Why did Melo want out of Denver so bad?

[Heavincent]

This is something I've always wondered. What exactly was wrong with that team? :confusedshrug: They always put solid players around him.

[STATUTORY]

lala had to develop her career

[imdaman99]

His wife. For some reason she hates Denver... if he's gonna let his wife do the talking, he can walk.

Still would prefer to get something for him though :lol

[LA Lakers]

Because they never built that team strong enough to make it out of the West. And given how much Chauncey fell off later on it doesnt seem strange. Carmelo saw the writing on the wall. Plus, Id rather be rich in Manhattan than Denver. Sorry.

[SpecialQue]

Because if you're gonna keep getting knocked out in the first round, you might as well do it in New York instead of Denver.

[JimmyMcAdocious]

Melo wanted to be a superstar in a big market, his wife runs the show, Denver's FO had decided they wanted to go young (which would likely hurt his chances at a championship in the immediate).

Those were the rumors.

[PickernRoller]

He couldn't take on Kobe? Same reason Bron is in the East.

[Heavincent]

Because if you're gonna keep getting knocked out in the first round, you might as well do it in New York instead of Denver.

There's a big difference between being a first round exit in the East and being a first round exit in the west.

I guess I just answered my question. Much easier in the East than it is in the West.

[Rameek]

Wives dont run the show. But where your family and support system is as well as both persons careers will influence that decision. Had she left the entertainment industry when they were married it would be one thing but she never did so its also a major consideration.

[SamuraiSWISH]

I truly think it was his wife. I'm pretty sure she wears the pants in that relationship. Melo just does what she says, with that semi-retarded grin never leaving his face. Ever. The Bulls should've courted Miss Honey Nut Cheerios and not Melo.

[DetroitPistonFan]

Cause he hates playing for small market teams. The cities are boring to him.

[el gringos]

Because Kroenke "built the brand" (due in large part to Carmelo)


And then once he had a money maker he slashed 30 million in payroll with nothing at all in return.


Carmelo kept his comments or lack of comments very professional and let most of you fools run w the "his wife and him wanted to be big stars in ny" idea instead of saying this team isn't really even trying to win- the owner lied about being willing to so what it would take to win.


Also George Karl was doing nothing but harm to his game

[DirkLegend41]

Cause he hates playing for small market teams. The cities are boring to him.
Could be it. Tim Duncan is playing for a small market but Texas is not a boring state. Plus he's not far from going to greater cities like Dallas and Houston. :D

[NuggetsFan]

He's from NY or that area or something. It was the market. Denver had always attempted to build teams around him. Even his rookie season. Look at the Denver roster that got them the pick for Melo, look at the roster he played with the next season.

Got Kenyon. Turned out bad. Got Iverson, didn't work and flipped him for Billups. Drafted Lawson outside the lotto. Picked up AA. Karl always made players better under him, like D.Jones who got paid after Denver. Nene, Birdman, J.R etc. some stupid players but Melo always had talent. West was just stacked. Denver faced the Western Conference finals teams how many times in the 1st round with Melo? .. not like Melo played lights out every year. He came up short himself multiple times.

Nuggets up until this season had the second longest playoff streak behind the Spurs since the year we drafted Melo back in '03. Nobody was going to come team up in Denver, we didn't have Amare, and he'd rather play for NY like every other NBA player. Can't really fault him for it, we've been fine since he left. Looks like he's about to potentially bolt from NY too.

[el gringos]

Karl always made players better under him

If by players you mean dahntay jones and Anthony carter type players. Karl was terrible for the development of real players like Carmelo, JR, and Nene. You really giving props to the guy for turning guys that shouldn't be in the league into rotation players? Or should he be blamed for not developing his top line talent

[Akrazotile]

If by players you mean dahntay jones and Anthony carter type players. Karl was terrible for the development of real players like Carmelo, JR, and Nene. You really giving props to the guy for turning guys that shouldn't be in the league into rotation players? Or should he be blamed for not developing his top line talent

Bro those guys arent smart and they dont listen. Theres nothing a coach can do with them. They have big contracts so you have to play them. You have utterly no idea what Karl was telling them in practice. In fact he even said publicly they were basically hopeless chuckers who just did what they wanted.

Coaches are not miracle workers. You have to want to be coached for it to make a difference. You think ****ing JR Smith was ever listening carefully to a coach ever??

[NuggetsFan]

If by players you mean dahntay jones and Anthony carter type players. Karl was terrible for the development of real players like Carmelo, JR, and Nene. You really giving props to the guy for turning guys that shouldn't be in the league into rotation players? Or should he be blamed for not developing his top line talent

I'm not even a Karl fan but gotta give him props for making guys better. Guy's like Brewer, Kosta, Jones, Carter etc. Even Iverson was more efficient under him. I remember always hearing he had a deal with Melo that if he gave him X number of post ups/close shots he was allowed to take X number of outside jumpers. I think Karl did well with Carmelo even tho they clearly butted heads and there's no love lost between them.

Nene's problem was aggressiveness and injuries. Had the talent but didn't want to consistently dominate and was hurt alot. J.R lacks basketball IQ. In contention for lowest in the league. Has all the talent. NOLA dumped him on Denver, Karl helped turn him into a great sixth man.

Gringos you just love Melo. You use to trash the Nuggets/prop him up when he played with Denver, and now you do the same with him in NY.

[gts]

Because Kroenke "built the brand" (due in large part to Carmelo)


And then once he had a money maker he slashed 30 million in payroll with nothing at all in return.


Carmelo kept his comments or lack of comments very professional and let most of you fools run w the "his wife and him wanted to be big stars in ny" idea instead of saying this team isn't really even trying to win- the owner lied about being willing to so what it would take to win.


Also George Karl was doing nothing but harm to his gameThis

[NuggetsFan]

This

I'd love to hear how the Nuggets cut costs or didn't shell out money for players during his tenure. Just check there cap history. Camby, Nene, Iverson, Billups etc. We were paying Kenyon Martin like 15m a season at one point on top of Melo's 15.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Got Iverson, didn't work
How did Iverson not work? How was he part of the problem?

[NuggetsFan]

How did Iverson not work? How was he part of the problem?

Wasn't part of the problem, loved Iverson here. One of my favorite players of All-Time, if not my favorite. Just didn't mesh like some thought they would. At the time of the trade I believe Iverson & Melo were 1st/2nd in the league in scoring, both above 30. Something like that.

I don't think they fit together that well. Faced some stiff competition in the playoffs but the last year they got swept in the 1st round. Melo didn't even average 23 points and shot like 37% from the floor. Experiment failed and Nuggets made a smart move ditching Iverson.

[Just2McFly]

I truly think it was his wife. I'm pretty sure she wears the pants in that relationship. Melo just does what she says, with that semi-retarded grin never leaving his face. Ever. The Bulls should've courted Miss Honey Nut Cheerios and not Melo.
:oldlol: :oldlol: :oldlol: :oldlol:

+1

[Legends66NBA7]

Wasn't part of the problem, loved Iverson here. One of my favorite players of All-Time, if not my favorite. Just didn't mesh like some thought they would. At the time of the trade I believe Iverson & Melo were 1st/2nd in the league in scoring, both above 30. Something like that.

I don't think they fit together that well. Faced some stiff competition in the playoffs but the last year they got swept in the 1st round. Melo didn't even average 23 points and shot like 37% from the floor. Experiment failed and Nuggets made a smart move ditching Iverson.

True and Billups was a better fit for the Nuggets than Iverson too.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Wasn't part of the problem, loved Iverson here. One of my favorite players of All-Time, if not my favorite. Just didn't mesh like some thought they would. At the time of the trade I believe Iverson & Melo were 1st/2nd in the league in scoring, both above 30. Something like that.
They were both in top three of scoring next to Kobe.

All the Niggz needed was defenders around that duo. I thought Iverson was playing GREAT ball in Denver. Shooting the highest percentage of his career with the new no touch perimeter rules. Was dishing off assists at a nice rate. I still remember his like 50 point, 15 assist game or something like that against then MVP, Steve Nash.

They prematurely ditched the couple IMO. All they played together was the latter part of 2007, and 2008. They happened to run into a buzz saw in that first round facing MVP Kobe, and Pau Gasol. Unfair to act like it was a failed experiment. It didn't have enough time to correctly gel, or be built upon.

Iverson's scoring may have taken away from Melo, the way Westbrook's aggressiveness sometimes hinders KD's potential. I think that's why he was ultimately traded.

With that said, Billups more controlled style, distribution, and quarter back abilities were a better fit. Not to mention the superior defense.

[andremiller07]

Signing Kenyon Martin to a massive deal while the had a better player in Nene was a TERRIBLE mistake, biggest waste of money ever.

[NuggetsFan]

They were both in top three of scoring next to Kobe

Was Kobe first? I know they were high up, coulda swore they were both above him at the time of the trade. Obviously didn't finish that way.


All the Niggz needed was defenders around that duo. I thought Iverson was playing GREAT ball in Denver. Shooting the highest percentage of his career with the new no touch perimeter rules. Was dishing off assists at a nice rate. I still remember his like 50 point, 15 assist game or something like that against then MVP, Steve Nash.

Yeah from an individual standpoint Iverson was great. He got along great with Karl too. No complaints there just as players him and Melo weren't ideal fits. Iverson finally got to play with another great scorer, and I think that helped him but not the guy I'd pair next to Carmelo in an ideal situation.


They prematurely ditched the couple IMO. All they played together was the latter part of 2007, and 2008. They happened to run into a buzz saw in that first round facing MVP Kobe, and Pau Gasol. Unfair to act like it was a failed experiment. It didn't have enough time to correctly gel, or be built upon.

I thought it was, was the consensus among Nuggets fans too as well. Like you pointed out & I said stiff competition no doubt about it. That being said they won what 1 playoff game? Both had there subpar moments during those series as well. Teaming up two of the leading scorers + superstars and winning 1 playoff game = fail for me.


Iverson's scoring may have taken away from Melo, the way Westbrook's aggressiveness sometimes hinders KD's potential. I think that's why he was ultimately traded.

With that said, Billups more controlled style, distribution, and quarter back abilities were a better fit. Not to mention the superior defense.

Billups fit great. Give us a smarter heady player which the team really needed. Gave us a shooter that spaced the floor which those Denver teams also really needed. Defense. Move was kinda a no brainer after the success those previous teams had. Had more success with him and Melo despite the lesser numbers/talent because of fit IMO.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Signing Kenyon Martin to a massive deal while the had a better player in Nene was a TERRIBLE mistake, biggest waste of money ever.
2 words:

Eddie Robinson

:mad:

[NuggetsFan]

Signing Kenyon Martin to a massive deal while the had a better player in Nene was a TERRIBLE mistake, biggest waste of money ever.

Yeah that was an awful mistake that clogged the cap for a long time. At the time of the sign & trade Kenyon was easily the superior player tho. Nene didn't even get going until later on, and Kenyon was coming off an All-Star app. Both had some injuries that hurt the Nuggets too.

[houston]

he wanted to be the man that what he got for going to Amare team lol

[el gringos]

I'd love to hear how the Nuggets cut costs or didn't shell out money for players during his tenure. Just check there cap history. Camby, Nene, Iverson, Billups etc. We were paying Kenyon Martin like 15m a season at one point on top of Melo's 15.
Gave Camby away for a trade exemption that was never used. (And a 2nd round pick!!)

10 million


Let Steve Blake, najera, and kleiza walk as free agents when all 3 players had trade value or value as a player. Got nothing out of them (even when kleiza at one time could have been traded for Ron Artest. That's right, not MWP but Ron artest). All 3 players signed big deals and we're also traded down the road.


15 million


Made it clear that instead of moving Kenyon as an expired for useful pieces that they were just going to let him expire and receive nothing out of at that time the biggest contract the team had ever given.


20 million.



So you wonder how I could say slash payroll? What about giving away 45 million dollars worth of nba players or their trade equivalent for a grand total of 1 second round pick.



What else do you call that? Are those signs that should make a player like Carmelo sign up for another 5 years?

[el gringos]

Coaches are not miracle workers. You have to want to be coached for it to make a difference. You think ****ing JR Smith was ever listening carefully to a coach ever??
You are right. Most nba players, those guys for sure included don't listen to a coach.


Coaches decides who plays with who and how long.


The big gripe on JR? Wreck less decision making and shot jacking. Yet what does Karl do with him? Goes out of his way to have JR play a majority of his minutes as the primary (and many times only) ball handler, creator, and scorer. Did he ever take a look at him off the ball? No, he just complained about his with the ball play



The gripe on Carmelo? Karl knew just like anyone who knows basketball that Carmelo is a better inside out player than he is a perimeter ball handler. What does he do? Goes out of his way to surround Carmelo with non shooters forcing the shot jacking from the perimeter.


Karl isn't stupid- he's just spiteful and an egomaniac. His "development" of Carmelo and JR hurt those players. More importantly it hurt the team

[clipps]

People forget that Denver was a rough city that has risin up over the past 5 years. Plus Denver is a Football town that fairweathers the Nuggets, Aves, and Rockies.

[NugzFan]

lala had to develop her career


Basically this. Is was purely geographical.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Remember when they were the Denver Niggets? Iverson / Melo / JR Smith / Kenyon / Chris Anders ... poster boys for ghetto retarded. Ahhh, the good old days. Now they have Gallinari, and that stupid facial expression.

[Legends66NBA7]

Remember when they were the Denver Niggets? Iverson / Melo / JR Smith / Kenyon / Chris Anders ... poster boys for ghetto retarded. Ahhh, the good old days. Now they have Gallinari, and that stupid facial expression.

Portland Jailblazers were probably the poster boys before them.

Damon/Rider/Bonzi/Rasheed/Patterson/Randolph/O'Neal/Greg Anthony etc...

[NugzFan]

Gave Camby away for a trade exemption that was never used. (And a 2nd round pick!!)

10 million


Let Steve Blake, najera, and kleiza walk as free agents when all 3 players had trade value or value as a player. Got nothing out of them (even when kleiza at one time could have been traded for Ron Artest. That's right, not MWP but Ron artest). All 3 players signed big deals and we're also traded down the road.


15 million


Made it clear that instead of moving Kenyon as an expired for useful pieces that they were just going to let him expire and receive nothing out of at that time the biggest contract the team had ever given.


20 million.



So you wonder how I could say slash payroll? What about giving away 45 million dollars worth of nba players or their trade equivalent for a grand total of 1 second round pick.



What else do you call that? Are those signs that should make a player like Carmelo sign up for another 5 years?

Yup. It's better to spend a bazillion dollars on guys like amare and bargnani.

Please don't put melo leaving on the nuggets FO. Had nothing to do with it. He wanted to goto a big market (for endorsements , his wife, the fame, etc). Had nothing to do with rosters, payroll and winning.

[NugzFan]

Remember when they were the Denver Niggets? Iverson / Melo / JR Smith / Kenyon / Chris Anders ... poster boys for ghetto retarded. Ahhh, the good old days. Now they have Gallinari, and that stupid facial expression.


:wtf:

[GimmeThat]

draft class competition?

I don't think Lebron leaving Cleveland made him felt smart/secure about staying with Denver.

Had he entered the league in different years compared to Lebron, I honestly don't know if he would have felt the same way.


going to the Knicks worst case scenario was earning a huge pay check. As well as being in a huge market.