Why It Should Happen: Cavs Trade Wiggins for Love

Cupcakes For Everyone!

LeBron Needs Some Love

There shouldn't be any hesitation. If the Cavaliers want to win now, in the prime of LeBron James' career, the time to move is now.

Think about it this way. Say LeBron made his decision before the draft. In a perfect world, we'd all have been saved hours and days of waiting. But in that case, wouldn't you trade the #1 pick for Kevin Love in a heartbeat? For Dan Gilbert and co., it would happen at the drop of a hat. No questions asked, no hesitation. Okay one more cliche ... it would have been a no-brainer!

So why the hesitation now? At his best, Wiggins will be a Scottie Pippen type. Great defender, decent shooter. I don't think he'll be a superstar. I think his full potential comes in 5 years. By that time, LeBron will be 35. Wiggins is 19 now. It is going to take some time. But Cleveland can not afford to wait. It is a city that has waited 49 years for a championship.

You pull the trigger, and you pull it now. Minnesota is in la-la land thinking it's going to make the playoffs this year. In that Western Conference? Good luck. Love is going to leave after this season anyway, so why not rebuild now? Face the facts, Flip. Great young talent in Zach LaVine and Andrew Wiggins can make for a formidable future. Trying to get David Lee and Klay Thompson from Golden State could make Minnesota a win-now team, but Cleveland needs Love more. And they need to get him now.

LeBron could head to nine straight finals if Cleveland lands Kevin Love. These two already know each other from playing on Team USA and bringing home gold for the stars and stripes. The chemistry is there. The Cavs are in need of a threatening big man anyway. All Anderson Varejao does is provide chemistry, and Tristan Thompson could use a year to develop his scoring. Love can provide 20 rebounds on any given night, most likely average 20 and 12, and most importantly, he spaces the floor.

In a dream scenario, the Cavs give up Wiggins and some picks. That leaves Dion Waiters at the two-guard spot. A guy who's already been in the league for two years and LeBron can work with (see Norris Cole). You have Mike Miler, James Jones, and a slimmed-down Anthony Bennet off the bench. There's really nothing wrong in this picture.

"Hurry Up With My Damn Croissants"

PG: Kyrie ... SG: Dion ... SF: LeBron ... PF/C: Thompson ... PF/C: Love

Dream of championships with that 3-point shooting off the bench. It's a wonderful thing. If you have to trade Anthony Bennet, so be it. Even Thompson. Love at the PF and Anderson Varejao holding things down at C still is a line-up that could win the Eastern Conference.

LeBron James is why this deal is about to happen, and should happen. The greatest player in the world played alongside Love on Team USA and loves the chemistry. Like Chris Bosh spaced the floor, Love will space the floor. But with a catch. Love can actually rebound. He was a 26-and-12 guy in Minnesota. And you can expect that in Cleveland if LeBron has a bad night.

Team USA head man Mike Krzyzewski is on my side. His take on the deal is the most logical I've heard so far:

"There's absolutely not one second of hesitancy. I'd trade for Kevin Love ... That's not saying anything bad about any of the other youngsters. Love's an All-Star and he's a double-double guy. But he's a double-double guy who can spread the court."

Like, duh. That's totally what I'm saying, Coach K:

"You look at LeBron and you have the best player in the world. He’s 29. I’m not saying he’s at the end of his career, but he’s in the second half of his career, let’s put it that way ... If Wiggins or Bennett are going to be great, it’s not going to happen right now. They’re great talents. LeBron is a great player right now. You do not want to waste any year of a great player’s career. Love is close to being that. He's not as great a player as LeBron but he's there. You know who Love is right now. They're always developing but he's a consistent outstanding player." 

My feel is that some pundits think Kevin Love is a savvy NBA vet, and that's because it feels like he is. But he's only 25. An all-star who is just at the beginning of the "prime" of his career. And like Coach K said, LeBron is in the middle of it. But the guys know each other, and both want to win now. Love hasn't even tasted the playoffs in his career. But once he gets there, surrounded by talent, the sky is the limit.

Last season, Kevin Love was a top-5 player in the league in PER (Player Efficiency Rating). Granted, on a not-so-good team. But it's the best measure of an individual in such a situation.

Cleveland also offers the best package for Minnesota. Again, it's a young team. The T'Wolves can build with a talent like Zach LaVine, who's shown he can dazzle. And say they get everything they want in the trade (Wiggins AND Bennet), Minnesota can also claim it has the last two number one picks on its roster. A young core with a good head coach like Flip Saunders? It could totally work. And the package is far better for the future than what a team like the Bulls are offering.

My best guess is that Chicago isn't a real threat to Cleveland and Minnesota pulling the trigger on the trade. An educated guess on my part is that the rumor was a leak, by the Timberwolves, to push the trade along and get what they want. And another guess, in regards to a report that the Cavs want to sign Wiggins to his rookie contract sometime this week, that won't happen. The deal is going to happen sooner rather than later. Cleveland doesn't want to wait 30 days. The Cavs want Kevin Love in training camp with David Blatt.

Love won't be happy in Minnesota. And regardless of what happens in the upcoming 2014-2015 season, Love is going to walk out on the organization and become a free agent next offseason. Minnesota needs to get something in return now if there is any common sense brewing the that front office.

With the big three of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Andrew Wiggins, the Cavaliers might be a top-3 team in the Eastern Conference. With James, Irving, and Kevin Love, the Cavs are bar none the best team in the conference.

Make the deal, Cleveland. All you need is Love.

Article written by Ben Fontana. These views are my own. It is meant for me to vent and/or inject humor into everyday sports topics. Feel free to contact me at benjamin.j.fontana@gmail.com with further inquiries. 

The Day Social Media Stood Still: The Decision 2.0

Whether you're a fan or not, you were watching.  Even if it didn't affect your team, you were constantly refreshing twitter and other news outlets. Even if you don't care for the NBA, you were entrenched in the madness that was Lebron's latest and greatest decision.  For weeks, we've heard speculation from anyone and everyone about where King James could potentially land this offseason.  It was simply one of those moments that you will never forget where you were when you first heard the news.  Usually, this is reserved for negative events and tragedies but today, many basketball fans can rejoice that Lebron James has decided to return to his native state of Ohio to bring back a championship to the city of Cleveland.

This time around, Lebron strategically planned how he was going to announce to the entire country where he was going to play basketball next season.  Unexpectedly, he went to the most trusted source in sports, ESPN Sports Illustrated a week earlier to personally pen a short essay about the biggest free agency decision since he bolted for Miami in 2010. These last few weeks have been strenuous on any basketball fan and anyone that watches Sportscenter on a daily basis.  James' name seemed to work his way into nearly every highlight causing fans to become agitated with the constant media attention. Makes you kinda miss the Decision, rather than anxiously waiting to hear what the superstar will choose. Rumors swirled around social media in the approaching weeks, ranging  from inside sources from cupcake companies, phantom "sources" from Chris Broussard or speculation of what the moving trucks outside Lebron's house meant.  Regardless of your basketball viewing tendencies, either die-hard or casual fan, you were immersed in all the Lebron hysteria for these past few weeks.

Link to Lebron's Essay, if you haven't read it yet I highly recommend:

http://www.si.com/nba/2014/07/11/lebron-james-cleveland-cavaliers

As for the letter, it was carefully written with Lee Jenkins, senior writer at SI who allowed Lebron to tell his story in his own words rather than let the media and society tell it for him. Also, the complete undermining of ESPN was also well-received by all sports fans as Lebron opted to use the resources of Sports Illustrated to fly under the radar and casually unleash his essay upon the masses at 12:30 PM on Friday. Personally, I was not expecting anything like this. I was anticipating a media onslaught that usually ensues when something is leaked to ESPN but with the ball in SI's court, they executed flawlessly and subtly without shoving the information in your face until you've heard enough.

Why It Matters: The MLB All-Star Game

• It decides home field advantage in the World Series.
• It's Derek Jeter's last
• You probably get to see Clayton Kershaw strike out six guys in a row
• No one is on steroids any more (can't prove this one)

The Case For: Johnny Manziel

Juany Fútbol

Why Are You Mad At Jonny Manziel?

Hint: You Shouldn't Be

I'm sick and tired of people getting mad at Johnny Manziel. Seriously, stop it. He is a 21-year-old kid who hasn't even thrown a pass yet in the NFL. Why are you judging him? Because he's acting like a 21-year-old kid? Please.

Hate to break it to you, but this is the way things are going to be for a while. Manziel is the kind of young athlete that defines the generation. People like to party. People like to post said party on social media. That's just the way things work. Basically, he is acting like every other kid. The difference: he's just really good at football.

Just watch the highlights. Manziel is electrifying. His style of play is organized chaos. It's an unorthodox method that has defensive coordinators spinning. The Cleveland Browns will undoubtedly have their hands full taming Manziel into an 'NFL' quarterback. But they need not worry. Johnny will get things done the same way he has in the past. Ignores the criticism, acts wild, outperforms all competition in the end.

Manziel's off-field life and on-field life have striking similarities ... but don't mistake the two for the same. He's free. He's wild. He's off-the-wall fun to watch.

The difference is Johnny doesn't go back and watch film on how he held the stack of money in his hand. He doesn't analyze the bar tab from the club. He has his fun, and focuses on his job. Isn't that the Browns are paying him to do anyway?

If I was in Manziel's shoes, I would act the exact same way. If you wouldn't do the same, I'd laugh. The opportunity to go to big games and meet big celebrities? Sign me up. Again, he's 21-years-old. This is the opportunity of a life-time for him. These actors, rappers, and celebs want to hang out with Johnny. And Johnny wants to hang out with them. So what? It would be a crime against humanity if Manziel didn't meet these people and take full advantage of his stardom.

So he gets a few pictures and videos taken of him every once in a while. So he signed a few autographs for people and accidentally took some money. So what? People make mistakes. I made mistakes when I was 21. But I learned from the mistake, and am better for the experience.

Johnny Manziel is the epitome of nonchalant. Despite being picked 22nd overall in the NFL Draft (lower than expected), he still has a positive attitude. Like when his offensive line breaks down, he scrambles and makes it work. Drafted to Cleveland? Wreck this league. The kid's got a plan. And if that isn't a sign of maturity, I don't know what is.

"I'm not going to change who I am for anybody ... I'm growing up and continuing to learn from my mistakes and trying not to make the same ones over and over again, but am I going to live in a shell or am I just going to hide from everybody and not do anything? I don't think that's the way I should live my life and I'm not going to do it.

"I'm here, I'm very committed to football. I'm committed to my job, but on the weekends, I'm going to enjoy my time off. We deserve it. We work hard here... I am going to enjoy my time off. I'm very about football and very about my job, which doesn't get reported or won't get reported, but I am going to enjoy my time off. That's I think what everybody else does and that's what I should do.''

Manziel doesn't need to be careful. He said himself that what he doesn't want to change who he is. For anybody. He knows what he is doing, and that is all that matters. It's the attitude that more young players should have in the NFL. As long as you are smart about what you do, and it doesn't effect what you do for a living, there is no room for judgement. It's a free country, Johnny.

What Should Cleveland Expect?

Maybe a circus. But more than likely, a lot of wins. Manziel won with talent at Texas A&M. He never made it to the National Championship Game, but he found success. Playing behind a great OL in Jake Matthews and throwing to a talented WR in Mike Evans made his life on the field easier. Now that he has NFL ready and proven talent? Watch out. Even if Josh Gordon doesn't make it to the regular season for the Browns with his recent run-ins with the law, Manziel still has a top-tier pass catcher in Jordan Cameron, and plenty of other talent to build around.

It's not too bold to say Manziel starts for the Browns. Brian Hoyer is a great NFL quarterback, but he isn't Johnny Manziel. With Hoyer, there is stability for first-year head coach Mike Pettine. A proven talent. But with Manziel, the upside is far greater. He is the new wave NFL QB that likens to Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick. Have the Seahawks been successful? Yes (see Bowl, Super). Have the 49ers been successful? Yes (a few plays away from winning three straight NFC Championships). These types of offenses work. Hoyer, in theory, could work well with new offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. But Manziel would work better.

Forget his off-field "antics" for a minute and remember what kind of magic he can pull out of his hat on the field. And that's against Alabama. Or against LSU. Or Oklahoma. He's proven his talents in college against the best of the best. So why not the NFL? The prediction of a Week One start and win against the Steelers isn't crazy. It's not far fetched. As long as Manziel gets the nod from Mike Pettine and impresses like he should in training camp and during the pre-season, it can happen. The Browns can secure a playoff berth in Year One with Johnny. Like Manziel said himself, he's "very committed to football," and chances are you won't see too many party pictures surface once the NFL season gets underway.

Manziel Should Provide Fireworks In Cleveland

Johnny Football is an honest kid with amazing talent who is just like the rest of us. He is living in the moment. Nothing more, nothing less. The criticism needs to stop. The constant "What Will He Do Next" articles need to stop. Why should you care? Or a better question ... Do you care at all? Browns fans could care less what he does on the weekends, as long as wins pile up in Cleveland. Maybe he won't be the MVP. But what he can do is excite a fanbase that has been looking for a star within the organization for years. He's arrived. And his name is Johnny Manziel.

Article written by Ben Fontana. These views are my own. It is meant for me to vent and/or inject humor into everyday sports topics. Feel free to contact me at benjamin.j.fontana@gmail.com with further inquiries.

"The Wind Is Blowing": What To Make Of The Rumors

Lord Of The Rings: Return of the King

LeBron Back to Cleveland?

It seems to be more and more of a possibility...

These convos aren't sourced enough 4 me to report as fact. But I've heard enough to believe "the wind is blowing" LJ back home. We'll see...
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) July 7, 2014

Do we trust Chris Broussard? He's been wrong in the past... he's been right in the past. But Brian Windhorst looked like a nervous wreck last night on SportsCenter when they asked him about the "news." Windhorst couldn't confirm or deny, but he did say that LeBron is meeting with Pat Riley in the coming days to discuss his future.

Breaking up in person? Sounds like LeBron's learned his lesson.

So it begs the question: "What's the deal here?" To me, it sounds like a bunch of hearsay. But, it also sounds like there is some truth to it. LeBron's agent is Rich Paul, a childhood friend. Now, Paul is a puppeteer with LeBron on the strings. Paul's the one busy meeting with all these teams while LeBron celebrates the 4th of July with his family and does other important stuff that a good dad and husband should do.

HOT TAKE

It's Not Too Late. It's Never Too Late.

I'd love to see LeBron go back to Cleveland. Images on the local news of Cavalier fans stitching up their old #23 James jersey's. Pulling the ashes out of the fire. The prodigal son returns home. It's a story that sports journalists dream about. It wasn't a "wrong" in the first place, but if the greatest player in the world "Rights His Wrong," then what do the doubters and LeBron-haters have to say now?

Chances are if James returns to the Cavaliers, it is going to be a project. He would have to work harder than ever before with a young roster. Kyrie Irving: All-Star. Andrew Wiggins: Needs A Mentor. LeBron has a great opportunity here, but if he wants to go back to the Finals again and have all his friends back (see Bosh, Chirs ... Wade, Dwayne), then Miami is his best shot.

For the last four years, LeBron has taken the Heat to NBA Finals. That is a magnificent feat. This season, he played on one of the oldest rosters in the league. And for a guy in the prime of his career to single-handedly guide Miami to the pinnacle series the league has to offer ... well as a fan of the game you can't help but smile.

LeBron to Cleveland, Bosh to Houston, Carmelo to L.A. Crazy right? That's the dream for all these sports junkies on twitter out there. It opens up an entire new landscape in the NBA. It also opens up another avenue for these players to be criticized.

LeBron to Miami, Bosh to Miami, Carmelo to N.Y. Nothing would change, everyone gets what they want. The only problem in this scenario is that Bosh doesn't get the max money he think he deserves. Everyone else does. 'Melo gets a chance with P-Jax in the Big Apple, LBJ probably takes the Heat to six straight Finals. But Bosh is the guy probably holding everything up here. That's why these "winds" that are supposedly "blowing" can't be taken too seriously at the moment.

I think LeBron can win wherever he goes. Cleveland makes him happiest. He goes back to his hometown, all the fans are happy, people smile. He's got a project, but he can handle it. But choosing Dan Gilbert over Pat Riley? Doesn't taste right on the tongue. Ultimately, it's the King's decision to make. So while he sits on his throne, all we can do is talk about it. Gosh, NBA free agency is fun.

Article written by Ben Fontana. These views are my own. It is meant for me to vent and inject humor into everyday sports topics. Feel free to contact me at benjamin.j.fontana@gmail.com with further inquiries.

MLB Weekend Recap: A's Reel in The Shark; Puig & Trout Continue to Impress

Samardzija stifled the Jays to complete a 4-game sweep

Late Friday night, the Athletics sent shockwaves throughout the league when they received the two top of the line starters from the Cubs in Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel in exchange for a pair of top tier prospects. 

For a majority of the season, Chicago had shopped each pitcher to various teams but finally struck a deal this weekend. Samardzija, seeking a hefty raise, commanded an extremely high price tag from his suitors due to the small market for high-level starters at this year's trade deadline.  After dealing with a rash of injuries, Oakland jumped on the opportunity to improve their rotation tenfold.  Marred with injuries for the beginning of the year, the A's needed to support the efforts of Sonny Gray, Jesse Chavez and recently named All-Star Scott Kazmir.  Both Hammel and Samardzija had felt the effects of a Cubs offense that had been essentially anemic this entire season, both toting ERA's under 3.00 while combining for a record of 10-12.  Now, each starter can reap the benefits of playing for the highest scoring offense in the MLB.

Even if the A's are simply renting out the pitchers for the stretch run and the postseason, this move makes the Athletics the clear favorite in the AL, if they weren't already.  Toting the best team ERA in the American League, Samardzija and Hammel round out a playoff rotation that could potential feature 4 former opening day starters.  Sonny Gray has struggled in recent weeks but his torrid start to the season should reserve any doubt that he will bounce back to his early successes in 2014.  The thing that stands out most is the urgency from Billy Beane to enter "win now" mode although they were arguably the most complete team in the league.  If there was ever a year to go all-in on a playoff season for the A's, it is certainly.  The master of Moneyball isn't one for selling his beloved farm system for large trade targets, rather than resurrecting careers for players who had appeared to have seen their better days (i.e. Coco Crisp, Scott Kazmir). Beane, a tenured GM that has witnessed his fair share of winning in his days at Oakland must have mulled this decision over an infinite amount of times in the upcoming hours before the trade.

I say this because of the haul he was forced to part with in order to land these two. Making their way to Chicago was the last two first round picks for the A's organization, which included the #3 prospect in the MLB according to Keith Law, in Addison Russell. Russell, a promising shortstop was the centerpiece of the deal for the Cubbies.  Already possessing 3 of the top 15 prospects this year (Baseball America), Chicago was once again able to stockpile assets for their rebuilding process. Samardzija and Hammel were both free agents after this year anyways, so how could Theo Epstein possibly say no? If they're this high on "Shark" still, they could ultimately sign him to his desired extension if Oakland opts to only keep him for the remainder of the season.  The team may not look "sexy" on paper right now but the Cubs are assembling a formidable core of young players who continue to show improvements.  The biggest surprise is Jake Arrieta, who was packaged along with Pedro Strop last season from the Orioles and has flourished into one of the most dominant pitchers in the past few months. Showing signs of his effectiveness last season, he has become the hottest pitcher in the league now named Kershaw and Wainwright.  He will now be vaulted into the ace role of a Cubs team that saw their playoff aspirations fly out the window weeks before.  However, the loss of Samardzija allows Chicago to retain a top of the line starter for a much cheaper price tag and can use their assets and large payroll to build around him.

Back to the A's, they concluded this weekend with Samardzija's debut start in the A.L. and Oakland was thoroughly pleased as he held the high powered Blue Jays offense to only one run over 7 innings, picking up the win.  For Oakland, they improved to an astounding 22 games over .500 with the ASB break looming and have solidified their spot atop Nick Caputo's unofficial MLB power rankings for this week. Similar to Jaws in the town of Amity, this Shark has taken over the town of Oakland and the future looks bright for the A's.

Free Agency Thoughts: 2 Days of Madness and It's Just Getting Started

Say what you want about the NFL being the most popular sport in-season, nothing beats the NBA's combination of draft and free agency. When the clock struck midnight on July 1st a few days early, a proverbial sensation of a bomb going off struck the entire league and social media.  Ahh, social media, what would we do without you?  Within minutes of the official commencement of free agency, basketball insiders, writers and junkies unleashed a swarm of rumors, meetings and trade scenarios that continue to flood the twittersphere 3 days in.  I'm not one to buy into too much speculation but you can't tell me you're not vigorously following every move that Lebron and Carmelo make during these upcoming weeks, regardless of your team or personal opinion on each player.  

The benefit on a "star-driven" league is the emphasis for constant update to quench the thirst for what happens to our favorite players and the fans simply absorb as much as they can.  Social media, specifically Twitter was simply made for an event like the NBA Free Agency period.  Up to the minute reports and rumors flying past your head in seconds as one minute Lebron could be a lock to return to the Heat and 13 minutes later, we could be reading a report of how he'd coexist with Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas.  It's truly fascinating and I simply can't get enough.  I know alot of you feel the same.  Guys like Chris Broussard, Adrian Wojnarowski and David Aldridge gear up all year for this short period of time in July.  In a matter of minutes, teams can emerge as frontrunners for the league's biggest superstar and fall out of running just as quick.  Although a "major" deal has not been made yet, there are several signings and developments that have caught my eye in the first few days.

Kyle Lowry Re-Signs on the "Cheap"

Show me the Money: Lowry takes talents back to Toronto

Arguably the biggest move that has been made so far is last night's re-signing of guard Kyle Lowry by the Toronto Raptors. Immediately following his departure from the playoffs (Nets), Lowry quickly became the most hotly contested free agent point guard available this year. Early reports, even before the draft had linked Lowry to Miami assuming that the Heat would be able to dangle enough cap room, in addition to the return of the Big Three in front of his face in order to run the show for the "Heatles".  Even after the Heat traded up to draft Shabazz "The Bazz" Napier, reports still continued to fly in that Lowry was the top target for Miami.  After meeting with Pat Riley and his former team, the Raptors, Lowry announced that his decision would come in the next few days.  As promised, the guard announced via Instagram that he had officially inked a 4-year deal for 48 million to remain with the young Raptors team that he led to the playoffs last year.

I put cheap in quotation marks due to the discount that Lowry seemingly gave Toronto when seeking a new deal. After watching his postseason performances and a breakout season, it was sure that Lowry could command a max contract due to him being the best guard on the market.  Rather than squeeze out every cent from the front office, Lowry signed a very do-able 48 million dollar deal that has to make the Heat cringe right now. With Lowry's return, the Raptors seem to remain the favorite in the Atlantic Division and can look to rebuild on their overall breakout season that was, ironically, a blocked Lowry layup away from making the second round for the first time in over a decade.

Bradley Re-Ups with Celtics; Rondo's Future Blurry

Kyle Lowry may be the biggest point guard to make a decision in free agency this offseason, he might not be the biggest name switching teams. If Rajon Rondo thought the news about Marcus Smart was promising for Boston's backcourt, then the news about Avery Bradley must have left him befuddled.

Boston's all-star point guard may have actually played his last game in a C's uniform as they dished out nearly 8 million a year to backcourt mate Avery Bradley yesterday.  Rumors had swirled about Rondo's potential trade possibilities for months now so it's nothing that he hasn't heard before.  However, now he knows that there might be a sense of urgency from the Celtics front office to ship the guard somewhere else.  Recently asking for a 100-million dollar extension recently to stay in Beantown, Rondo has continually expressed his desire to remain a Celtic, but with a crowded backcourt being assembled (draft pick of James Young) it may be an opportune time for Boston to swap him for more prized assets.

This isn't a sure thing that Rondo is dealt, but the signing certainly doesn't hurt his chances.  Perhaps they keep Rondo for another year and swap him before he hits free-agency next season.  It wouldn't hurt to groom Marcus Smart under the wing of Rondo before he departs and with Bradley's health concerns, nothing is secure for the Celtics. Look for constant speculation about Rondo in the upcoming weeks, especially the development of Isaiah Thomas' free agency situation, since his departure could create a glaring need for a point guard on an up-and-coming Sacramento team.

As for Bradley, this is an excellent signing for Danny Ainge and the Celtics to anchor their backcourt, with Rondo or not. Averaging nearly 15 points per game last season, Boston knew that they needed to keep Bradley anyway possible, as he's one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. Even with the injury issues, the Celtics had listed Bradley as their main priority this offseason. Strapped for cap space, Boston may have tossed Bradley a little more than they would have liked but now they can move forward to address Rondo's situation.  

The Courting of Carmelo

Teams have begun the quest for Carmelo in the past few days, starting in Chicago. The Bulls rolled out the red carpet for the free-agent power forward as he was greeted with large banners and bus advertisements with Melo in a Bulls uniform surrounded by Larry O'Brien trophies.  It didn't stop there of course, as Joakim Noah met with Carmelo to lobby for another superstar for the Windy City.  Absent from the courting process, Derrick Rose firmly stated he would not recruit Carmelo to come to the Bulls. Instead, he figured a visual demonstration would serve better, as Rose held a personal workout/showcase to show Melo that he was in fact "healthy" once again.  A nice touch from D-Rose and the Bulls since his health could ultimately turn Chicago into an immediate title contender id Melo does happen to land in Chicago.

Personally, I've felt that Chicago has been the right fit for the Bulls for months now and wouldn't be surprised if this is where he winds up.  This is going to be an extremely strenuous for all parties involved, which is why team's are stopping at nothing to "woo" Carmelo (Tried to find a clip of Charlie from Always Sunny saying "wooed" to no avail). Anyways, the Bulls team would compliment The Melo Show the best based on the dominant center in Noah and an elite level point guard.  Neither of which Melo has ever had (besides Iverson's brief stint in Denver).

Next, Melo pulled the Texas two-step and met with Houston and Dallas yesterday and the Rockets wasted no time in using photoshop to help Melo visualize how he'd look in red and yellow.  Not without controversy, Houston used Jeremy Lin's number 7 jersey for the Melo pictures, a subtle slap in the face to Linsanity, who also may be dealt, potentially in a sign & trade back to the Knicks if Melo comes to H-Town.  Regardless, with Melo's face plastered all around the Toyota Center, Houston looks to build a super-team with Dwight Howard and James Harden that would also vault the Rockets to title contender in a matter of a pen stroke by one, Carmelo Anthony.  Houston has casually been shopping Chandler Parsons to potential suitors to clear space for Melo's possible arrival and could make a huge splash if he is actually dealt.

To conclude the Texas tour, Melo arrived in Dallas to sitdown with Mark Cuban for a traditional approach with a casual business meeting to discuss basketball.  Cuban, the savvy businessman didn't need an elaborate Shark Tank pitch to sell Melo, rather using a bare bones conversation about winning and the ability to sign other assets to compliment himself and Dirk.  Dallas has seemed to be court every huge free agent hopeful since Lebron's 2010 campaign and has struck out on all their attempts (Dwight Howard, Lebron, Deron Williams).  If this pitch finally goes the right way for Dallas, it would vault another team to a legitimate contender role in the Western Conference, as if they needed another. According to sources, Chicago's pitch was significantly longer than the other two.  Not saying that means anything at all but just something to mull over.