Right here:
I know what you're saying. You think Denver absolutely must do whatever Melo demands because Melo can determine where he wants to go because of the threat of an extension. I know this. You keep repeating yourself over and over. It's tiring. I disagree.
You keep going under the assumption that the new CBA means nothing to Melo. Obviously it does or else he wouldn't be seeking a new team right now. And since it obviously does, this gives Denver a little leverage. They don't have to accept a crappy offer ofr Melo.
And with the looming CBA, Melo will be more inclined to get a deal done. Or else Melo goes into a lockout with nothing and the possibility of losing $15-20 mil. That doesn't mean he will go to a team he doesn't want but it does mean he will be more willing to go to teams other than the Knicks.
If Melo says I will go to either the Knicks, Rockets or Nets, do you really think Denver will accept the Knicks crappy offer? Hence we would have to increase our offer (gut the team).
I don't know why it is difficult for you to understand this.
For the record, I said plus whoever else from our roster not named the people I listed. It's going to take more than 3 pieces to get Melo.
Plus you seem to be hanging your hat on the theory that the only reason why Melo wants to be traded as opposed to walking is because of the CBA. But then why did Bosh initially want a sign and trade? Why did Lee agree to a sign and trade to Golden State? Bird Rights = more money. What do you lose if you walk as a free agent? Bird Rights. What transfers in a trade from your first team to your second team? Bird Rights.
If Melo is truly worried about the lockout, why not sign the extension and then demand a trade? He's already under contract so why not extend your contract and still proclaim that you want out? Could it be that if you use the threat of your walk year next year for your current team, and use that same threat for any potential suitors you're traded to, you can control your destiny?
I agree that we could lose him if the Nets or Rockets make a huge offer, or Melo can also say..."hmmm do I want to go to a team that just gutted their team to get me, so I have no chance of contending anytime soon...or should I force Denver to deal with the Knicks who'll have Amar'e, Felton, Gallo and/or Randolph?" The dude isn't an idiot, the mere fact that he's not signing an extension to preserve the threat of his walk year to get out of Denver and dictate where he goes, when he doesn't even have a NTC, shows how crafty he's being. Dude created a NTC out of thin air.
I've said it once, and I'll say it again. Donnie is not going to get into a bidding war for Melo. He'll put his offer out there, it will be the weakest one, but if Melo wants to go to a team with Amar'e, Felton, Gallo and/or Randolph, he'll block all of the other trades and he'll either make Denver watch him walk, or deal with NYK.
I think you need to read up on what the issues with the CBA negotiations are:
The issue is contract length and not so much money
It's around this time next summer when we'll have a fairly good idea when the 2011-12 basketball season will begin: On time, a little late, or See You In 2012-13.
Owners and players will engage in serious negotiations on the next labor contract in July (assuming they don't settle before then), and history (along with common sense) says the meetings won't be over in a day. Sometime next August is a reasonable time to take the temperature of the talks, where they're headed, and if the NBA is careening toward a work stoppage that would delay if not cancel the season.
Obviously, we all know what they'll be fighting over.
There will be several items on the agenda, and we won't waste any time going from one to the other, or even fretting over who gets the healthiest slice of the revenue pie. But there's one area worth debating, because it reaches the heart and soul of the labor issue: player contracts.
Specifically, contract length.
If he truly wants to play here he can easily play a season in Denver and walk, or they can trade him to another team with no extension, and he'll walk away from that foolish team, and he'll get a new max here. Or he can block
every trade, including the Rockets and Nets who won't have much after the trade and force his way to the team that still has a top 5 PF and a good PG.
This is all based on the assumption that he wants to play here. If he does, he'll do anything in his power to ensure that we keep some talent for him to play with along side STAT.
The. only. way. he. plays. for. the. Knicks. this. season. is. if. he. ties. Denver's. hands. and. forces. a. trade. to. the. Knicks. by. blocking. all. other. trades. If. that's. the. case. the. deal. will. not. include. both. Gallo. and. Randolph.
You understand...if the Knicks get him, then there are no other teams bidding for his services for Denver to consider...Melo has eliminated them all. Who the hell are we outbidding to get him? The Knicks have to make their offer, and that's it. If another team weakens themselves for one man, so be it. If Melo starts blocking trades left and right, then you hold steadfast and if your offer is the last one...well you're either getting him or he's staying put. Why in the hell would we then increase the offer to Gallo and Randolph when you can assume that he's probably coming next summer?
We're either getting him on the extreme cheap, getting him as an FA next year, or not getting him at all.
So out of those options, I say wait and get him next year. But if he forces Denver to our doorstep, get him under contract now and let's move forward. But under no circumstance are we trading Gallo and Randolph at all.
I keep saying the same thing because it doesn't seem to be sinking in. There is no opinion about it. Denver doesn't want to deal with us. But if they can't deal with anyone else and they come to us, it's their last resort. If it's their last resort they take whatever we offer or watch him leave. If we obviously didn't feel the need to increase our offer when other teams were making offers and getting them blocked, then we're obviously content with our team and we'll take our chances next summer. If they want to trade Melo for pennies on the dollar to get some sort of compensation, then they'll take the offer that we first extended to them, that's been on the table, while they also took other offers.
This is not rocket science. Yea it's the NBA but it's still a business. I don't know why you think the NBAPA will ever agree to any deal that could cost a player $15-20mil on the life of a contract. Are you pulling numbers out of your ass? The issue the owners have is the amount of money owed to lower tiered players over the lifetime of their long, guaranteed, 5-6 year deals. Take the Griz for example, is Rudy living up to his 5-year $80mil max extension? No? Too ****ing bad, pay him or move his bad contract. Can the Bulls do anything about Deng's deal which has like 4 more years on it? What about the Hornets with Okafor's remaining 4 years? Nah.
That's the main issue with the CBA, I don't get where you figure someone of Melo's talent level and status is losing $15-20mil. Those are numbers you just pulled out of no where and you're hanging your whole argument on something you just made up. The NBA will cease to exist before the Players' Association let's a max contract for Melo's eligibility go from 5-years $100mil to 5-years $80mil.
You're saying that the max contract for a player with 7 years of eligibility will go down to the max contract for a player with 4 years of NBA service? Why the hell would the union ever agree to that?