Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 12/2/15
Joakim Noah has been gracious in his public remarks about his reduced role on the Bulls this season, but it’s nonetheless easy to tell that he’s frustrated and wants more playing time, as Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com observed after Noah’s comments to the media Tuesday. The season has been rough for the soon-to-be free agent, as new coach Fred Hoiberg benched him in favor of Nikola Mirotic, making Pau Gasol the team’s clear-cut first-string center. Hoiberg nearly reversed course before a game against the Sixers last month and planned to put Noah in at the tip instead of Mirotic, but Noah pulled up lame during warmups and didn’t play in the game at all.
Hoiberg has kept Noah on the bench since that night, and entering Wednesday’s game, he’s averaging 20.6 minutes per contest, the fewest of his career. Noah is only scoring 3.1 points a night, a number that seemed unfathomable two years ago, when he was the All-NBA First Team center.
It’s a nightmarish scenario for the Bill Strickland client who turns 31 in February and whose contract is up at season’s end. It also presents a tricky situation for the Bulls, since Gasol can opt out at the end of the season and hit free agency, too. Chicago, which entered the season with two marquee centers, could have zero by the end of July.
That leads to our question of the day: What should the Bulls do with Joakim Noah?
Shoehorning him into the starting lineup next to Gasol wouldn’t fit with Hoiberg’s offensive philosophy or with the league’s movement toward small ball. Trading Noah would present its own difficult circumstances, since his value is probably at an all-time low, and any team that trades for him is liable to see him walk away in free agency this coming summer. Noah has played with heart and has no doubt become an important figure in the Chicago locker room over the years, but the demotion has apparently placed a strain on him, and there’s no telling how much longer he’ll continue to affect a positive attitude. The Bulls could replace Gasol with Noah in the starting lineup, since Gasol’s numbers are off this season, too, but that might only create a similar set of problems.
So, what say you? What can the Bulls do to make the best of this situation? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.
Western Notes: Gobert, Lawson, Lieberman
Rudy Gobert is out indefinitely after suffering Grade II sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee during practice today, the Jazz announced, and history suggests he’ll miss more than a month. Marc Gasol missed a month and a half when he suffered the same injury two years ago, notes Jody Genessy of the Deseret News (Twitter links). It took Greg Stiemsma about the same length of time to come back from his Grade II MCL sprain in 2013, notes Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link). That doesn’t necessarily mean Gobert is out that long, but with Jazz D-Leaguer Jack Cooley reportedly having just agreed to play in Spain, the timing of Gobert’s injury is poor, and Falk doesn’t expect the team to make a move in the immediate future (Twitter link). See more from the Western Conference:
- The Rockets aren’t looking into deals for Ty Lawson, even though teams think they’ll be able to trade for him on the cheap, sources tell Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (Twitterlinks). Kyler believes the Rockets are interested in a change of some sort but hears that the focus isn’t on Lawson. The offseason trade acquisition indicated today that he’s on board with his reserve role, one he’s been in since J.B. Bickerstaff removed him from the starting lineup in his first game as interim coach, notes Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com (ESPN Now link). “It’s just whatever coach wants me to do, what the team needs me to do, I’m doing it,” Lawson said.
- Kings assistant Nancy Lieberman believes her hiring as the NBA’s second female full-time assistant coach was necessary to maintain the momentum created when the Spurs made Becky Hammon the first, as Lieberman writes in The Players’ Tribune. She didn’t address a report that she would be owner Vivek Ranadive’s choice to become interim head coach in the event the Kings fire George Karl, but she did talk about the bond she’s quickly formed with the players. “DeMarcus Cousins has been one of the most amazing young men from the time I met him in Vegas,” Lieberman wrote. “He just gave me this big old hug and said, ‘We’re happy you’re here.'”
- The 2015 draft class is proving unexpectedly productive and deep, but No. 1 pick Karl-Anthony Towns of the Timberwolves remains the leader for Rookie of the Year honors, argues Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post.
The Beat: Gery Woelfel On The Bucks
Nobody knows NBA teams better than beat writers, save for those who draw paychecks with an NBA owner’s signature on them. The reporters who are with the teams they cover every day gain an intimate knowledge of the players, coaches and executives they write about and develop sources who help them break news and stay on top of rumors.
We at Hoops Rumors will be chatting with beat writers from around the league and sharing their responses to give you a better perspective on how and why teams make some of their most significant moves. Last time, we spoke with Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune about the Jazz. Click here to see all the previous editions of this series.
Today, we gain insight on the Bucks from Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times. You can follow Gery on Twitter at @GeryWoelfel, and check out his stories right here.
Hoops Rumors: Bucks officials seemed to do their best to temper the high expectations surrounding the team coming into the season, but I don’t think anyone expected a start this slow. What’s gone wrong?
Hoops Rumors Chat Transcript
4:04pm: We hosted the weekly live chat.
3:00pm: Kobe Bryant confirmed Sunday what long seem to be the most likely outcome, revealing his decision that this season will be his last. He’s set to exit as a legendary, if complicated, figure in NBA history, and quite possibly the most beloved Laker ever. An odd coda to his career is likely coming in July, when the Lakers will probably renounce his rights so they can remove his maximum-salary cap hold and pave the way for the acquisition of a player they surely hope is the next great Laker. In the meantime, teams across the league are preparing for December 15th, the date when most offseason signees become eligible to be traded. We can talk about all this and more in today’s chat.
Northwest Notes: Matthews, Newton, Morrow
- Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press profiles Timberwolves GM Milt Newton, who’s trying to carry out the vision of late coach/executive Flip Saunders with no promises that he’ll remain in charge of the front office beyond this season. “It’s an incredible challenge,” Spurs GM RC Buford, a longtime Newton confidant, said to Krawczynski. “You’ve got an iconic coach and leader who also had incredible history with the community and the organization. There will be holes that have to be filled, there will be relationships that have to be supported with the passing of one of the great coaches.”
- Anthony Morrow has gone in and out of the Thunder rotation, but he’s back in it of late, and coach Billy Donovan said he feels compelled to play the sharpshooter to create space for Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, The Oklahoman’s Anthony Slater writes. Morrow is in the final guaranteed season of his contract. “It’s amazing how quickly he gets his shot off,” said Hawks coach/executive Mike Budenholzer, who watched Morrow hit three 3-pointers against his team Monday. “It feels like it’s in his fingers for like 0.2 seconds or something like that. When you put a great shooter like that with that quick a release around some gifted talented guys, it’s hard to stay with Morrow. He fits them well.”
Southeast Notes: Carroll, Millsap, Dudley, Oladipo
DeMarre Carroll is grateful for the opportunity the Hawks gave him during his time with the team, which began when he signed a two-year, $5MM deal in 2013 and ended when he joined the Raptors for four years and a whopping $58MM, as Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca details. Toronto teammate Patrick Patterson was blunt when asked what the Atlanta experience gave Carroll.
“His contract, plain and simple,” Patterson said to Lewenberg. “His contract that he has with us. All the hard work that he’s put in throughout his life, his career in the NBA, every opportunity that presented itself and then his stint with the Atlanta Hawks and having success with them, it’s allowed him to have this opportunity he has now with us.”
Still, Carroll has carved his own path, impressing Raptors coach Dwane Casey with his basketball IQ, and his success didn’t come just because he played for the Hawks, Lewenberg argues. See more on Carroll and other news from the Southeast Division:
- Carroll didn’t make too much of an impression on Jeff Teague, who said he doesn’t care that his former teammate is in town with the Raptors tonight, but Paul Millsap said he and Carroll formed a connection during their time together, writes Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Hawks, priced out of re-signing both their marquee free agents this summer, chose a new deal with Millsap over one with Carroll. “That’s my guy,” Millsap said of Carroll. “That’s my brother. It’s going to be good to see him here, especially in front of this crowd. They loved DeMarre. Me and him, we keep in contact all the time. Like brothers do. About his situation. About my situation.”
- The Wizards took small ball to an extreme during Tuesday’s win over the Cavs, with offseason trade acquisition Jared Dudley playing center for a spell, and it worked, serving as further demonstration of the team’s recent philosophical shift, as Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post examines.
- The Magic hired Scott Skiles to make tough calls like his decision to bench former No. 2 overall pick Victor Oladipo, argues Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders. The shooting guard doesn’t appear pleased with the move, but he nonetheless acknowledges that the team is playing its best since the Dwight Howard trade, Taylor writes. We asked for your input on Oladipo’s benching in Tuesday’s Community Shootaround.
Top 6 Most Important December Trades Since 2010
December 15th is the unofficial start of trade season in the NBA, and less than two weeks remain until that date, when most offseason signees become eligible for inclusion in trades. Some Decembers are more active than others, but several fairly significant transactions have taken place in recent seasons. We’ll rank the top six most important December trades of the last five years here:
1. December 14th, 2011
— The Clippers get Chris Paul and two second-round picks (one became Arturas Gudaitis, whose rights are held by the Kings, and the other was converted to cash, which went to the Nuggets).
— The Pelicans get Eric Gordon, Al-Farouq Aminu, Chris Kaman and a 2012 first-round pick (Austin Rivers).
- No December move in the past five years has had the lasting impact that this one has. Paul transformed the Clippers, providing the proper complement to Blake Griffin. The Clippers never won 60% or more of their games in any season before this trade, which took place before the tip of the lockout-shortened 2011/12 campaign. They haven’t failed to win that many in any of the four seasons since. The Pelicans have only Gordon to show from the deal at this point, but it helped the franchise to reboot, win the lottery, and score Anthony Davis with the No. 1 overall pick in 2012.
— The Kings get Rudy Gay, Aaron Gray and Quincy Acy.
— The Raptors get Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes.
- Only one trade took place in December 2013, but it was a doozy, and a matter of addition by subtraction for the Raptors. Patterson is the lone player Toronto received that day who remains with the team, but offloading Gay, who clearly wasn’t a fit, allowed the Raptors to turn the reigns over to Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, who’ve led the franchise to back-to-back playoff appearances. The Gay trade was to be the first move of a teardown north of the border, but instead it sparked a revival. That applied to Gay, too, and he delivered a career high 21.1 points per game last season for the Kings, who signed him to a three-year, $40MM extension in November 2014.
3. December 11th, 2011
— The Mavericks get Lamar Odom, a 2012 second-round pick (Darius Johnson-Odom) and the right to swap 2013 second-round picks with the Lakers (not exercised).
— The Lakers get a 2012 first-round pick (Mitch McGary).
- The fortunes of both teams turned for the worse after this swap, which Mark Cuban called “by far the worst” personnel decision the Mavs have made in his tenure as owner, as Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram noted earlier this year (on Twitter). Dallas had won the championship just months before the move, but Odom never again played as well as he had for the Lakers, and the Mavs, who haven’t escaped the first round since, traded him to the Clippers in the summer of 2012. The Lakers used the trade exception they reaped from the deal to acquire Steve Nash, who never lived up to the contract or lofty expectations that accompanied him to L.A., and the franchise has been in a tailspin ever since. The Lakers traded away the pick that became McGary long before the Thunder used it on the former Michigan center.
— The Mavericks get Rajon Rondo and Dwight Powell.
— The Celtics get Brandan Wright, Jameer Nelson, Jae Crowder, Dallas’ 2015 first-round pick if it falls anywhere from No. 4 to No. 14, and the move favorable of Dallas’ 2016 second-round pick and Memphis’ 2016 second-round pick.
- Last year’s Rondo trade turned out to be another flop for Dallas, though not to the degree of the Odom deal. Wright and Nelson are long gone from Boston, but Crowder re-signed on a five-year deal, and the Celtics are likely to end up with that first-rounder after this season, as it’s now only top-seven protected. The threat of Rondo departing in free agency always loomed for Dallas, but few could have predicted that Powell, an early-season revelation, would be the most enduring figure from this trade for the Mavs.
5. December 18th, 2010
— The Magic get Gilbert Arenas.
— The Wizards get Rashard Lewis.
- Washington moved on from the Agent Zero era amid a gun scandal, and the Magic gave up a key part of its 2009 Eastern Conference championship team. Neither player was ever quite the same after the move, but the Wizards have more successfully reinvented themselves since the deal, notwithstanding the early-season results this year. That’s in part because just months before trading Arenas, the Wizards used the No. 1 pick in the 2011 draft to select John Wall.
6. December 18th, 2010
— The Magic get Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu, Earl Clark.
— The Suns get Marcin Gortat, Vince Carter, Mickael Pietrus, cash and a 2011 first-round pick (Nikola Mirotic).
- The best days of Richardson and Turkoglu were behind them, but the deal gave Gortat the chance to become a full-time starter for the first time. He proved worthy of the job, and the Wizards noticed, trading for him in 2013 and signing him to a five-year, $60MM contract the next summer. The Suns could still be reaping the benefits of the acquisition of the pick that became Mirotic had they not attached it to Goran Dragic in an ill-fated 2011 trade for Aaron Brooks.
Honorable mention: Corey Brewer was involved in two December trades, going from the Mavs to the Nuggets in 2011 and from the Timberwolves to the Rockets in 2014.
How would you rank these trades? Leave a comment to tell us.
Atlantic Notes: Scola, Okafor, Wood, Early
Luis Scola harked back to his Rockets days as he added an effective 3-point shot to his repertoire for this season, telling Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today that the difference is that he’s allowed the shot to come natually to him, unlike his attempts to add the long-range look in the past. Scola is one of several big men around the league who are extending their range, as Zillgitt examines, and it’s added value to the one-year, $2.9MM deal Scola signed with the Raptors in the summer.
“Houston loves analytics and is big on that. I tried to learn from them a lot,” Scola said. “They planted that seed and said, ‘You’ve got to do this if you want to move forward with the NBA.’”
See more from the Atlantic Division:
- TMZ Sports obtained a video that depicts second altercation involving Jahlil Okafor on November 25th, the same night he was allegedly involved in a fight with a heckler outside a Boston nightclub. Boston police officials told TMZ that charges are likely to be filed. The Sixers will provide Okafor with a bodyguard going forward, coach Brett Brown said Tuesday, clearing up some confusion from earlier.
- Neither the Sixers nor their D-League affiliate formally announced the move, but the Sixers assigned Christian Wood to their D-League affiliate Tuesday and recalled him later in the day, according to the D-League. Philly sent the rookie down so he could practice with the D-League team, the Delaware 87ers said, according to Adam Johnson of D-League Digest (Twitter link).
- The Knicks assigned Cleanthony Early to their D-League affiliate today, the team announced (on Twitter). New York had just recalled Early on Monday, and the plan is for him to again rejoin the NBA squad in time for tonight’s game, tweets Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Central Notes: George, Noah, LeBron, Mozgov
New teammates and a new, more open attack make Paul George harder to guard, coach Frank Vogel contends, and the willingness of C.J. Miles to defend power forwards, a duty George was reluctant to assume, has the Pacers clicking, as TNT’s David Aldridge examines in his NBA.com Morning Tip.
“I would say it bothered me a little bit,” George said to Aldridge about the idea of guarding fours. “I was like, man, I worked so hard to get back, playing the three, and now you’re putting me at a new position. You guys don’t trust me? So it took some time to get that through my head. But now, everything is working out fine, and I’m happy with what we’ve got going right now.”
George, in his interview with Aldridge, called Miles a “lifesaver” for his willingness to step into the power forward role, and Miles, a full-time starter for the first time since 2008/09, doesn’t seem to mind. See more from the Central Division:
- Joakim Noah seemed to make it clear when he spoke to reporters Tuesday that he wants to play more and that he’s frustrated that Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg won’t give him more minutes, but he’s also careful not to publicly criticize Hoiberg, observes Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com (Twitter links). The 2016 free agent who’s now coming off the bench tempered his comments by calling it a “blessing to play for this franchise,” notes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune (All Twitter links). “I never want to come out,” Noah said. “But I understand this is my role now and I have to accept it and be the best that I can with what I have.”
- LeBron James didn’t think the Cavs would be able to trade for Timofey Mozgov, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert last season, but when they did, he found their acquisitions reassuring signs of GM David Griffin‘s mettle, as the four-time MVP tells Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated. Their additions have been part of James’ struggle to change the culture of the Cavs into a winning one. “Coming back has been everything I thought,” James said to Jenkins of his 2014 return to Cleveland, “only a lot harder. I can’t tell you it’s been comfortable. But that’s O.K. I don’t really like to be comfortable.”
Traded 2016 First-Round Pick Exchange Scenarios
Nearly 20 different scenarios exist in which a 2016 first-round pick may change hands. Of course, some outcomes are more likely than others, but the relative likelihood in many cases has changed since the start of the season.
We’ll break down every scenario here, with an assist from our Round-by-Round Traded Picks Register, which Mark Porcaro compiles, and RealGM’s comprehensive database, as well as our Reverse Standings, which are updated daily. The simple explanation for the likelihood of each pick exchange is in bold, with details to follow:
- Nets to Celtics (unprotected) — 100% certain to happen
- Cavaliers to Suns (top-10 protected) — Overwhelmingly likely to happen: The Cavs haven’t disappointed thus far this season, as they sit atop the Eastern Conference, so barring a catastrophic turn of events for Cleveland, the Cavs are giving up this pick.
- Mavericks to Celtics (top-7 protected) — Likely to happen: The Mavs, at 10-8 entering Tuesday’s game, have been surprisingly competitive, and with other Western Conference contenders struggling, the odds of Dallas keeping its pick look longer than they did at the beginning of the season.
- Heat to Warriors (Golden State gets Miami’s pick if it falls outside the top 10 and comes after Golden State’s pick and Oklahoma City’s pick) — Unlikely to happen: A complicated set of scenarios surround this exchange, but essentially, the Heat would have to finish with a better record than the Warriors, who are already 19-0, as well as the Thunder. The Heat and the Thunder entered Tuesday separated by only a game, but that won’t matter as long as the Warriors stay out in front, so Miami’s pick probably won’t be going to Golden State.
- Heat to Sixers (Philadelphia gets Miami’s pick if it falls outside the top 10 and comes before either Golden State’s pick or Oklahoma City’s pick) — Likely to happen: This would-be swap is a corollary to the long-shot Heat/Warriors possibility described above. Assuming Golden State keeps in front of Miami and the Heat, who are 10-6 so far, make the playoffs, Miami’s pick is going to Philly.
- Thunder to Warriors (Golden State gets Oklahoma City’s pick if it falls outside the top 15 and comes after Miami’s pick and Oklahoma City’s pick) — Unlikely to happen: This is another one related to the Heat/Warriors exchange above. The Warriors already hold a seven and a half game lead on the Thunder, so don’t expect the Warriors to end up with this pick.
- Thunder to Sixers (Philadelphia gets Miami’s pick if it falls outside the top 15 and comes before either Golden State’s pick or Oklahoma City’s pick) — Likely to happen: If the Thunder don’t send their pick to the Warriors, and it seems they won’t, they’re probably sending the pick to Philly. Oklahoma City, at 11-7, would have to miss the playoffs — or make the playoffs with the worst record among postseason teams — to keep the pick.
- Warriors to Sixers (Philadelphia gets Golden State’s pick if it comes before either Miami’s pick or Oklahoma City’s pick, as long as Miami’s pick falls outside the top 10 and Oklahoma City’s pick falls outside the top 15) — Unlikely to happen: The final of this string of five possible outcomes depends on whether the Thunder or the Heat can catch the Warriors. It doesn’t seem anyone can, so this pick probably stays put.
- Rockets to Nuggets (top-14 protected) — Toss-up: When I last looked at these scenarios, I called the Rockets a shoo-in for the playoffs. So much for that. Houston is 7-11, and after a coaching change, it’s anyone’s guess whether the team can right itself in time to make the playoffs.
- Lakers to Sixers (top-3 protected) — Toss-up: The Lakers made moves that seemingly upgraded the team in the offseason, but that hasn’t shown up in the standings yet. Unless the Lakers start a major surge, this one likely comes down to the bounce of a pingpong ball.
- Grizzlies to Nuggets (Denver gets the Memphis pick if it falls anywhere from No. 6 to No. 14) — Unlikely to happen: The Grizzlies looked shaky to start the season, but they entered play Tuesday at 10-8 and tied for fourth place in the Western Conference. They seem in strong position to at least make the playoffs, with so many other Western teams struggling.
- Timberwolves to Celtics (top-12 protected) — Toss-up: The Wolves, at 8-9 going into Tuesday’s game, seem to be ahead of schedule in their climb up the Western Conference standings, but that doesn’t bode well for their chances of keeping this pick.
- Knicks to Nuggets (Denver gets the better pick among its own and New York’s) —Toss-up: The Knicks appear to have a legitimate shot at the playoffs this season, but they’re still just two games better than Denver.
- Knicks to Raptors (Toronto gets New York’s pick if it comes after Denver’s pick) —Toss-up: The Raptors will end up with whichever pick the Nuggets don’t take in the pick swap described immediately above, so with little separation between Denver and New York, this one is just as hard to call.
- Nuggets to Raptors (Toronto gets the Denver’s pick if it comes after New York’s pick) — Toss-up: See the explanation for the last two picks.
- Trail Blazers to Nuggets (top-14 protected) — Unlikely to happen: Portland has been competitive, but at 7-11 going into Tuesday’s game, the Blazers appear to have little chance at making the playoffs, so this pick is likely staying put.
- Kings to Bulls (top-10 protected) — Toss-up: It’s tough to tell how strong the Kings truly are this season, since DeMarcus Cousins has missed seven of the team’s 19 games, and it’s hard to predict much of anything involving the Kings.
- Kings to Sixers (Philadelphia gets the better of Sacramento’s pick and its own if Sacramento’s pick falls inside the top 10) — Unlikely: The Sixers will root for chaos in Sacramento, since Philadelphia will have a better chance to win the lottery the more the Kings lose. Still, the Kings will probably finish better than the Sixers do this year, since Philly is once more plumbing the depths of the standings, so this pick doesn’t appear destined for Philly.
- Sixers to Kings (Sacramento gets the inferior of its own pick and Philadelphia’s pick if its own pick falls inside the top 10) — Unlikely: Since Philadelphia probably doesn’t end up with Sacramento’s pick, the Sixers probably won’t be sending their pick to the Kings.