Just let that image sit there in your mind for a minute. Let it marinate. Let it really sink in.
Then banish it from your mind forever, because it's absolutely insane. Crazy. Loco.
It's certainly tempting to think about 'Melo, one of the game's dominant scorers in his prime at age 26, joining forces with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol in Southern California to pursue his first ring. Talk about a Big Three. Boston's had one, and Miami built one this summer, but if a Melo deal went down this month, it would be hard for anyone to measure up with the three leading Lakers.
But the asking price is far too much for the Lakers risk blowing up their nucleus now. So forget it — it's not gonna happen.
The principal pieces of the suggested trade are Melo and the Lakers' 23-year-old center Andrew Bynum. Certainly enticing on both sides, and worthy of consideration. But the Lakers know, however alluring 'Melo's star power might be, that the deal won't work.
Bynum may only be the third, fourth or fifth most valuable Laker, depending on how highly you value Lamar Odom and Ron Artest. But L.A. is in the hunt for its third straight title this spring, and at the end of the road, the matchups will hinge on having the powerful 7-footer in the middle.
In today's NBA climate, size wins championships. And while Gasol and Odom give the Lakers a couple of big bodies they can go to war with, they're not enough. The Lakers need more.
Having Bynum is the key to beating Boston. The reason the Lakers won the Finals last spring was simple — their bigs stayed healthier. Kendrick Perkins went down, Bynum powered through, and the Lakers emerged victorious on the glass.
Bynum's the key against the Heat. Their one advantage isn't youth or athleticism — it's size, and lots of it. They need big bodies to overpower Chris Bosh and the rest of the soft Heat front line.
He's the key against the Magic. How do you stop Dwight Howard if you don't have a true center to go toe to toe?
Andrew Bynum is a vital piece of the Lakers' plans to win a championship. If they make the Finals, they'll need him no matter who winds up on the other side.
Maybe if this deal had been proposed in September, the Lakers would consider it more. That way, they'd have time to integrate Anthony into their system, and time to rebuild a big man corps for the playoffs. But in mid-stream, they can't change horses. If the Lakers want to complete their three-peat in 2011, they need Andrew Bynum on their side. 'Melo will have to look elsewhere.
What do you think of a potential Carmelo Anthony trade to the Lakers? Share your thoughts below.
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