Ok we're not getting Melo. Let's not keep crying about it. I was team Melo from the beginning and I'm already over it. Training camp starts next week. Time for some players to step up. For us to take that next step (besides staying relatively healthy) we need guys like Harkless to take that next step in their careers. He doesn't really even need to add anything to his game, he just needs to find consistency. This will be his second year in a starting role, there are no excuses left. He should be playing with a chip on his shoulder after a summer of rumors. Another player that doesn't get talked about much but might have an opportunity to be in the rotation is Layman. If he can find any sort of his consistency with his shot he can really help us. In college he started off slow, but improved his shooting every year. Hopefully with some comfort he can continue that progression. Hes not a typical four year college player. There's still an upside. He's a great athlete and moves his feet well defensively. Offensively he can slash. Training camp will be interesting. Briscoe is my player to watch. He's a bulldog who attacks the rim. Outside of dame we don't really have anyone else that does that. He's got that Dame mentality. His shot is inconsistent as shit but he has a solid foundation that coaches should be able to work with. Defensively his profile is intriguing. Strong, 6'9 wingspan and huge hands. I think he makes the team, or at the very least earns a two way contract. Let's go.
In all this blockbusters LMA is still sitting as a thorn in the Spurs org. Glad we didn't fall for that.
It's time for Olshey to make his usual trade where he finds some underutilized player. Some candidates Mario Hezonja Bruno Caboclo Denzel Valentine Will Barton Malik Beasley (idk how Denver feels about trading with us again though) Stanley Johnson Rade Zagorac (grizzlies have 15+ guaranteed contracts and still have to make room for jamychal green) Malachi Richardson I bolded Valentine because his game screams Olshey/Stotts and I doubt Chicago would be against listening to offers.
OH, good. Now Lillard and McCollum can try to explain to Harkless why they kept pushing for a trade that would have sent him to NY. (Of course maybe that's what he wanted)
And Rocket fans are more upset than is about this, and OKC is probably the worst fit for Melo. Overall, things are pretty good.
But everybody hates us and were gonna finish 5th in our division yet still get the 8th seed and get crushed by the Whorriers and end up in basketball purgatory. We have no chance at getting a lottery pick, and we have no chance at the 7th seed. We're FU...FU...FUCKED! ...am I doing this right? We'll be fine fellas.
It's over for now. Both Carmelo and Geroge are free agents at the end of the season. Maybe some unknown reporter will give us false hope again then?
If the deal doesn't happen only because Melo didn't want to come, that's a good thing. It means we're a team that has the assets to land a big time player.
Melo and the Knicks was a pretty unique situation though. They were mutually trying to dump each other. In most situations a package like Harkless, Vonleh, and a pick wouldn't net us much.
I dream of a team where you never hear the names Jake Layman, Pat Connaughton, Shabazz Napier, and whoever ends up with the 15th roster spot except in garbage time. You could probably add Meyers to that list, but I'm going to hold back my deluge of disgust for him until he deserves it (again). So, yeah great Jake Layman runs around fast and shoots at the basket a lot, but if we're talking about him next season, I worry. Chief, Moe, ET should keep him off the court. If we're winning...
