Carmelo says Lin's contract is "ridiculous"

[Rowe]

The difference is Dirk is a once in a lifetime talent while Carmelo is just the latest in a long line of high scoring small forwards.

A "once in a lifetime talent" who was ringless until his 14th season. It happens. While Dirk & even a player like KG definetly will be ranked higher in NBA history for their achievements/talent during their primes, most of that stuff isn't remembered without winning a Championship in that span of time. After multiple All Star/All NBA honors nothing really matters unless you win a Championship. Thats all I care about as well.

While you categorize Melo as simply just a "high scoring Small Forward", you fail to mention that he is far more skilled and has been far more successful in his seasons than any of the guys before him with that same tag. I understand that the 1 word to be used to describe his strengths is "scoring", but there is an Elite ability in there that allows him to carry a team.

Cuban is also a much better owner. Dallas has been one of the top teams for a long time. It was just a matter of getting the right chemistry and everything falling into place at the right time. NY is a playoff contender. My hats off!

Next season is the first season in nearly 15 years almost where I can honestly say that I feel this team can not only make the Playoffs, but can go further if those stars do align. Will they? Thats left to be speculated.

Mark Cuban & Donnie Nelson are the best in the game at what they do, I'm not downplaying what they have accomplished.

However, this Jeremy Lin thing would be the first time Dolan has made an actual basketball related move by measuring risk & reward. He's always taken the risk and been happy with any reward, but this time he seems to be consulting people with better basketball minds than him.

[dunksby]

LeBron is severely underpaid.

Lebron should be making the $24M per season contract, not Melo. Wade and Melo in the $15-18M range is reasonable.

LeBron took a paycut it's not like they are not paying him enough.

[Rowe]

LeBron is severely underpaid.

Lebron should be making the $24M per season contract, not Melo. Wade and Melo in the $15-18M range is reasonable.

LeBron became a Free Agent.

He could've signed an extension for just as much, if not more salary but he took those "sacrifices" to form a Big 3 in Miami. Not to mention he makes more in endorsements than Melo makes alone in salary + endorsements.

[Rowe]

This is what ESPN and this current sports media has come to...

Seriously listen to every player/coach/GM interview of the season and you find maybe 5 interesting pieces of information because all these guys do is just give the robot, politically correct answer. One guy speaks the truth and gets killed for it.

Listen, I love Lin... but what Melo said is 100% true. That contract is ridiculous. We will still match it (as we should), but it'll be massive in the 3rd year.

I'd take a candid, albeit controversial honest interview over those bullshit politically correct quotes.

Melo responded with a politically correct statement because thats what he's almost forced to do. I agree with you 100% but people take offense to Melo for all of the politically correct statements he makes. Its because he never speaks his mind publicly or says anything "controversial" for writers to sell a story on.

The media wants so badly to have Melo as a villian figure and he just doesn't fall for it anymore, espescially after he changed his life off the court. Somewhere along the line they have tried to create some sort of imaginary character in Melo that he hates his teammates, they hate him, and he hates all of his coaches. Its so silly to to me.

The media has tried to question whether he could share the spotlight with Amare or they would have a major falling out and bicker in the media and on the floor. Ignoring the fact they wanted to play together as teammates. Then they tried to run with the Melo vs Jeremy Lin story, ignoring the confirmed reports that Melo is the one who wanted Lin to get more minutes at PG after what he had seen in practice.

Im still ranting.

[Xiao Yao You]

A "once in a lifetime talent" who was ringless until his 14th season. It happens. While Dirk & even a player like KG definetly will be ranked higher in NBA history for their achievements/talent during their primes, most of that stuff isn't remembered without winning a Championship in that span of time. After multiple All Star/All NBA honors nothing really matters unless you win a Championship. Thats all I care about as well.

It's not all about championships. A lot goes into winning rings. Dirk and the Mavs have been in the mix yearly. Not much more that you can ask for as a fan. Everyone keeps talking about Morey blowing it but he had 3 choices. Remain average. Take a chance on getting a superstar and being one of the big players or rebuilding if that doesn't work out. I'd rather see my team going for it personally than being happy with just making the playoffs like is the Jazz MO.

Dallas doesn't match-up with GS in round one they probably win that year. Wade put on arguably the greatest performance ever to beat them another year.

While you categorize Melo as simply just a "high scoring Small Forward", you fail to mention that he is far more skilled and has been far more successful in his seasons than any of the guys before him with that same tag.

He has? He's gotten more hype than any of them save Dominique and maybe Bernard King when he played in NY. How are you rating success here? Hype and money? Others have won as much or more. Others have more scoring titles. Others have more all-star nods.

I understand that the 1 word to be used to describe his strengths is "scoring", but there is an Elite ability in there that allows him to carry a team.

When will see this elite ability? Lin carried them with Carmelo out more than Carmelo has ever carried anyone.

Next season is the first season in nearly 15 years almost where I can honestly say that I feel this team can not only make the Playoffs, but can go further if those stars do align. Will they? Thats left to be speculated.

Lebron having the first significant injury in his career? Deron going down across town? KG and Pierce getting old finally? Chicago not being able to hang in til Rose gets back and it being to late for him to be close to his old self? Those are a lot of stars!

this Jeremy Lin thing would be the first time Dolan has made an actual basketball related move by measuring risk & reward. He's always taken the risk and been happy with any reward, but this time he seems to be consulting people with better basketball minds than him.

Remains to be seen.

[boozehound]

Not really. Don't think we've ever seen a contract that back loaded before. I know people are killing Morey ethically, but the guy could also be considered a genius because it looks as though they're going to get their man.

thats because this is the first time that these types of contracts can be structured like this. Before, contracts were frontloaded so that a team didnt have the space to match its own restricted 2nd round picks (memo, arenas, boozer).

[no pun intended]

So what? It is ridiculous. Anyone with common sense would know that it is, because it is.

[tpols]

A "once in a lifetime talent" who was ringless until his 14th season. It happens. While Dirk & even a player like KG definetly will be ranked higher in NBA history for their achievements/talent during their primes, most of that stuff isn't remembered without winning a Championship in that span of time. After multiple All Star/All NBA honors nothing really matters unless you win a Championship. Thats all I care about as well.
.

Dirk and KG won MVPs.. they were always more dominant than Melo who is a poor mans dominique Wilkins as far as SFs go. He will never ever lead the knicks to a title.

[Xiao Yao You]

thats because this is the first time that these types of contracts can be structured like this. Before, contracts were frontloaded so that a team didnt have the space to match its own restricted 2nd round picks (memo, arenas, boozer).

Portland front loaded Millsap and I think Matthews contracts with a lump payment that was due when matching the offer. The Jazz had to take out a bank loan to pay Millsap something like 10 million up front I believe. But now he is one of the best bargains in the game. Should have done the same with Matthews.

[boozehound]

Portland front loaded Millsap and I think Matthews contracts with a lump payment that was due when matching the offer. The Jazz had to take out a bank loan to pay Millsap something like 10 million up front I believe. But now he is one of the best bargains in the game. Should have done the same with Matthews.

yep, some other examples after the arenas rule (that allowed teams to match 2nd round rfa offer sheets even without the capspace).

[Xiao Yao You]

Dirk and KG won MVPs.. they were always more dominant than Melo who is a poor mans dominique Wilkins as far as SFs go. He will never ever lead the knicks to a title.

He's comparable to Dominique. Dominique was always hyped as one of the greats based on highlite dunks but he was just another high scoring small forward that wasn't leading a team anywhere.

[BoutPractice]

Are we seriously comparing Carmelo and Dirk now? Even before winning a championship, Dirk was always someone who made it much easier for his teammates to score and generally speaking, to win games. Being a 7 footer tends to help.

You could theoretically win a title with Carmelo on your team. But his role would be much more similar to Paul Pierce's in the Celtics' 2008 run.

[Kingwillball]

And Melo should Not be a Max Player either but I bet he is not complaining about that..

[StateOfMind12]

And Melo should Not be a Max Player either but I bet he is not complaining about that..

This, if Lin's contract is ridiculous, what the **** is Melo's contract?

[DKLaker]

He talked to media today and said it's not up to him if the Knicks sign Lin or not.

"It's up to the organization to say that they want to match that ridiculous contract."

Wow......he really hates Lin.
IMO a player should never make negative comments about another player's contract.

I really like Melo but he needs to show class.