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Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/5/16

February 5th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Bucks surprised many this past offseason when they landed center Greg Monroe in free agency, signing the big man to a three-year, maximum salary contract. Milwaukee, fresh off a 41-41 campaign in 2014/15 that included an Eastern Conference playoff berth, felt the addition of Monroe was the next step toward the upper-echelon of the conference. But plans often have a tendency not to work the way they are laid out and the Bucks have stumbled to a 20-31 record this season. Disappointment can bring about sweeping changes and a report by Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times relayed that the franchise is open to trading Monroe and point guard Michael Carter-Williams, who has failed to impress since coming over in a controversial deadline trade a year ago.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is reportedly the only Bucks player completely off-limits for a deal, though it would take a “crazy” offer to pry Jabari Parker or Khris Middleton from Milwaukee, a league executive told Woelfel. Several people around the league have said they’d be surprised if the Bucks don’t make a significant trade, with the deadline looming two weeks from today, Woelfel added.

This brings me to today’s topics. I say topics because there are two related questions I will be posing to all of you this evening. The first is: Should the Bucks look to trade Greg Monroe prior to the trade deadline? While this is a relatively straightforward question, it does raise another extremely important one regarding the franchise’s future dealings, which is: If the Bucks do in fact deal away Monroe, will it negatively impact their future free agent pursuits?

I will readily acknowledge that money trumps quite a bit in the free agent market, but players do have concerns outside the basketball court. When a player changes teams in the league, he also changes homes and cities, sometimes moving across the U.S., or in the case of players signing with the Raptors, outside of the country. The last thing most players want is to have to have to worry about the logistics of moving so soon after making such an important life choice, not just for themselves, but in many cases for their families as well. So, would dealing away Monroe so quickly after signing him count against the Bucks with future free agents? Milwaukee isn’t a destination city among NBA players, so the franchise already has its work cut out. Flipping a recently signed big-name player may not be the best advertisement to send out to other future free agents.

But that’s merely my take and we’re looking for yours. Take to the comments section to share your thoughts regarding a potential Monroe deal, and whether you think it would hurt the team in the eyes of future free agents. We look forward to what you have to say.

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Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/4/16

February 4th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Raptors are reportedly eyeing an upgrade at the power forward spot, a position where 35-year-old Luis Scola is currently the starter. Toronto has reportedly expressed interest in the Suns’ P.J. Tucker and Markieff Morris, either of whom could be a boon to the team’s rotation. The Suns aren’t expected to give either player away cheaply if the team does indeed decide to make a trade, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com.

The Raptors certainly have some appealing assets to deal, with the franchise currently slated for an extra first-round pick both this year and next. Raptors GM Masai Ujiri has indicated that the team plans to unload the surplus of first-rounders at some point, but Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun reported that the Raptors have no intention of giving them up cheaply and aren’t interested in a stopgap player. However, that report was filed prior to James Johnson undergoing an MRI on Tuesday after suffering an ankle injury. Johnson was filling in at small forward for DeMarre Carroll, who still remains at least a few weeks away from returning after right knee surgery.

Toronto’s interest in Tucker dates back to at least the summer of 2014, when he was a free agent and re-signed with Phoenix, which led to the Raptors inking Johnson instead, as Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca noted. Tucker was originally a draft pick of the Raptors in 2006, but that was prior to Ujiri taking over Toronto’s front office. While Tucker would likely be just a stopgap if acquired, Morris would certainly factor into the team’s future plans given that he still has three more seasons remaining on the four-year, $32MM extension he signed with Phoenix in 2014.

Phoenix has reportedly been targeting young players and draft picks in exchange for Morris, and the Raptors do happen to have recent first-round picks Lucas Nogueira and Bruno Caboclo to dangle, as well as those surplus first-rounders for the next two seasons. The Suns reportedly spoke with the Pelicans and Rockets about Morris trades earlier this season, and the Pistons are also reportedly interested, so the Raptors may have some competition if they are indeed interested in Morris.

This brings me to the topic for today: Should the Raptors look to upgrade their power forward position? If so, whom should they target?

If you were Raptors GM, which player would you attempt to pry away from the Suns — Tucker or Morris? If you don’t think either would be a good fit, or perhaps believe that the price would be too high to land one of the Suns forwards, whom should the team target? One possibility I’ll throw out there is the Celtics’ David Lee, who is reportedly unhappy with his reduced role in Boston while the team looks to either trade him or reach a buyout arrangement. While I wouldn’t necessarily trade for Lee if I were running the Raptors, he could be a valuable in-season pickup for very little cost if he is in fact released.

But that’s merely my opinion and we’re looking for yours. Take to the comments section to share your thoughts on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.

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Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/3/16

February 3rd, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Pistons have been linked to soon-to-be free agents Ryan Anderson and Al Horford as well as trade candidate Markieff Morris, as the team reportedly looks to upgrade its power forward slot. While the team maintains that it is happy with incumbent power forwards Ersan Ilyasova and Anthony Tolliver, the franchise likely wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to add an impact player. When explaining to Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press that the team was in no hurry to make a move, GM Jeff Bower said, “That upheaval creates upheaval throughout the locker room,” Bower said. “When you do make changes like that, you’d like to think you’re doing it for more than just minor, insignificant shuffling. Sometimes you need a major shakeup, but usually when those scenarios exist, you have a group you don’t think is functioning well and you don’t see a long-term lifespan with them.”

Ilyasova has been solid enough as the starter thus far this season, but his averages of 11.3 points and 5.6 rebounds are hardly earth-shattering. At 28 years of age, Ilyasova has likely peaked and it would be unfair and unrealistic for the Pistons to expect much more production from the veteran going forward. As a backup, Tolliver has been serviceable, but his 38% mark from the field is unacceptable for a big man in today’s NBA. Tolliver will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and only $400K of Ilyasova’s $8.4MM salary is guaranteed for 2016/17, so Detroit will certainly need to make a decision regarding the future of its four spot, though that may not occur until the summer.

This brings me to the topic for today: Who should the Pistons target to be their power forward for next season?

Anderson would be a solid addition, though with him reportedly in play for a maximum salary deal, he may not be the best value on the market. However, he would be a fine complement to center Andre Drummond, who needs more help from the team’s perimeter shooters if he wants to grow as an offensive player. Horford has the best track record among the potential targets mentioned, but I’m not certain he and Drummond would be a good fit together in the team’s offense. Drummond didn’t mesh well with former teammate Greg Monroe, and though Horford’s game is a bit more mobile than Monroe’s, I’m not so sure they wouldn’t have similar compatibility issues if paired together in Detroit. As for Morris, while he would certainly embrace the opportunity to rejoin his brother, it may not be the best move for the Pistons’ locker room given Morris’ difficulties in Phoenix.

But what say you? Who would be the best fit at power forward alongside Drummond in Detroit? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.

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Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/2/16

February 2nd, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Suns parted ways with coach Jeff Hornacek on Monday and named Earl Watson as interim coach. The move didn’t come as a major surprise, as Hornacek’s job was reportedly under immediate threat back in late December, but the team instead fired assistants Mike Longabardi and Jerry Sichting and shifted fellow assistants Watson and Nate Bjorkgren to more prominent roles. The future of the 52-year-old Hornacek was up in the air even as the season commenced, with a contractual decision on his team option for 2016/17 looming. Little had gone right since, as the Suns notched a 14-35 record in spite of preseason hopes that they would make the playoffs for the first time since losing the Western Conference Finals in 2010.

In its search for a new head coach the franchise may look to its past to find someone to lead it into the future. The team will reportedly consider former coach Mike D’Antoni for the vacant post, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. D’Antoni, who has recently returned to the NBA as the lead assistant for the Sixers, took Phoenix to consecutive Western Conference Finals during a successful run as Suns head coach from 2003-08. Also rumored to be in the mix is Steve Nash, a former star player for the franchise, according to Stein. Chris Mannix of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports noted that Nash should be expected to emerge as a candidate for the position, citing owner Robert Sarver’s fondness for the retired point guard. Sarver and Nash recently bought controlling interest in the Spanish soccer club Real Mallorca, Mannix noted.

This brings me to the topic for today: Should the Suns look to their past and hire either Mike D’Antoni or Steve Nash as their new head coach, or should the franchise look for a new face and voice with its next hire?

D’Antoni has not met with much success since departing Phoenix back in 2008, but his Suns teams were some of the most exciting and entertaining the league has seen. The coach does have a reputation of eschewing defense in favor of a fast-paced offense that is heavily reliant on strong point guard play. With both Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight on the roster, the team could thrive under the coach, though how well D’Antoni’s system is geared for postseason success is certainly up for debate.

As for Nash, he would be an intriguing choice, but he has zero head coaching experience and is reportedly reluctant to become a full-time coach. Hiring former players, specifically point guards, as coaches is a popular trend in the league right now, and while Nash is one of the best to have played the position, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s suited to run a team full-time. Hiring Nash, without him spending some time as an assistant learning the ropes, would seem more like a PR move to me than a solid basketball one at this time.

But that’s merely my opinion and now we’re looking for yours. Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions on a potential reunion between Phoenix and D’Antoni or the possibility of Nash calling out sets from the sideline. We look forward to what you have to say.

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Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/1/16

February 1st, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The WNBA shook up its postseason format last week in an effort to create more interest and excitement. Its postseason will no longer be divided into Eastern and Western Conference brackets. Instead, the top eight teams will qualify and be seeded based upon their winning percentage. There will also be byes for the top teams during the early rounds.

It’s hard to imagine the NBA rewarding its top qualifiers byes, simply because of the loss of playoff revenue in those markets. The idea of eliminating conference affiliation in the playoffs has been bandied about in recent years, particularly because of the Western Conference’s overall strength.

This season, things appear to have evened out, with more teams owning winning records in the East than the West. But there’s still some merit to adopting a playoff structure similar to the one that the WNBA has embraced. The top eight teams in each conference could qualify, or simply the top 16 teams by record, and then seeded 1-16 regardless of conference affiliation.

That would certainly add a little more intrigue to their early rounds and eliminate the same teams facing each other so often in the postseason. How about a Mavs-Bulls first-round playoff series? Or a Clippers-Celtics opening-round matchup? Or a Cavs-Rockets first-round duel?

The other obvious reason to making such a radical change would be to increase the possibility of the two best teams, regardless of conference affiliation, making the Finals. The Spurs certainly didn’t acquit themselves last week by getting blown by both the Warriors and Cavaliers but prior to those games, San Antonio and Golden State were considered the league’s premier teams. Under the current format, those teams can only meet in the conference finals.

This leads us to our question of the day: Would you like see the league shake up its playoff format and erase conference affiliations when it comes to seedings and matchups?

Please take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.

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Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 1/31/16

January 31st, 2016 at 10:55pm CST by Will Joseph

We recently learned that the Pistons have interest in Ryan Anderson as a free agent this summer, but not as a trade candidate because Detroit would rather not surrender assets to acquire him. Of course, any team would prefer not to part with anything to add talent. With the Pistons, however, there may be a reason to be confident in landing Anderson, who, as a stretch-four, would likely be a significant boost for Detroit. Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy used to coach Anderson when they both were with the Magic, so they have a relationship.

Holding off on Anderson sounds ideal, but it also is the best decision for the Pistons, in my opinion, because they will have a significant amount of money to spend this summer. What’s more, it does not seem sensible to me to trade away assets for what might amount to an improvement of only a few more wins. Either way, Anderson won’t come cheaply this summer; he’ll be a veteran of eight years by then, so he’d be eligible for the middle-tier max of a projected $24.9MM.

On the other hand, the Pistons have lost five of their last eight games and are now 25-23. They would prefer to use current starter Ersan Ilyasova off the bench. Detroit is also reportedly set to target Donatas Motiejunas, who will be a restricted free agent this summer. The Pistons are a solid team, but they are a piece or two away from seriously contending for the championship.

That leads us to today’s shootaround topic: Should the Pistons pull the trigger on a deal now or wait to sign a power forward in the summer?

Being mindful of our commenting policy, let us know in the comments section below what your thoughts are. We look forward to what you have to share.

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Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 1/30/16

January 30th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pelicans have been among the NBA’s most active teams in trade talks heading into the February 18th deadline. It was reported this week that New Orleans has been listening to offers for starting point guard Tyreke Evans, who is still battling the effects of arthroscopic surgery conducted on his right knee in October. Evans is signed through the 2016/17 season and will make nearly $11.7MM next year.

Evans isn’t the only Pelican on the trading block, as reports have indicated. The team has also been gauging interest for shooting guard Eric Gordon, who will miss another three to five weeks after breaking his right ring finger, and stretch forward Ryan Anderson. They are both on expiring contracts. In addition, New Orleans has been trying since December to find a taker for center Omer Asik, who signed a five-year deal worth approximately $53MM over the offseason.

It’s no surprise that the Pelicans, who have been among the league’s most disappointing teams, are active in trade discussions. Expectations were high after the team claimed a playoff spot last season, and with Anthony Davis serving as the franchise cornerstone and new coach Alvin Gentry bringing an up-tempo approach, New Orleans was expected to have a bright future.

However, injuries and other factors led to a disastrous 1-11 start before the Pelicans began a slow climb out of the Western Conference basement. They are currently 18-28, good for 12th place in the West, sitting three games behind Portland for the final playoff spot. They have won seven of their last nine games after beating Brooklyn tonight and are just two behind the Blazers in the loss column.

That brings me to tonight’s question: What moves should the Pelicans make between now and the trade deadline? Should they deal Evans, Gordon or Anderson? Is it possible to find someone willing to take on Asik’s contract? Should they go all out to grab a playoff spot this season or should they focus on the future?

Take to the comments section to voice your opinion on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.

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Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 1/29/16

January 29th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The NBA officially announced the reserves for the 2016 All-Star game, which will be played at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Sunday, February 14th. The starters for both conferences were announced last week, with Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard voted to tip off the exhibition in the West and LeBron James, Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Kyle Lowry slated to represent the East.

Here’s the list of the 2016 NBA All-Star game reserves:

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

While the All-Star game is merely an exhibition for the fans, it is also a form of validation for many players to be named to the squad for their respective conferences. As is the case with any All-Star game roster, a number of deserving players were omitted. That segues into the topic/question that I’m posing today: Who was the biggest All-Star snub this season?

Take to the comments section to voice your opinion on whom you believe should have made the cut. But don’t just give us a name; if there’s someone you feel who should be added, that also means another player needs to be removed to accommodate the addition. Tell us who you feel that should be. We look forward to what you have to say.

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Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 1/28/16

January 28th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The NBA has released the official rosters for the 2016 BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge which will be held on Friday, February 12th. The league’s annual showcase of premier young talent will will pit 10 first- and second-year NBA players from the United States against 10 first- and second-year NBA players from around the world. The official rosters are listed below:

U.S. TEAM ROSTER

WORLD TEAM ROSTER

Now it’s time for the topic for today: Which player NOT named to the 2016 BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge was the biggest snub?

Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.

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Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 1/27/16

January 27th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Clippers power forward Blake Griffin suffered a fracture in his right (shooting) hand after reportedly striking team equipment manager and close friend Mathias Testi. Griffin is expected to miss approximately four to six weeks of action after undergoing surgery on Tuesday. The team is understandably displeased with Griffin, which was clearly relayed in the team’s official statement. “This conduct has no place in our organization and this incident does not represent who are as a team,” the statement read. “We are conducting a full investigation with assistance from the NBA. At the conclusion of the investigation, appropriate action will be taken.”

Los Angeles is currently the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference with a record of 29-16 entering Wednesday night’s action, and the loss of Griffin could derail what has already been a challenging and somewhat disappointing 2015/16 campaign for the Clippers. The team can likely survive in the short-term without Griffin, though Los Angeles is currently undermanned in the frontcourt after trading fellow power forward Josh Smith to the Rockets last week. The addition of Jeff Ayres via a 10-day deal should help, but it would be unrealistic to expect Ayres to make a significant impact on the team’s fortunes.

The more important issue facing the Clippers is what to do regarding Griffin. While all the facts have not been made public regarding the incident, workplace violence isn’t acceptable regardless of the reasoning. Griffin, 26, is under contract for two more seasons after this one, though he does possess a player option worth $21,373,952 for 2017/18, the final season of his current deal. If Griffin is indeed deemed to be a detriment to the locker room after this incident, the team may decide hitting the reset button by dealing the high-flying forward is the best way forward.

Which brings me to the topic for today: In light of Blake Griffin’s recent incident, should the Clippers look to trade him?

Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. If you think the team should trade Griffin, where do you think he may end up, and what should Los Angeles expect to recoup in return? If you are on the other side of the argument and feel that Griffin should remain with the Clippers, let us know your reasoning for that choice. We look forward to what you have to say.

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