Would a melo for love trade benefit either team?

I think it’s a win win for both teams, but the fact that Love is younger and under contract for more years is what skews it a bit. I think this is a tough trade to miggle with because most of us can’t put aside the feelings and impressions we have of both Love and Melo. People say Melo would be a ball stopper who doesn’t play D or rebound. Personally I disagree. 

I’m not going to lie, I dislike Melo. Loved him in Denver, but after his move to NY I couldn’t follow him anymore. But one season did stick out to me, and that was the 2013-14 season. For some reason that year seemed to be the year that Melo just wanted to win at all costs, whether it be because of his contract, or the fact that LeBron finally got the monkey off his shoulders, idk, but Melo just seemed to play harder and more physical that year. He was a beast shooting the ball, averaged 8 rpg, and surprisingly had the best DRtg on the team with the exception being Tyson Chandler…Case in point, he played to win, not for himself, and it was evident. 

I think that if you were to take Melo and insert him into this Cavs team and it would be game over. You would have 3 of the most devastating iso players in the league on the team, and all of them can score in a variety of ways. Losing Love wouldn’t be that big of a deal to be honest. Have you guys ever noticed that Love kind of just beats up on bad teams, but then starts shooting blanks against good teams? I mean he beats up on the Raptors and Celtics, but against the Warriors, Spurs, Houston, Jazz, and Clippers he’s kind of pedestrian, and most of the time has trouble shooting the ball. He’ll always be a great roll player for the cavs like Bosh was for the heat, but Melo would still be able to bring that star quality along side LeBron like Wade was able to do. 

On the other hand this trade benefits the Knicks immensly. They get to add another great shooter to add next to Kristaps who can board, and after a year of seeing how they work out, his contract would be very tradable, and they could help speed up the rebuild, something they won’t be able to do by trading Melo. 

Personally I think its a win win for both teams something like 

Melo and Kyle O’Quinn for Love and Shump seems like a fair deal. 

Let’s face it:  Iverson was a giant, but his style of play is the antithesis to Spurs-type ball.  In similar fashion, Carmelo doesn’t share the ball and isn’t a "playmaker" like simply Dellavedova was.

Dellavedova was an underrated passer, crucial. Clearly Lebron felt the Cavs were missing a guy that makes around him better, like Deli. 

Iverson left the league too soon, and we loved him.  Carmelo’s style of play doesn’t help the Cavs, or any team for that matter that doesn’t play hero ball which is why he’s mostly been a loser in the NBA.  Its the reason Shumpert and JR Smith go to Cleveland and are now champions while they did nothing playing with hero ball Melo but try to be heroes themselves.  Sacrificing for the team, finding your teammates, is huge.

Carmelo is the most entitled "star" in the NBA.  He’s a great scorer, especially in the paint against smaller guys, he willingly went to NY.  I don’t understand how people on this site are looking out for him saying he should go to the clippers because "the market would be right for him".  Dude, if you love the game like we all do, you go and play wherever you feel the best chance to win and play the right way is.  This is why I don’t have a huge problem with Durant going to GSW.  

Carmelo is a classic "i’ll play better if my teammates are good" type of star.  He’s NOT Iverson…Iverson balled out with whoever was on his squad.  Carmelo needs star talent around him to feel good about himself and then play good.  He loves to blame his teammates, and show "hey I can win with the right talent around me", like he does showing he is a US multiple olympic champion…woooooaaahhh.

So, Lebron don’t want him either.  Lebron is one of the brightest basketball players ever, IQ off the charts.  I think he knows what too many hero ballers / ball stoppers do to the system you are trying to run.  Thats why he said "this ain’t fantasy basketball".  Lebron knows Carmelo ain’t a fit for the squad.  

Imagine the GSW playing this amazing run and gun offense, all in unison, then Kyrie and Carmelo are trading shots the other end down the floor.  

Anyway, I brought up Iverson because he left too soon.  His game didn’t accommodate coming off the bench.  I also think aging is Catching up to Carmelo way more than it has Lebron….and Lebron has played all those extra playoff games.

Sorry, Carmelo is a good scorer.  Very happy he dind’t make the all-star team.  His age is catching up to him, and he is slowing down.  He won’t be able to take that backup role.  I don’t see him in the league longer than 3 more years if he never finds a system that works for him.

But no, I will not baby this fool and tell him "maybe LA is better for you, its perfect for your brand".  Change your style of play Carmelo and realize it takes a team to win.  

 I think if Melo understands his Role the trade could work, Remember how effective Melo was with Team USA? I believe if the Cavs use Melo as a pressure release guy for Kyrie and Lebron it could be a very nice set up.. 

 Most argument in favor of Melo relates to team USA performances, and that should not be relevant. Team USA is dominating so much in the olympics and has so many superstar talent whereas the competition out there is below nba team average level with players like Sergio Rodriguez legit 3rd option on arguably th second best team (Sergio’s international production also shows how much player that can’t defend look better on the international scene). The rules and whistles are also quite different there, also to the benefit of one way scorers.

K-Love at least rebound on D. And often shows more willingness to try (arguably that could change with a change of scenery for both).

I think if the cavs do it they are on purpose hurting their chances this year maybe in order to try become better later next year. And that means getting other assets from the trade (perhaps with a 3 team trade involving Boston or other K-Love suitors, with half Love’s value to the Knicks and the other to the cavs.). That has to be with the conviction than in the mid-term (after team adjustments) Carmelo will be as good as Love despite age and that the additional asset(s) is worth the marginal hurt of bringing in Carmelo midseason.

 I cannot stand the "If Melo understands his role it could work" notion. 

Melo has played the same way his entire career. Catch, hold the ball, look around, then make a decision to either dribble pass or shoot. That style of play will never work with James/Irving or Chris Paul. It just won’t. 

He can say all the right things or we can think he’s capable of playing a different way but he’s not. He’s always played that way and I think that’s just ingrained in him now. Even in the Olympics, he’s a shot-hunter. His team was absolutely loaded so they won a ton and he played well. But he’s a shot-hunter through and through. 

Melo on the Cavs would just lead to two guys standing around while the other dribbled and looked for something to happen. 

 They are already a pretty weak interior team starting a 4 as the 5.  Can’t live by chucking jumpers alone