than him on a consistent basis and the fans are rewarding them for it with respect and admiration. This dude is a sucker and I understand why no one wants to play with him.

Mad hate & false assumptions right here

 

[kingfoamnyc]

Cool, I've been known as one of the biggest Carmelo supporters and fans on this board for years. I guess me becoming the "hater" now makes perfect sense or maybe I'm just seeing him for what he is now and nothing else ?

 

[johnnyredstorm]

It's 6 games for a guy who's rusty playing with a completely different team while still learning fishers system. Give him some time to get in rhythm.

 

[ap27]

I'm not a big fan of Melo in general, don't like him, don't dislike him, but this is his team and it will be for the next 4 yrs. I don't really have a problem with his lack of leadership, or not seeming to be an overly supportive mentor. I am however very worried about the fact that he just hasn't been good at basketball this year. I'm hoping its just rust and the knee injury, but let's say Melo wasn't a former all star, scoring champ, gold medalist etc. and was just starting forward #7. If you didnt know who he was, and watched this guy play the first 5 games, you would think he's a chucker who doesn't hustle, pass well or play defense half the time. Like a lazier Rudy Gay on a bad night.

But in his defense, he's coming off a knee injury, and the Knicks don't really have an identity right now, or the person expected to be their 2nd option in Afflalo. Besides like Galloway and Lance, who never played w/ Melo, none of these guys were here last year, and it'd be a lot to ask for an entirely new squad to be hitting on all cylinders 2 weeks in. You guys remember when Wade Lebron and Bosh got together in 2010? They weren't very good for like the first 2 months, I think they started off like 8-8, with WAY more talent.

It's too early to blame Fisher, and I don't think Melo genuinely is a cancer who doesn't want teammates to succeed or improve (tho i think he does want all the shine without working for it), but given some of the awful shots, bad turnovers, defensive lapses and inability to finish inside, I'm just a bit worried that he might have lost half a step. It's still way too soon to tell, but who knows it's like there's a slight seed of doubt now that he's come out like this, tho at least now he has a better team around him and doesn't have to carry everyone offensively. The issue is, like most athletes who trend downward a bit phyiscally in their 30s, they usually play smarter and know how to dominate by picking spots. What's obvious is Melo has not done that or attempted to, 5 games in. He's had turnovers that are almost inexcusable NBA plays. But It's up to Fisher to hold him accountable, and it remains to be seen if he will.

 

[nick.]

@TommyBeer: Porzingis is just the 3rd player this decade with at least 70 points & 50 rebs in their first 6 career games (Blake Griffin, Anthony Davis).

 

[olx9o]

Nah, youre not necessarily a hater. Just alot of hate /frustration in ya post.

First of all Melo is not Duncan and will never be anybody but himself.
How you gonna say Melo aint welcome his teammates yet he had them all training in his gym prior to training camp AND flew the whole team out to Puerto Rico to train and enjoy a partnof his culture.

The only "crying" I see about $ regarding Melo is when the lockout was about to happen where you dont know what the future is going to throw at you...yeah of course he has to get his money. Hes still playing a sport and god forbid he has a career ending injury, let that man get his guanranteed money while he still can.

People (not necessarily you) always talking about a players money as if it affects them somehow but then fail to complain how players are still getting the short end of the stick compared to the billionaire owners who play politics all day in a multi-billionaire work environment.

As far as defense is concerned he openly and publicly told the staff and his teammates to call him out on the defensive end and has been giving good effort defensively this year...SO FAR

Hes still a player coming into his own on the downside of his career coming off a knee injury and of course he gonna get frustrated with his shot not falling but even so! You see how mad And frustrated Kobe is that he cant play like hes used to...so what u gonna expect? AT THE MOMENT hes on pace to have the most assists of his career, the team is still gelling...and the season is still young

Asides from the mistakes this team shows the most promise than any of our knicks teams ever did in a long time and you got to be patient no matter what

You say players are playing harder than him...how? Because they have certain strengths where Melo is weak in...none of them necessarily working harder than Melo it just is what it is man

Be patient

 

[johnnyredstorm]

he's also averaging 7.2 rpg which is above his career average, same with the apg. guy is trying to play better, porzingis likes him, I'm far from worried by his slow start. it's expected after missing 8 months, having a completely new team around him and still learning a system he's never played in. guy went his whole career with coaches encouraging him to just iso and play 1 on 5, there's a learning curve when it comes to adjusting to what he's being asked to do. fact of the matter is, if phil thought melo was a detriment to the franchise and not a piece of the foundation, he wouldnt have given melo that big contract with a no trade clause. this offseason phil's shown he knows what he's doing so just be patient and trust that old bastard on peyote. his only gaffe so far has been calderon which in theory wasn't an atrocious move at the time, just didn't work out.

 

[nick.]

i think his offensive game is suffering because he's putting more effort into playing defense. by no means is he a lockdown defender but you can see him being active & playing with energy on that end

Melo was playing well on offense last night for the 1st 3 quarters. passing the ball, letting his shots come to him, etc. then once the 4th quarter came the team went back to iso-Melo instead of continuing what got them back in the game.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

i think his offensive game is suffering because he's putting more effort into playing defense. by no means is he a lockdown defender but you can see him being active & playing with energy on that end

Melo was playing well on offense last night for the 1st 3 quarters. passing the ball, letting his shots come to him, etc. then once the 4th quarter came the team went back to iso-Melo instead of continuing what got them back in the game.

good points. and finding balance in the 4th between iso'ing melo (which at times needs to be the case because it's his job to take over a game in crunch time) and still running the offense is something fisher and the team will need to work on.

 

[lver of jordan]

Hopefully Afflalo's return makes a huge difference kuz right now in this thread the sky is falling heavily

 

[GaBeGRaMz]

thats the other thing about this thread, you can't make any critics without people coming in with the "OMG LULZ the sky is fallin" "6 gamis in and guys are ahhh"

The Knicks didn't enter this season as contenders for a ship. So the sky can never fall when your expectations aren't grand to begin with.

to speak for myself, I'm not placing blame on anyone and I'm not requesting trades or nothing. I'm just making observations about the game. Melo's body language and attitude is something I've noticed a lot.

Where was all this rust in the preseason? dudes were in here talking that "MELO IS DIALED IN!!!" "MELO IS IN SHAPE!!!" jive.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

derrick williams looked like god in preseason. preseason is meaningless.