May

22

Does Carmelo + LBJ = NBA Championship?

Posted by Kyle Stack under SDC COMMENTARY 

Carmelo Anthony is on the trade block. LeBron James is in the market for someone with whom he can share the duty of returning to the Finals. The duo needs each other and it’s time Cleveland’s general manager, Danny Ferry, makes it happen. Ferry’s personnel decisions have raised many eyebrows throughout his tenure. The Larry Hughes deal never worked out. Waiting to sign Sasha Pavolic and Sideshow Bob (Anderson Varejao) at the beginning of last season were curious decisions considering how much they temporarily compromised Cleveland’s depth. Dealing Hughes and Drew Gooden for Wally Szczerbiak, Ben Wallace, Delonte West and Joe Smith was really a lateral move, since the Cavs didn’t significantly improve.

Cleveland is as much a one-man team as any other squad in the Association. It’s a testament to LeBron’s greatness that he can lead the team into the playoffs and beyond, largely on his broad shoulders. As he enters his sixth year, though, and second-to-last year before he can file for unrestricted free agency, it’s time for Ferry to get James a real sidekick. It’s time to deal for Carmelo Anthony.

Carmelo and LeBron are meant for each other in so many ways. They were friends in high school and entered the NBA together in 2003. They were even referred to as a modern-day Magic/Bird combo, partly because of their friendliness with each other, but also because of the parallels in their styles of play (LeBron and Magic, Bird and ‘Melo).

Carmelo has proven with his numerous off-the-court incidents that he isn’t in a position to lead a team. He has that role with the Nuggets, even with Iverson present. AI is a Hall of Famer, but he was traded to Denver, which had already been solidified as Carmelo’s team. However, Melo doesn’t have the maturity nor the on-the-court leadership skills to put a team on his back. He can’t really defer to Iverson, because Iverson isn’t at a point in his career where he can put a team on his back. Carmelo is a natural scorer and what he needs is to team up with a great player who can excel at distributing the ball. No mater how unselfish Iverson will play, he will never be a true distributor. LeBron can be that guy.

LeBron has the unselfishness, with the court vision and passing skills to team up with a truly great scorer. LeBron also has the maturity and leadership skills and would take an immense amount of pressure off Carmelo’s shoulders if they were teammates.

Ferry doesn’t have many trade chips to work with. Szczerbiak will make $13 million in the last year of his contract and Delonte West is due a $2.7 million qualifying offer. The value of those contracts is close enough to Carmelo’s $14 million-plus salary next season that a trade could work. The Cavs would have to throw in at least a couple first-round picks, but it’s likely the Nuggets want a more marquee player than Szczerbiak if they’re going to trade Carmelo. Perhaps the Cavaliers can find a third ? or even fourth ? team to make the trade happen.

Now, there is an understanding that LeBron is not really a point guard, that Cleveland needs a distributor besides Bron to make the Cavs a Final-contending team. Well, I say if you have the chance to pair Bron with ‘Melo, you figure out the rest of the details later. Bron would be so ecstatic at getting the opportunity to team up with a player of Carmelo’s caliber that he wouldn’t care about having a “true” point guard. He wouldn’t care about scoring 30 points per game. He would care for the same reason Kobe Bryant cared when the Lakers traded for Pau Gasol. It would bring him one step closer to an NBA title. Maybe two steps closer, actually. And that’s all that should be on Danny Ferry’s mind. He has to put his biggest asset, LeBron James, in the best position possible to challenge for an NBA crown. Carmelo could put LeBron in that position.



Comments

2 Responses to “Does Carmelo + LBJ = NBA Championship?”

  1. Stephen Rhodes on May 22nd, 2008 4:02 am

    Good idea in theory as LBJ and Carmelo would be a great taag-team. The problem is that: 1)Carmelo’s contract is prohibitive - even for Cleveland, 2)Carmelo isn’t going anywhere despite the rumors to the contrary.

    In addition, although LeBron could play the 2-guard, his natural position is small forward - or in his case, point forward. If the trade could be pulled off, then kudos to Danny Ferry. But I just do not see that trade going down. Carmelo may very well be traded - but just not to Cleveland.

  2. Kyle Stack on May 22nd, 2008 10:46 am

    Yeah, I agree that it’s more idealistic than realistic. However, the purpose of the article was to state that Ferry should leave no stones unturned in pursuing Melo, rather than trying to state that it’s a possible trade scenario. I probably didn’t communicate that well enough.

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