Moving Carmelo Anthony to the Los Angeles Lakers just doesn't make sense. (AP photo)
There are a couple of things wrong with trading Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony to the Los Angeles Lakers. The first of which is that he’s a ball heavy player — he’s not successful without taking 15 to 20 shots a game. Right now, he’s averaging 19.04 field goal attempts per game. The Lakers, for the last 6 1/2 years, have been Kobe Bryant’s team. He eats up 19.2 shots per game. Enough said.
The second? He’s not a very good defensive player. As a possible member of a team that would be in compeitition with the Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs and most likely the Boston Celtics in the NBA finals, this would become a rather glaring problem. Besides Melo being an amazing scoring forward, a Gold medalist in the Olympics, he’s sort of average everywhere else. That can be hidden in Denver, and on Team America. But it can’t be hidden in a title run. And if giving up one of your 7-footers in Andrew Bynum is what it’s going to cost, the tradeoff doesn’t appear worth it when taking into account Nos. 1 and 2. But couple that with decreased minutes for … wait for it … Ron Artest, and the Lakers will falter with the likes of Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Anthony, Bryant and Fisher on the floor. Only two of the five are really good defenders. And those two (Fish and Bryant) are inching their way closer to the 40-year mark than anyone likes to admit.
On the flip side
Where are the benefits for the Nuggets? This trade, as proposed, is Pau Gasol-esque. Two years ago, the Lakers traded for their all-star forward for Kwame Brown and some forgettable spare parts (Javaris Crittenton, of guns in the locker room fame, and Aaron McKie). Memphis got all the broken parts and the Lakers got all the glory. Andrew Bynum doesn’t make Denver better. It fills a need they have with Carmelo Anthony on their roster. But this ongoing trade drama with Melo is a distraction that has to have an end. I say let the guy play out his contract. But I’m assuming the team doesn’t want to get nothing for him. A better trade partner, the New York Knicks for instance, would make more sense and provide the Nuggets with actual parts they can use.
Mando
/ February 9, 2011I think it all depends on what Melo wants — glory or a ring. If he can do what LBJ and Bosh did, which is choose a team that is best suited for a ring, he may be down to take less shots and let Kobe do most of the work. I think you’d have to be real stupid to assume that when you enter KobeLand, you know that you are not going to be the No. 1. Of course, I’m assuming Melo is not stupid, and I’m not convinced that he isn’t because, to me, anyone who demands a trade from a good team (Nuggets have been dangerous the last five years or so) is pretty stupid.
I think the best argument against this trade is that Melo doesn’t make the team better defensively, which clearly the Lakers need right now. However, Bynum isn’t exactly doing that either when he’s on the bench all the time. Fact is, right now, the Lakers are just as good without Bynum as they are with him on the floor (the stats prove this — they have almost the same exact record), so if they could add Melo, I really believe they would be the best, if not second best, team in the West (the Spurs are killing right now). Phil would just have to work some magic — like he’s done so many times — and handle another big ego onto the team with a infamous history of egos. That, and teach Melo how to play a little more D.
At the end of the day, adding a superb player like Melo (one of the best scorers in the league) can never hurt your team. That’s just a fact. He’s way too talented. This will be proven when he leaves the Nuggets and then they struggle to make the playoffs this year.
Lee
/ February 9, 2011Sports radio out here has gone gaga for it all day. They all talk like it’s a done deal. I say it’s a bad move for the Lake show.
Mando
/ February 9, 2011Adding a player like Melo to any team is never a bad move.
Zuri
/ February 9, 2011Melo, as I wrote on my site, takes an average of 19 shots a game. Kobe takes an average of 19.4 shots per game. When would Lamar and Gasol touch the rock and how bad would that screw with chemistry. That’s what I’m talking about.
Mando
/ February 9, 2011If Wade and LBJ can share the rock, I think anything is possible. Obviously someone is going to take less shots than the other, but if both players are down to just win, then it shouldn’t be a problem. Kobe knows he’s on his last great years, and he wants to rack up as many rings as possible. He doesn’t need to be the star every game — he’s proven that in the last few years.
Zuri
/ February 9, 2011Dude, Lebron and Wade can’t share the rock. That’s the whole problem. When one of them is off the floor (and Bosh is on) then they’re at their best. I gotta dig up the stats for you but this stuff has been proven. And I’m not too sure about Kobe either.
Lee
/ February 9, 2011Trading Bynum for Melo doesn’t make the Lakers any better in a 7-game series against the Spurs, Celtics or Heat — and since its title or bust, that is the ultimate factor. You beat the Heat with bigs, not guards. If you don’t have bigs, the Celtics will plow you.
Zuri
/ February 9, 2011Great point. The Celtics were big last year, and now they’re bigger. Shaq, Jermaine (if he ever gets healthy), Perk, Big Baby and Kevin Garnett are all good big men. That’s five to the Lakers’ two (Gasol and Bynum). I don’t see how they’ll be able to win a seven game series again if Bynum, on even one knee, isn’t there.
April
/ February 9, 2011Zuri, the nuggets are pretty good, I don’t know why he would want to leave? Akin and I are actually going to warriors vs. Nuggets game tonight..
Ana
/ February 9, 2011Nuggets fans are sick and tired of him… He is another Jay Cutler
Mando
/ February 9, 2011If LBJ and Wade aren’t sharing the rock, then why do they keep winning? Don’t tell me their defense. By sharing the rock, I don’t mean every game, I mean one player gets 40 one day, then the other gets 40 the next. And last time I checked, the Lakers beat the Celts last year with less big men. I’m not saying Melo is the answer to the Lakers problems, but neither is a one-legged Bynum. Also, to counter another point. The spurs have what, one true big man? At the end of the day, what matters most is who has the best players on the floor? And with Melo and Kobe, you can’t match that. Nuff said.
Zuri
/ February 9, 2011Defense wins championships. The Heat won’t be able to match the Celtics this season (already 0-1 against them) and the Lakers losing Bynum, a defensive presence I might add, and gaining Anthony (a known defensive liability), just doesn’t make sense in terms of the end game: a championship. What needs to be kept in perspective is that the Lakers, Spurs, Mavericks, Celtics, Heat, Magic and Thunder are only really competing with each other. Everyone else is crabs in a barrell. So if you can compete, defensively and offensively, against the best teams in the NBA, and match up well with the best team (the Celtics), then this deal still doesn’t make sense. Trust me when I say the Lakers are better standing pat. Ron Artest will eventually wake up from his drug-induced slumber and the Lakers will be alright — until they meet the Spurs in the Western Conference finals. Just my two cents.
Mando
/ February 10, 2011Yeah, there’s a lot of big ifs out there for the Lakers right now. And as a fan, I get restless when they are not playing well. And so the thought of bringing more talent in always makes sense at first, but maybe over the long haul having another headcase just wouldn’t help. Truth is, I’d rather have a healthy Bynum than a healthy Melo, but I don’t know if Bynum can ever get it together and heal. Someone has to stop KG down low, and I know Pao can’t do it. As of now, Lakers are in trouble, and they need to do something quick. Hopefully Melo isn’t the only option.
Robert LaHue
/ February 11, 2011The closer we get to trade deadline, the more desperate the Nuggets will get. Melo is gone after this season, no doubt, since the Nuggets are already maxed out on what they can offer him for a ring (second round at best) or personal glory (it’s Colorado and basketball). And Denver’s playing in the one division in the NBA that’s actually competitive at this point, the last thing they need is to not get anything for his departure.