Since this is the third time for the Rockets trying to sign Carmelo, we can also assume this will somehow blow up. Maybe the Rockets should've resigned Luc Mbah A Moute.
Anyway, everyone thinks the Carmelo thing won't work but I think it will. The Rockets have done the unthinkable integrating Chris Paul so well but they have also taken big risks and totally failed - see the Dwight Howard years.
The good news here is that they are getting Carmelo for free essentially. So if there is a Ty Lawson situation, they can just throw him away with few consequences.
Offense
Nobody doubts Carmelo's offensive (1,2) abilities. He's 34 but he's still 6'8" and a great shooter - two features that age well.
Everyone is saying he won't fit and can't just shoot threes all day. That's true but the Rockets aren't as stupid as the Thunder. If they want Carmelo, they want him to play his game.
Houston triggers their offense off of isolation play. Houston's iso-ball is the 2018 version of throwing the rock down to the post.
Carmelo is a great isolation player. And for the first time since his Olympic trips, he's going to have superstar players to pass to if he can't get his shot.
And he shoots threes at least as well as Trevor Ariza, who will also be missed, so that's a wash.
And Houston could use another good hit of slow down, isolation play. Houston was happy to let Chris Paul get his twelve footers last year and I think they'll be happy to let Carmelo iso at the baseline and take a fifteen footer too.
When Paul went out in the WCF last year, Houston lost this dimension. When the threes stopped falling they had nothing to switch to. Having Carmelo gives them another thing to switch to. Having Carmelo hold the ball for 20 seconds before taking a high percentage two might be just what the doctor ordered against Golden State.
If Carmelo works out, he can further reduce the load on Harden and Paul to always iso and create to drive the offense.
Defense
Everybody thinks Carmelo is a terrible defender and the stats bare that out. But Houston got Harden to buy in last year and play with game plan discipline and I think now this is cultural on the team now.
Houston was happy to show Ryan Anderson the bench when he didn't buy in even though they were paying him $20M per year. They aren't going to let Carmelo be a liability.
Also, Houston fearlessly goes very small. How about Melo, PJ, Gordon, Harden and Paul with Carmelo standing under the basket? That wouldn't be too bad.
Houston's counter to Golden State's "death lineup" - how can an all finesse unit be called this? - might be to have two lineups. One would feature Harden, Gordon, Melo and Green and one might feature Capela, PJ, Paul and maybe Ennis. One is all up and down, all scoring and one is a frustrating defensive unit.
It could be good. We shall see.
Anyway, everyone thinks the Carmelo thing won't work but I think it will. The Rockets have done the unthinkable integrating Chris Paul so well but they have also taken big risks and totally failed - see the Dwight Howard years.
The good news here is that they are getting Carmelo for free essentially. So if there is a Ty Lawson situation, they can just throw him away with few consequences.
Offense
Nobody doubts Carmelo's offensive (1,2) abilities. He's 34 but he's still 6'8" and a great shooter - two features that age well.
Everyone is saying he won't fit and can't just shoot threes all day. That's true but the Rockets aren't as stupid as the Thunder. If they want Carmelo, they want him to play his game.
Houston triggers their offense off of isolation play. Houston's iso-ball is the 2018 version of throwing the rock down to the post.
Carmelo is a great isolation player. And for the first time since his Olympic trips, he's going to have superstar players to pass to if he can't get his shot.
And he shoots threes at least as well as Trevor Ariza, who will also be missed, so that's a wash.
And Houston could use another good hit of slow down, isolation play. Houston was happy to let Chris Paul get his twelve footers last year and I think they'll be happy to let Carmelo iso at the baseline and take a fifteen footer too.
When Paul went out in the WCF last year, Houston lost this dimension. When the threes stopped falling they had nothing to switch to. Having Carmelo gives them another thing to switch to. Having Carmelo hold the ball for 20 seconds before taking a high percentage two might be just what the doctor ordered against Golden State.
If Carmelo works out, he can further reduce the load on Harden and Paul to always iso and create to drive the offense.
Defense
Everybody thinks Carmelo is a terrible defender and the stats bare that out. But Houston got Harden to buy in last year and play with game plan discipline and I think now this is cultural on the team now.
Houston was happy to show Ryan Anderson the bench when he didn't buy in even though they were paying him $20M per year. They aren't going to let Carmelo be a liability.
Also, Houston fearlessly goes very small. How about Melo, PJ, Gordon, Harden and Paul with Carmelo standing under the basket? That wouldn't be too bad.
Houston's counter to Golden State's "death lineup" - how can an all finesse unit be called this? - might be to have two lineups. One would feature Harden, Gordon, Melo and Green and one might feature Capela, PJ, Paul and maybe Ennis. One is all up and down, all scoring and one is a frustrating defensive unit.
It could be good. We shall see.
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