Melo Madness

Carmelo Anthony is an extremely talented offensive basketball player. There is no doubt about this and no one ever really debates this. He may also be one of the best closers currently in the NBA. He has had some memorable regular season down the stretch clutch performances in his career. Even with all of this in his favor, the fact is that he still has never truly won anything in the league. Yet he has the teams in New York and New Jersey seemingly fighting over him which is crazy. The reported trade offers that each team has given the Denver Nuggets is crazy. He has not proven that he can win on his own or even with one pretty good player which he has had the luxury of playing with. He has had the pleasure of playing with Allen Iverson while he was still enjoying part of his prime and he has had the same with Chauncy Billups. He has still made the NBA Finals which goes to show that he has not even taken a team to a championship. If New York does indeed trade three of their starters to gain Melo, then what do you really have left. New Jersey would be doing even more while also giving up four 1st round draft picks. The draft picks are key because draft picks may be their best chance of building a supporting cast around Melo. Billups is rumored to be in both deals mainly because Denver wants to shed salary if they are going to trade their franchise cornerstone. While he is still effective, "Mr. Big Shot" is clearly on the back nine of his career and I consider it iffy for any team to think of his acquisition as a huge get in this deal. This especially when he made it clear earlier in the year that his preference would be for him and Melo to try to make another run in his home state of Colorado. In New York, at least Melo would be paired with another all-star in Amare Stoudemire and the hopes of another star such as Chris Paul or Deron Williams will want to create yet another "Big 3" in Metropolis. The same could happen in New Jersey which will eventually move their home games to Brooklyn. Not sure, but it is clear that Melo cannot do it on his own and he knows it. This is why he so desperately wants out of Denver. My question is this: Is he worth the hype and daily and sometimes seemingly hourly new rumors of what his fate may be. Will we look at this three years from now and see it as no big deal. Is the balance of power in the NBA going to shift with Melo. I mean no disrespect here, but I think not.