Not so Melo in Denver?

[old_gregg]

I included Williams on my list. I would take Wall before Roy's bad knee, most likely. If Roy were really a franchise player, would Portland be signing guys like Wes Matthews to 35 mil contracts?

My bad. Maybe I should read first.

I'm not sure portland's front office is a great way to rationally evaluate players, though I do largely agree with tour analysis.

[FN Phat]

Kobe
Wade
LeBron
Durant
Williams
Paul
Howard
Nowitski
Gasol
Wall

No way you would build around Wall, an unproven rookie.

[Donuthole]

No way you would build around Wall, an unproven rookie.

Insert Nash or Rose if that makes you happy.

[FN Phat]

Top Five:
James
Wade
Bryant
Durant
Howard

Next group:
Paul
Williams
Dirk
Pau
Roy

I would probably put Melo at the top of the next group that includes Bosh, Brook Lopez, Boozer, etc. He's a good player, but I think his view is inflated by taking more shots and not doing anything else great. I still stand by my claim that he is like Dominique Wilkins with a jumper instead if dunking.

I like your first group. Completely disagree with Roy ( talk about overrated) and am so so on Pau. You can't build a team around him. Despite the Lakers recent success (it is Kobe's team 1st), look what he did in Memphis. We'll talk about CP3 once we get a good look at him coming back from an injury. How he handles the grind will be telling.

[FN Phat]

Insert Nash or Rose if that makes you happy.

Nash is too old. I am a big fan of Rose but he has a lot to prove still.

[Surfah]

You guys are nuts if you don't think Melo is a top 10 player. I can't stand the guy and his bitch-assedness but even I am willing to give him his due.

[FN Phat]

You guys are nuts if you don't think Melo is a top 10 player. I can't stand the guy and his bitch-assedness but even I am willing to give him his due.

What do you expect from Jazz fans?

[Donuthole]

You guys are nuts if you don't think Melo is a top 10 player. I can't stand the guy and his bitch-assedness but even I am willing to give him his due.

He is a top 10 scorer. As soon as he figures out the game is about more than that, he may end up being a top 10 player.

[Sizzle]

I like your first group. Completely disagree with Roy ( talk about overrated) and am so so on Pau. You can't build a team around him. Despite the Lakers recent success (it is Kobe's team 1st), look what he did in Memphis. We'll talk about CP3 once we get a good look at him coming back from an injury. How he handles the grind will be telling.

What did Pau do in Memphis? He was clearly the best player in Memphis and led them to 50 wins in 2004, 45 wins in 2005 and 49 in 2006. If he had ANY help the Griz could have been decent. But when your second best player is Shane Battier or Mike Miller, winning 45 plus games three straight years without help is impressive. There is no question LA is Kobe's team, but damn, look at LA before Pau. 34 wins in 2005 (with a hurt Kobe), 45 wins in 2006, and 42 wins in 2007. Now please tell me again that Pau hasn't had a significant impact on those Lakers teams. Kobe is a great player, but so is Pau.

I think Roy barely makes it into that second group, but I like Roy a lot because of his ability to handle the ball and I think he is underrated as a defender. I think Paul can be dynamite although his injuries (as well as Roys) are a bit concerning. However, durability is also a knock on Melo as he has played 69, 66, 77, and 65 games the last four years. I'd like my franchise player playing more games than that.

[FN Phat]

He is a top 10e scorer. As soon as he figures out the game is about more than that, he may end up being a top 10 player.

He made great strides last year, especially on getting the team involved an playing defense.

[FN Phat]

Odd that you knock Miller and Battier but both went on to be great role players on other teams. Pau didn't make them better.

[Sizzle]

You guys are nuts if you don't think Melo is a top 10 player. I can't stand the guy and his bitch-assedness but even I am willing to give him his due.

What is he top ten at? Scoring average? He took almost 22 shots a game last year! Of course he is going to be one of the top scorers. But there are guys who are much more efficient at it than Melo. Kobe was less efficient scoring than Melo last year (barely), but is a superior player in every facet of his game.

Why not pimp Monte Ellis? Dude averaged 25.5 points a game last year, good for 6th in the league. Is he a top 10 player?

[Donuthole]

Odd that you knock Miller and Battier but both went on to be great role players on other teams.

Role player =/= second banana.

[Sizzle]

Odd that you knock Miller and Battier but both went on to be great role players on other teams. Pau didn't make them better.

They are nice role players. I'd love them in Utah. But are they legit 2nd or 3rd options? Not in my opinion. Where else has Mike Miller been a 2nd option on a good team? Or Battier? Maybe Battier in Houston behind Yao and T-Mac, but I think most years they got more from guys like Brooks, Scola, Alston. Battier is an excellent role player, but not 2nd/3rd option IMO.

[FN Phat]

I am not trying to downplay Pay at all. He is a great talent, I just think if you omit the likes of Anthony then others wouldn't make the cut.