If they have brains then no. Cancerous player. So that rules out everyone except JvG.

There is a vacancy here in Perth lol.
But in all seriousness there is no way he will come to the NBL.
Could go to Lakers or another NBA team. Maybe even China.

Yeah, sure, Daryl Morey should 'get the chop' over this. What a genius idea.

I can just picture all the NBL marketing build up to his opening game, where he would knock down 4 of 20 long range 2s.

Why do I see the Sixers being stupid enough to grab him... after all they are very thin at the PF spot now they traded away Saric. Pretty sure its just Muscala now?

Dont think the game style Houston play is anything like that of the USA team though? In fact I find nothing more boring than Houston Rockets basketball.

That being said, Melo has been terrible but at the same time I think losing Ariza is whats hurt them most.

Houston paid nothing for him, now he'll go and at worst it might have cost them a win or two, big deal. I can't stand Melo but it was worth a shot for Houston. Turns out all the people who say defense doesn't matter in the NBA anymore were wrong, he can't guard a chair anymore and it showed.

Chris Paul and Melo are good friends Paul was a FA this off-season maybe part of the deal of him re-signing was figuring out a way to land Melo. Now that Paul's locked up Melo becomes expendable.

A lot of deals get done like this in the NBA look at Tyson Chandler being released early by the Suns to sign with the Lakers. James Jones owed LeBron a favour for extending his playing career as long as he did and the Suns didn't intend to buyout Chandler until around the February trade deadline but LeBron called in the favour and Jones obliged.

I wouldn't also discount the likelihood Melo and D'Antoni probably had a barney again like they did at the Knicks. I'm sure D'Antoni wouldn't have been overly thrilled about Melo joining the team.

D'Antoni was happy to get Melo, you can read why between the lines in a couple of podcasts, not because he likes him but for revenge. In New York when the two of them had their differences management took Melo's side as he was the superstar and was worth $$ to the organization, this time around Mike knew what he says goes, and now he gets the joy of saying I told you so and don't let the door hit you on the way out.

As noted above he came cheap so no big loss.

Where the Rockets really fudged up bigtime and I mean bigtime is not getting Ariza back. He was a huge for them last year.

I think the Rockets tried too aggressively to get better over the offseason and it might have made them worse.

With that being said they didnt have it easy trying to allocate the spend and fit everyone in with CP3 and Capella asking for money.

Will probably go the Iverson route and basically be forced out of league due to being too ball reliant.
Wouldn't be surprised if he plays for Team USA though, always seems to play better in International tournaments

The guys a joke. I reckon China would be a good option, at least he'd get to shoot 30 shots a night

If the Rockets matched the $15mil from Phoenix, it would have actually cost them around $60mil after the taxes considering how far over the cap they are, he's good but that's absurd.

For Ariza ^^

Putting Ariza's potential contract into perspective though: the Rockets were willing to hand CP3 (at age 33) a $160mil/4 year contract. Seems like mismanagement to me, despite Morey's track record.

They had to 'hand' CP3 that amount or he would have gone elsewhere. If Morey had his way he would have retained Ariza and MaB, but ultimately players like CP3 wont make the sacrafice for the chance to win it all and then make that money up on the back end.

CP3 dug his heels in for the max. Should've discounted himself to retain Ariza. Another superstar fool who will end up with no ring.

Considering Paul is president of the players union and has fought for an increase to max salaries, he kind of had to go for it to not look hypocritical (removes tinfoil hat).

Morey has blown the story up you dolts. Melo is staying

CP3 didnt have to go for it. Also he so calledfight for increased max salary, was in part for older players bracket which just ends up hurting teams in the final years when a clearing declining player willbe on the books for 40mil.

They didn't 'have' to offer him the max unless another team was going to. So what other franchise would have mortgaged all cap flexibility for an aging CP3?

I would guess none. But you try to low ball him and CP3 would likely spite-leave similar to Wade a few years back. I would assume this deal was in place when he first arrived.

Pretty sure hes going to Cairns or Wollongong.

So anyone think a contender will want Melo? Can't see it happening at all and his ego/personaltiy certainly doesn;t make him a vet teams will want around developing players.

Its a bit like AI and its probably over a few years to early due to no self awareness.

Normally I'd say no, but Melo is buddies with a bunch of guys... I wouldn't call the Lakers "contenders", but his friendship with LeBron might see something (disastrous) happen there.

It's a pretty damn big fall.

I mean it's not even about the money now. Usually ex-superstars arent wanted because they're asking to much for what they're worth.

But with Melo; he can come cheap..its just the literal fact that he just cant contribute to a team/add value to a team. No team wants them on their team.

Melo will want time and Lakers need to play there young guys at that sport (Kuzma/Ingram) ahead of Melo so not sure how he fits with them.

Melo's biggest issue apart from poor shooting is a lack of D an the dude looks out of shape and not interested.

What;s really odd about all this is the Rockets are refusing to waive Melo. They've said he won't play another game for them, they've banished him from the team, they haven't suspended him yet are refusing to release him despite him being a minimum wage player.

The guy always does well with his contracts he always gets every cent (still getting paid $27M by the Hawks this season) he had a no trade clause in his previous contract does he perhaps have a no cut clause in this one? I've never heard of no cut clauses before but the whole thing is very strange.

The talk seems to be he will stay on the Rockets roster but away from the team still getting paid and may ask to be released later in the season when teams might become more desperate for his services. Unlikely but as of right now his NBA career is practically over, the LA LeBron's have already ruled out signing him if he becomes available.

Why would anyone let him do that on their team though? The guy still thinks he's a superstar, he hates coming off the bench and even so he still shoots badly, plays poor defence and is too much of a liability to his team when on the court.

The Rockets even with a close friend of his on the roster have had enough of him after just 10 games and have banished him from the team. What NBA team is now going to be stupid enough to sign him? A contender won't touch him he's a cancer why would a crap team sign him when they would prefer to blood their youngsters?