Should the Cavs Trade for 'Melo?

What's up JWT Fam? I'm riding the Exercise bike listening to NBA trade rumors. I want to see what everybody thinks about the Carmelo Anthony trade rumors.

I said years ago, when I wrote for the bleacher report, Melo isn't good enough to lead a team to a title. Melo fans will say "he doesn't have any help." My counter is "he can't even make the playoffs."

Melo is a good player. He just isn't elite. Never has been. He's a ball hog. He doesn't guard. He's an average rebounder at best.

Having said all of that, if I were the Cavs, and they want to win a title, I would make this trade. I'll tell you why.

1. They're not beating the Warriors without help. They're just not. Golden State is better than they were a year ago, a lot better. I would argue the Cavs beat the Warriors without two starters (Curry was hurt and Draymond was suspended), but that's another argument altogether. Luck is part of it. They won last year. They won't win this year without getting really lucky again, or getting a whole lot better.

2. Lebron's title window is closing. He isn't going to be elite forever. He is at his best when he's able to play combo forward. He is. He can play 3 or 4, matchup defensively with different players, and be a matchup nightmare at the offensive end. 

3. Melo is best at the 4. He isn't an effective small forward in the NBA. Never has been. Look at the Olympics. He's a killer. Why? Because he is playing the 4. Bigger, slower guys can't cover him on the perimeter. His offense more than makes up for the defensive liability when he plays the 4. 

4. The NBA Finals is going to come down to Golden State and Cleveland again. The Warriors play a small lineup. If Green is at the 4, Melo can cover him. Melo is actually bigger than Green. That makes KD and Lebron play each other (yes please!). When the Warriors go small and get into their Death Lineup with Steph-Klay-Iggy-KD-Dray, which of those guys does Kevin Love guard? Nobody. He will be on the bench, just like last year's Finals. The Cavs could counter with Kyrie-JR-Lebron-Melo-Thompson, or even better, go really small and play Lebron at center in a Kyrie-JR-Shumpert-Melo-Lebron lineup. How does Golden State guard that?

5. Either way, Melo is a better fit for this team if they're trying to beat Golden State. Neither team would be great definitively. The score every game would be like 165-152. So I vote yes. Make the trade. Who's with me?

#JWT