Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/10/16
The Raptors are looking at power forwards in advance of the trade deadline, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com, who relayed that Toronto has checked on the availability of Thaddeus Young, Kenneth Faried and Markieff Morris. The Raptors’ current salary structure would make it tough for the team to deal anyone from its existing roster, as Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca pointed out, but the team has an extra first-round pick for each of the next two drafts, and GM Masai Ujiri has signaled that he wants to trade at least one of those picks at some point. Despite its apparent willingness to upgrade at the four spot, Toronto doesn’t have the cap room or trade exception to absorb either Young, Faried or Morris without relinquishing salary in return.
Toronto has started veteran Luis Scola at power forward in each of its first 51 contests, whose averages of 9.5 points and 5.3 rebounds aren’t anything to get excited about. Any of the three players mentioned above would provide a clear upgrade at the four spot for the Raptors, though acquiring any of them would likely leave a hole elsewhere on the roster thanks to the team’s need to send out salary in any transaction. But if Toronto is set on making a splash at this year’s trade deadline, nabbing either Faried, Morris or Young would certainly qualify as an impact move.
This brings me to the topic for today: If the Raptors make a move to acquire a power forward, who would be the best fit — Kenneth Faried, Markieff Morris or Thaddeus Young?
Take to the comments section below to share your opinions on the matter, including who and what it might take to land one of the three men mentioned above. We look forward to what you have to say.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/9/16
The Magic are open to trade offers that would add useful veterans to their roster, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. One player who isn’t currently being shopped is small forward Tobias Harris, but Orlando isn’t discouraging teams from making their best offers for him, Stein relayed. Magic GM Rob Hennigan recently cited the youthfulness of the team’s roster for its recent struggles, though Magic players said before the season that age wouldn’t be used as an excuse. The team has been struggling and is battling to remain on the fringes of the playoff race.
Harris, who’s mere months removed from re-signing with the Magic for four years and $64MM, has seen his role in the offense reduced under new coach Scott Skiles. His scoring is down to 13.7 points a night from his career-high mark of 17.1 last season despite a nearly identical field goal percentage. However, the 23-year-old has seen a dip in his long-range accuracy this season, only connecting on 31.1% of his three-pointers this year after posting a mark of 36.4% a season ago.
This bring me to today’s topic: Should the Magic trade Tobias Harris?
The Magic could certainly use a roster shakeup, though dealing away a solid two-way talent like Harris is a risky move. Harris’ contract is reasonable and will likely look like a bargain after the free agent frenzy that is likely to occur this summer. It’s unknown just what Harris’ trade market would be, but it’s only reasonable to assume some past suitors still hold some interest. The Kings reportedly had a max offer sheet lined up for Harris before he re-signed with Orlando. Detroit and Boston were reported to be the leading contenders for him heading into free agency, while his hometown Knicks were also reportedly planning to make a run at him. The Lakers, Sixers and Hawks were all linked to Harris as well.
So take to the comments section to weigh in on whether or not the Magic should look to deal Harris. But don’t stop there. If you think Orlando should make a move, who and/or what would be a reasonable return? Extra brownie points will be given for salary-cap accurate trade proposals. If you don’t think Harris should be dealt, what changes should the franchise look to make by the trade deadline? We look forward to what you have to say.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/8/16
Nine losses in 10 games were enough to cost Knicks head coach Derek Fisher his job this morning. Kurt Rambis was named to the position on an interim basis and is expected to remain there for the rest of the season. What happens beyond that is anyone’s guess.
Team president Phil Jackson told reporters that Rambis will get a “real shot” to prove himself worthy as staying on as coach, but other potential candidates have been emerging all day. One is Warriors assistant Luke Walton, who guided Golden State to the league’s best record while head coach Steve Kerr was on medical leave. Walton signed today with the Wasserman Media group to be his representative in upcoming negotiations, as several teams are expected to have interest in him.
Former Nuggets coach Brian Shaw, who has connections with Jackson from their days with the Lakers, is another candidate, along with Jeff Hornacek, who was fired by the Suns last week. Ex-Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, always a hot candidate among free agent coaches, reportedly wants his next job to be in New York. Other names to watch out for, according to Bernie Augustine of The New York Daily News, include former Knicks star center Patrick Ewing, ex-Cavaliers coach David Blatt, former Clippers mentor Vinny Del Negro and possibly even one-time Knicks coach and executive Isiah Thomas, a favorite of owner James Dolan.
Fisher reportedly didn’t adhere strongly enough to the triangle offense and didn’t clearly spell out to players what their roles were. There was also talk of a split on the coaching staff with veterans Rambis and Jim Cleamons on one side with Brian Keefe and Joshua Longstaff on the other.
Jackson didn’t offer many clues as to what he’s looking for in his next coach, but it clearly has to be someone who can develop rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis while producing a contender that is still built around 13-year veteran Carmelo Anthony. Those two will be building blocks for whomever takes over the Knicks, but Jackson admitted that the rest of the roster still needs work, according to Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. “Do we sit in a really favorable spot? Probably not,” Jackson said today. “We don’t have a tremendous amount of favorable items that are on our roster.”
That brings me to today’s shootaround topic: Who should be the head coach of the Knicks next season? Do you expect Rambis to prove himself over the next two months or will the franchise go in a different direction? Would a defensive-minded coach like Thibodeau be the best answer or maybe Walton, who has shown he can win with a modern-day offense? Should they go after a coach with experience or take a chance on a popular former player like Ewing?
Please be mindful of our commenting policy, and share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/7/16
As Ian Begley of ESPN.com pointed out today on Twitter, the Knicks have now lost nine of their last 10 games and are eight games below .500, which is the worst they’ve been all season, after losing to the Nuggets. Optimists will point out that star Carmelo Anthony missed three of the last eight games, but he has played in four of the last five and New York has lost each game.
At 23-31, the Knicks are 12th in the Eastern Conference. Those facts and the Knicks’ current slide should be enough to suggest the team should be looking to move whatever they can for assets that could make a difference down the road. One thing worth noting is the Knicks also don’t own a pick in this year’s draft, which means they are not exactly set up well for the future.
What they do have, though, is a decent team for the present, albeit one that is lacking in some areas. With Anthony, the emergence of rookie power forward Kristaps Porzingis and free agent acquisitions Derrick Williams and Robin Lopez, the Knicks’ frontcourt isn’t spectacular, but it’s also not terrible. It’s actually rather solid (if Anthony is healthy). An upgrade is sorely needed in the backcourt, however. There have been talks indicating that the Knicks are interested in acquiring Jeff Teague. With a lack of viable starting point guards on the free agent market this summer, I think the Knicks should target Teague now.
That leads us to today’s shootaround topic: Should the Knicks be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline?
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.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/6/16
Former Hawks executive Danny Ferry is reportedly among the candidates who will be interviewed for the Nets’ GM job. ESPN’s Mike Mazzeo lists Ferry among the finalists for the position, along with Nuggets assistant GM Arturas Karnisovas, Rockets executive vice president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas and Nets assistant GM Frank Zanin.
Ferry served as GM and president of basketball operations in Atlanta from 2012 until 2014, when he took an indefinite leave of absence in the wake of race-related comments that he read from a scouting report on free agent Luol Deng during a conference call. “He’s a good guy overall,” Ferry allegedly said about Deng. “But he’s not perfect. He’s got some African in him. And I don’t say that in a bad way.”
The controversy quickly spread throughout the league, which was already reeling from a scandal involving racially charged comments by former Clippers owner Donald Sterling. Hawks co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. called for Ferry to resign or be fired, but team CEO Steve Koonin said the franchise opted for internal discipline rather than dismissal. Ferry never returned from his leave of absence and accepted a buyout with the Hawks in 2015. Deng forgave Ferry for the comments and said he didn’t consider him a racist.
The Nets’ interest in Ferry stems from his ties with former Duke teammate Billy King, who remains with the organization after being removed as GM last month. Ferry interviewed with Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov for the GM post in 2010 before King was hired, and Ferry’s father, Bob Ferry, works as a scout for Brooklyn.
Danny Ferry’s record as an executive also makes him an attractive candidate. He put together the foundation of the Hawks team that won 60 games last season and claimed the top seed in the East. He also built teams that twice topped 60 wins in Cleveland, where he served as GM from 2005 to 2010.
That brings me to today’s topic: Should the Nets consider Ferry as their next GM considering what happened in Atlanta? Would free agents still hold the Deng incident against him, making them less likely to sign with Brooklyn? Or is it time to give another chance to someone who had been connected with the league for 25 years and built a long history of front office success?
Take to the comments section to share your thoughts on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/5/16
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.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/4/16
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.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/3/16
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.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/2/16
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.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/1/16
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.