In addition to our weekly chat every Wednesday, we have a second opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com. Here are this week’s inquiries:
Is Michael Carter-Williams and/or Greg Monroe in a Bucks uniform next season? Record wise, it was a bit of a disappointing year, but I still have high hope for the future. What kind of new pieces could we see for this bench next season? — Ryan
HR: When the Bucks signed Monroe last summer, they didn’t think they were getting a maximum-salaried backup, but that’s how coach Jason Kidd used him for a while. At 15.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, Monroe’s stats don’t look bad, but he never became the dominant force in the middle the Bucks were hoping he would be. Carter-Williams’ problem continues to be outside shooting, as he attempted just 55 3-pointers all season and connected on 27% of them. A report in the Journal Sentinel last month said the Bucks plan to shop both players, so their future in Milwaukee depends on what teams are willing to give up.
If the Cavs don’t win it all, how realistic does a Kevin Love trade become? And what would they be able to get for him since surely it won’t get as much as they gave up for him? — Matt
HR: Love’s fit in Cleveland seems like less of an issue than it was last season, but if the Cavaliers fall short they may decide to unload some salary to reduce the crushing burden of the luxury tax. In April, Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post mentioned the Nuggets as a team that might be interested, with Cleveland possibly getting Kenneth Faried and some younger players who would be more comfortable in Tyronn Lue’s up-tempo attack. The Cavs can’t expect to get talent on the level of Andrew Wiggins in return, but it won’t be hard to find a taker for Love.
What are the chances of the Lakers trading their potential top 3 draft pick for an established superstar? — Jason
HR: The Lakers might prefer to do that and speed up the rebuilding process, but the question is who could they get in return. L.A. is known to covet Paul George, but the Pacers would probably want a lot more than the pick to part with their best player. If the Kings decide to explore offers for DeMarcus Cousins again, maybe the No. 2 pick will help make a deal happen.