Is Carmelo in the same level with Lebron and Dwyane?

[Blake]

1. LeBron
2. Kobe
3. Wade
14. carmelo

[JamStone]

As a Pistons fan, if you could redo the 03 draft, who would you have wanted the Pistons to take at #2, and why?

Chris Bosh. It was the biggest need at the time. Wade and Carmelo are better players. But, the back court was covered and Prince was serviceable at the time. That team didn't have Rasheed yet, so Chris Bosh would have been the scoring PF they needed.

Wade is the best player they missed out on, but the Pistons had two (eventually) all star players with Chauncey and Rip that had a great chemistry with each other. Carmelo would probably be the second choice after Bosh because despite having Prince, it would be hard to pass up the kind of talent that Carmelo proved to have before that draft. I just think he may have ended up being more of a problem because he may not have started and I have a feeling the chemistry with him and Rip would have been poor.

Chris Bosh fit. The problem might be that with Bosh, the Pistons may not have traded for Rasheed Wallace. And, even if they did, the Hawks may have played hard ball with them and demanded that Bosh be included in the trade.

Also, with drafting Bosh, Carmelo, or Wade, I think the dynamics of that 2003-04 season would have changed with any of those three guys, to the point that I think that team would have likely not won a championship that year. The team would be in better position right now, but with no championship to show for it. And, I know it's conjecture, but if the choice is having a better team now with Bosh, Carmelo, or Wade and no championship or Darko and a chamionship, I'd still take the championship. Bosh, Carmelo, and Wade on the Pistons the last six years don't guarantee a championship.

[ducks]

Not even close. If Denver can somehow take LA, then maybe.

spurs sweeped cavs with james
but melo has to beat the lakers to be on par with wade and james

[stretch]

I do not think at all that Dirk has been/is the better player than Tim since 2006. That is inaccurate and you are ignoring the defensive side of the ball and win% and playoff success since then.

For crying out loud the Spurs won the finals in 07 and although TP was finals MVP, TD was playoff MVP. Tim only finished 1 point behind Dirk this year in MVP voting and he had serious injury.

Before Tim's injury, he was playing much better than Dirk this year.

Timmy has also constantly had a superior team to Dirk his entire career. That helps a lot.

Like I said... give Dirk 2 guys who are legit all-stars, like Ginobili and Parker, along with a cast of players that can step up and hit shots when called upon... Dirk would have been winning les too. He took a team loaded with inconsistent role players, put them on his back, and carried them to the Finals, making big play after big play on the road, constantly stepping up when the opponent seemed to have control (game 3 vs. Memphis, game 7 vs. Spurs, game 5 vs. Suns). He played better than people gave him credit for against the Heat as well, and made quite a few big plays. Unfortunately, Wade was just a little ahead of Dirk there.

Then again, you are a Spurs fan, I'm a Mavs fan, so we are both going to be a little more biased for our own player. But I don't see a whole lot of proof showing me that Duncan has been any better of a player than Dirk has over the past several years.

[Muser]

spurs sweeped cavs with james
but melo has to beat the lakers to be on par with wade and james

James is MUCH better now.

Top tier players are Kobe/James/Wade (Durant in a few years)

Second tier Duncan/KG/Dirk/Howard/CP3 etc.

Third tier Melo/Johnson/DWill/Yao etc.

[Muser]

Timmy has also constantly had a superior team to Dirk his entire career. That helps a lot.

Like I said... give Dirk 2 guys who are legit all-stars, like Ginobili and Parker, along with a cast of players that can step up and hit shots when called upon... Dirk would have been winning les too. He took a team loaded with inconsistent role players, put them on his back, and carried them to the Finals, making big play after big play on the road, constantly stepping up when the opponent seemed to have control (game 3 vs. Memphis, game 7 vs. Spurs, game 5 vs. Suns). He played better than people gave him credit for against the Heat as well, and made quite a few big plays. Unfortunately, Wade was just a little ahead of Dirk there.

Then again, you are a Spurs fan, I'm a Mavs fan, so we are both going to be a little more biased for our own player. But I don't see a whole lot of proof showing me that Duncan has been any better of a player than Dirk has over the past several years.

Good post, Duncan wins for me because he is the superior all round player. Dirk has been crazy on offense all career but Duncan has been consistent on both offense and Defense.

[stretch]

I think that Dirk's positives and negatives at this point in his career, outweighs Duncan's positives and negatives. Duncan may be the more well rounded player, but I think Dirk is more capable of carrying a team on his back, than Duncan is. Which is why I ranked Dirk higher at this point.

[Findog]

melo needs to play defense to be top tier. right now he's just a pure scorer.

Melo's getting better at D. Maybe it's just this year and his teammates rubbing off on him, but he is making an effort to contest shots, rotate and battle. Not saying he's a great defender by any means, but he should never be lumped in with Amare or guys like that.

[Findog]

[DPG21920]

Duncan still won a le after 2006 and was all NBA this year and all NBA defensive team this year and just behind Dirk in MVP voting this year.

Like I said, Dirk has been great, but Duncan before the injuries this year was playing better.

Spurs have won the le with some of the weakest rosters in the history of the league (with regards to champions).

[Basketballgirl25]

I don't find him as good at Lebron, Wade, or Kobe. I find him more like Dirk. One of the better players in the league but not as good as Lebron, Wade, or Kobe

[Phonzie20]

No he's not but that isn't exactly a slam on Melo.

[SouthTexasRancher]

Carmelo is the Easter Bunny

Dwade is the Tooth Fairy

Lebron is Santa Claus

AND

Kobe is a Rapist

[Armando]

I wouldnt even put him in the 1.5 category. I put guys like Dirk, Bosh, and Wade in that category. Wade is not on James and Kobes level either. Carmella has much to prove before I put him in the category with any of the guys I just mentioned.

Wade is not on LeBron's level? You realize Wade already has a ring and a Finals MVP to LeBron's 0.