[valentine]

A buddy of mine and fellow Syracuse fan told me about Melo last night "He can’t win by himself, but he can only play by himself." I really hope this isn’t true but the more I thought about it the more I could definitely see where he was coming from.

Is there a type of team that Melo could win a championship with in your opinions? I think hes a great player and honestly has never really had a good fit for him since Syracuse, but there are many people with a similar opinion to my friends.

So I guess my question is, can Melo ever be the best player on an NBA championship team and if so what type of team would he have to be surrounded with for that to happen?

[fastdanParticipant]

4 outstanding defenders that don’t mind standing around a lot on offense.

[scott3210Participant]

He has to get himself into better shape and commit himself on defense. He could be a fine defender if he put his mind to it. So when the shots aren’t falling for him, he can still help the Knicks in some way.

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

That Syracuse team he won with in college had fantastic role players. A massive center in Craig Forth who was a presence, though Melo has a MUCH better one right now in Tyson Chandler. Gerry McNamara was a solid second scorer, Hakim Warrick and Kueth Duany had a lot of length as defenders. Billy Edelin and Josh Pace coming off the bench didn’t hurt, either. That team won on shooting and defense as opposed to the usual rebounding and defense.

In the NBA, it is that much more difficult to do the same thing Melo did in college. Melo may be the most complete offensive scoring player in basketball. The problem is, he is not the shooter that Kevin Durant is nor the finisher near the rim that LeBron James continues to be. As long as those guys are around, Melo will need a pretty stacked deck to be "the man" on a championship team.

I think having a top notch PG would help. Allen Iverson was never "the Answer", but Chauncey Billups was excellent with Melo. Chris Paul would be huge for him, though I still think it would be CP3’s team as opposed to Melo. Deron Williams would also be incredible, still kind of a pipe dream.

If the Knicks could SOMEHOW (snowball’s chance in hell, I know) do a sign and trade of Amare Stoudemire for Deron Williams, I think there chances would improve tremendously. I see no reason for Brooklyn to accept Amare’s remaining deal on those knees, which is why that more than likely would not happen. Again, not sure Deron Williams is not the better player between he and Melo either. Just think that would really help Melo out.

Getting Tyson Chandler should have done wonders for the Knicks. They just seem to be a mess, though. If you look at the season where Melo’s Denver team was the most competitive, the reason seemed to be defense and an ability to stretch the floor. The shooting % of that team in the play-offs was ridiculously high.

The current Knicks team only would have a couple members who I could see as being comparable to the 2008-09 Denver team. They have Tyson Chandler, who is even more of a defensive force than Nene and Steve Novak, a better shooter than Linas Kleiza. Iman Shumpert would need to improve his shooting and shot selection to be in the Dahntay Jones category. The issue is, no Chauncey Billups, a JR Smith who seems to have lost the ability to take smart shots and a PF who seems to step on Melo’s toes in Amare Stoudemire.

Usually, I feel great players can figure out a way to coexist. With Amare and Melo, there is little sign of this happening. Melo is incredibly ISO oriented and while he may be better in this facet than almost anyone else, it is not exactly a great way for opening the floor for his teammates. I feel that Melo will need a lot more help to form a championship team.

Amare Stoudemire will either need to get back to full strength or be shipped out. Preferably for a top PG or a defensive minded PF (guessing the Knicks wished they had taken Kenneth Faried, even with Shumpert being a great value pick). Right now, Melo appears to be in as much of a purgatory as he was in Denver, if not more so. Some of the pieces that might have helped the Knicks become more of a contender were traded to obtain his services. Until they can get the proper complimentary pieces, in the form of outside shooting and good team defenders, looks like he is on the outside looking at two better SF’s with better supporting casts.

[So raspyParticipant]

Rasheed Wallace has a ring; players with worse attitudes and defensive efforts have won before. As one of the most gifted scorers in the game (and an elite clutch performer) hes certainly talented enough to win, whether hes the man or a lesser role like sheed. I don’t think you’re looking to build a "special" team around him, any different from most championship teams.

A great point guard would do him wonders.

[thparadoxParticipant]

Agree, a great PG can do wonders for him.

But he can also do a lot to improve his game. I think Melo is best offensive player in the league when he’s aggressive. He has an outstanding array of moves, and he can finish from all angles in the key.

However, he settles for jumpers FAR too often. It’s fine to use as another weapon in your arsenal to keep the D guessing, but his bread and butter has to be in the paint.

From there, he needs to pass more. He’s such an imposing threat as a penetrator. There is no doubt that he could be making plays for Amare off the pick and roll, with Chandler as a lob option (see LA clippers).

While a PG would be great, the best case is for Melo to stay aggressive and actively look to get Amare the ball.

Things are more questionable on defense, but if you have Tyson chandler and Shumpert on the court with you, it’s much easier to play D, and the knicks were a good defensive team this year overall

[RapCityParticipant]

I don’t think he’s going to win anytime soon.  A few years down the road when he fully commits to winning, defense and less to individual accolades then he will have a much greater chance.  I think if he swallows his pride and teams up with a group of savvy vets that have the same goal (Celtics formula Pierce, Garnett, Allen) and makes sacrifices, he will be a champion.

[Moon RiverParticipant]

I don’t know how hard the Bull’s pursued Melo, but I will always be curious as to how that would have turned out.   Rose and Melo and whomever would be left would be formidable and maybe Thibs could get him to play hard on the non-offensive side of the court.

[surveParticipant]

If he is the best player on a championship team it has to be a team with high calibur role players.  Otherwise, if he wins as the best player, he will have to win it with a player or players that are close to his level.  (like Wade is to Lebron or Westbrook is to Durant)  He is not the type of player that can adversely affect the win column like Lebron did in Cleveland or CP3 did in N.O.

[cabbycabParticipant]

Basically needs a cast like AI did in Philly.  Similar caliber players. 

[GoJOSH HUESTISParticipant]

HMMM a team like the one Allen Iverson had. If i had to pick some players i would say Rondo at the point, Dudley at the two, Melo at the three Ibaka at the four and someone like Hibbert at the five.  Actually that would probably be better than the Iverson team since it’s a team of good defenders plays guys who can get points as well. Add in a tought bench and thats a team that gives Melo a good chance. I still wouldn’t count on him winning with eh teams that are out there now though

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

As I’ve said time and time again, we still haven’t seen the Chandler-Anthony-Stoudemire-Lin team ALL healthy at the same time while coached by Woodson.  For some reason, I think that may work.  

Lin’s ability to move the ball around and make Chandler and Stoudemire stand out, Anthony with iso-sets every now and again, and the defense that Woodson can/will implement.

Remember, Woodson had some success with iso-sets in Atlanta.  Now he has even better iso-players, I’d like to think they can make it out of the first round next season.

[mj23mj23besteverParticipant]

so many temas watching the knicks melo gets the pull with 20 seconds on the shot clock dribbles around for 18 seconds then fires up sum absurd shot as the shot clock expires he needs too learn too pass he can get too the rim forcing doubel teams learn too kick it out heck hes even a good post player when he wants too work at it which he dont want too basically saying this lazy over rated one dimensioal albiet a great scorer isnt even gonna b the main man on a winnign team period

[JrbenzCuse23]

 Stoudemire’s a bum. He would be good as 6th man. Knicks probably mortgaged their future by not amnestying him and signing tyson

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