In a second. I think you are very much a homer if you don't think Carmelo is better than Jae. Re: his salary cap figure, convince me that the Celtics are going to be able to attract and sign a top 30 max player next year. That would be the opportunity cost of Carmelo.
If you hate Carmelo, I get it. I'm not enamored by him. I also acknowledge that he's a top 30 player in the NBA, that was considered to be a top scorer on Team USA this last go around. The Celtics need another high volume scorer. Jae isn't that guy, and I'm not sure that another is available.
I don't think Melo is a top 30 player anymore. Top 50 probably. Tail end of top 50.
Same here. He's no longer anywhere near efficient enough to be held in such high esteem despite his one-way game.
I think it depends a lot on his cirumstances. The Olympics showed us he can be a reliable second- or third- (or fourth!) banana. That Knicks team is a chemistry disaster and that isn't Melo's fault.
There's also the BS Effect. The man made Jordan Crawford look almost like a reliable PG. He would put Melo in a position to be successful, play off his strengths and minimize his weakness. Frankly, I don't think he's a worse defender than IT, and everyone across the league is singing his praises. Remember how nice it was to have old, rickety Paul Pierce - how often he would put up big number and command full attention defensively? Melo could be the same.
I wouldnt put much stock in the olympics. Pat Mills and Bogdonavich were also stars there.
Yeah, and playing 4th banana to guys like Durant, Paul George, and Kyrie is a lot different than deferring to Isaiah and Al Horford
Edit: Changed Harden to Paul George
You are saying Kyrie has more respect than IT4 around the league?
No, I'm saying that Kyrie has more respect from Melo than IT4
Although I would also say that Kyrie gets more respect than IT4 around the league, especially now that he has a ring
Thats like saying Love has more respect than IT4 or Kyrie has more respect than Harden
The answer is no
Just to be clear, you think Melo respects IT more than Kyrie, who has more all star appearances, has won a championship, and has played on Team USA with him? That's crazy
How is that like either of those things? Neither of those examples is even remotely comparable. That only works if Love=Kyrie for the first example (which isn't true) or IT=Harden for the second example (which also isn't true)
Edit: To put it in numbers, if IT is a 4, Kyrie is a 5, Love is a 3, and Harden is a 6, then:
Kyrie>IT
IT>Love (which is the opposite of bizarre example #1)
Harden>Kyrie (which is the opposite of bizarre example #2)
The only explanation for those examples I can think of is that you think I said that players with rings are automatically ahead of players without them, which I never said. I just said that Kyrie (who you might have been able to argue commanded the same respect as IT if he didn't have a ring) definitely commands more respect than IT with a ring (but this also has to do with his 3 all star appearances, Olympic gold medal from Team USA, 2014 ASG MVP award, All NBA 3rd team appearance, etc. etc.)