[ClutchFans] Podcast: On De’Anthony Melton and the Rockets 2018 Draft, plus LeBron and free agency

MCW can't be traded he just got signed.

 

i think his contract is non-guaranteed though

 

so according to this post it's actually partially guaranteed for $1.2M

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/index.php...-williams-signing.292227/page-5#post-11907981

 

Didn't say he would be traded. Said there's a small chance he gets cut.

 

15-man roster as it stands right now (assuming we sign Melo and Melton):

5) Capela/Nene/Hartenstein/Zhou Qi/Onuaku
4) Melo/Anderson
3) Tucker/Ennis/Green
2) Harden/Gordon/Melton
1) CP3/MCW

I'm betting on a trade or two before the season starts

 

I hope GG isn't relegated to third string SF. His defense is weak, but he provides us with a real spark off the bench. I'd rather see him play than MCW.

 

Tucker played like 80%+ of his minutes at PF last year. The rest were split between SF and C, slightly favoring SF.

I mean I'll never say never about changing it up, since ultimately they did fail to win a ring, but do you really think they'll move Tucker to the SF position more permanently?

Bearing in mind, when Harden and CP3 are on the floor together, with Clint, they can create plenty of offense... well, at least against almost all teams. Wouldn't you rather surround that with 3&D type players and have Melo come off the bench?

That said, if the above is the starting lineup, I think it more likely Melo is the 3 and Tucker is the 4, at least in terms of who they defend initially (before switching).

 

I'm sure you are right; Tucker (who is 6'5") will start at the 4. Which means Melo will start at the 3. But i sincerely think that is a bad idea. Tucker will not hold up against longer 4's and Melo will constantly get burned by 3's with even average speed. I think we are much better moving Tucker to the 3 and having Melo play out of the 4 (which i believe is his natural position at this stage in his career). Then move tucker over to the 4 for significant minutes. And have Ennis/Green fill in significant minutes at the 3.

To me, that's the best scenario with the current roster.

 

I mean, I think Anthony is probably a better 4 than 3 now, too, for the same general reasons you note. But I also think its generally a lose lose when talking about his position defensively in any scenario.

The key to Tucker at the 4, is that he can switch as formidably on centers as small forwards. And so as a 4, that's what maximizes his defensive versatility.

Whereas I don't really want Melo switching onto 5s or guarding 4s or guarding 3s... lol.

I'd rather play Melo off the bench.

 

I know he switched on 5's in the golden state series, but i dont think hes a good matchup against bigger front courts. Plus we've got a versitile center

 

My point is simple. The Rockets jettisoned Anderson - albeit, Ryno was playing like crap - to get Tucker in the starting lineup, didn't look back, won 65 games, and made it to the point they were up 3-2 when "healthy". They did this with a defensive minded frontcourt - Ariza, Tucker, Capela.

Getting Melo in there would be basically saying that didn't work, let's try going back to what we were doing and get more offense and less defense at the 4.

 

Didn't OKC have a top 10 defense with Melo on the floor?

 

Any ESPN Insider care to post the contents?

Like I said in another thread, it would be pretty amazing if in a couple of years, we look back at our #46 draft pick as being Morey's big accomplishment of the summer.

 

Rockets still have not signed DeAnthony Melton.

 

At this point i guess it's a given to think it's because he's involved in trade talks...hoepfully it would be eventually worth it, i would hate to see him traded.

 

Either...
1) The Rockets want the "ability" to trade his rights right away.
2) Melton's agent is playing a bit of hardball on Morey's negotiations on adding a 3rd or (4th) year.
3) The Rockets just hedging a bit and want to make sure Melo is "officially signed" via Vet Min in case somehow Melo decides on more. (doubtful this is the case but it is possible)

 

I actually forgot he can also sign for just 2 years ala KJ...that would kinda suck since we already can't sign him for 4 years (Bima said we can't offer a 4th year with the tax MLE) but eh...at this point i would be happy if we can just lock him up for 3 years.

 

KJ just signed for ONE year. He took the Required Tender, choosing to bet on himself. It paid off, since he signed a three-year, $10 million deal the very next summer (of which he received over $6 million).

Melton might be exploring this route. The Rockets don’t have to submit the Required Tender until September 6.