I like it? Maybe? I don't know. Before the PG move this would have been a no-brainer, but now I dont know.
Yeah, I'm pretty much there with you. Not sure what I would think. For it to work, these things would need to happen:
1) Melo would have to be cool playing PF.
- To be fair, 31% of his minutes last year were played at PF, but would he be fine with that number climbing to 80-100%?
2) Melo would need to be cool being the 3rd scoring option.
- In Houston, he'd still be the #2 option.
- Paul George moves better without the ball, making him a more natural #2 scoring option with Westbrook. Melo is still predominantly an iso scorer. For him to be effective with the Thunder's personnel he'd need to change into more of a spot-up shooter (which he actually has shown to be a pretty good spot-up shooter)
3) Who would the Thunder have to trade?
- List of current roster guys I'm fine in giving up to see if the Melo thing could work:
- Enes Kanter (though if Enes can prove he can hit 3s or even consistent 18 footers to draw the defense out of the lane, plus re-develop that whole passing out of double teams thing he had going before the arm injury, I'd keep Kanter).
- Semaj Chrston
- Kyle Singler
- Terrence Ferguson
- Yeah, that's about it. I really wouldn't to lose Enes Kanter + any other guy on the roster aside from the above.
I don't really see those things happening, and they aren't even my only concerns, just what it would take to make it work after the deal was even made.
My actual Melo concerns
1) Attitude seems poor.
2) He's getting older and his performance is on the decline.
3) Unlike PG13, who I think the Thunder have a shot at resigning, I see zero chance in resigning Melo.
4) Would he even waive his no-trade clause to come to the Thunder, a small market team, where he'd be the 3rd option, play out of position, bang with some bigs at his advanced age, change the way he likes to play, etc...? Seems improbable.
But, he is still a talented player & it would keep his talent out of the hands of other Western Conference foes...
But, since this is in the media, I'm hoping this is a Presti smoke-screen for what he's
really working on.