Community Shootaround Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: 1/8/16

January 8th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Cavaliers center Timofey Mozgov has seen himself go from a starter to a reserve this season, which has multiple teams inquiring about his availability via trade, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports. Cleveland has not expressed any desire to move the center publicly, but the team’s daunting luxury tax bill, as well as Mozgov’s pending free agency, could eventually persuade the team to deal him, Spears noted.

Mozgov’s role has been diminished by the insertion of Tristan Thompson into the starting lineup, and the results of have been positive thus far for the team. The 29-year-old Russian has appeared in 30 games for the Cavaliers this season, including 25 as a starter, and he is averaging 6.3 points and 4.1 rebounds in 17.8 minutes per night. While he may be going through a rough patch currently, Mozgov’s addition was most certainly a turning point in Cleveland’s 2014/15 season, with the big man solidifying the team’s interior defense after his acquisition from Denver.

Cleveland is likely concerned about the luxury tax, and parting ways with Mozgov and his $4.95MM expiring contract could help alleviate a bit of the exorbitant sum the team is in line to be on the hook for this season. But is saving money worth the potential risk of parting ways with a valuable defensive asset like Mozgov? Well, that’s the question I’m posing to all of you for today’s topic, which is: Should the Cavs look to deal Timofey Mozgov prior to the February trade deadline?

Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter, as well as to weigh in on what sort of return the team should look to extract if it does decide to trade the big man. We look forward to what you have to say.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: 1/7/16

January 7th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Hornets small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist vowed to return to action this season, three months after suffering a torn labrum in his right shoulder that appeared likely to cost him all of 2015/16, according to a report by Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. “For sure. No question I’m going to play this season,” Kidd-Gilchrist told Bonnell. “I’m going to play. It’s a matter of when now.” Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports originally reported that the former No. 2 overall pick faced a six-month recovery, though he later deemed him likely to miss the entire season.

Charlotte has managed to stay afloat this season despite the loss of Kidd-Gilchrist as well as center Al Jefferson to injury and a drug-related suspension. While the return of the defensive-minded swingman would certainly bolster the team heading into the playoffs, there is certainly a danger in him returning too soon from such a serious injury, as Chris Barnewall of SB Nation’s At the Hive noted. But the scribe also posited that the team may be rushing Kidd-Gilchrist’s return in an effort to improve its playoff chances, which could make Charlotte a more attractive place to sell potential free agents on this offseason. Barnewall also noted that the young forward has been prone to injury throughout his brief career, and the prospect of luring a big name player to Charlotte isn’t worth risking the long-term health of Kidd-Gilchrist, whom the Hornets signed to a four-year, $52MM extension before the season.

Now here’s the topic for today’s discussion: Should the Hornets allow Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to return to action this season?

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

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: 1/6/16

January 6th, 2016 at 6:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The NBA D-League Showcase event kicks off today and GMs and scouts from around the league will be in Santa Cruz, California, to watch 19 games over the next five days. This event is significant because it allows league personnel to eyeball potential 10-day contract candidates who can be utilized to bolster NBA rosters. According to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports, the headliners of this showcase are: former Nuggets point guard Erick Green; shooting guard Elliot Williams, who was with the Pelicans, Hornets and Jazz last season; point guard Lorenzo Brown; shooting guard Orlando Johnson; and power forward Perry Jones III.

Other notable players who will participate in the event and are worth keeping tabs on, according to Spears, are: Westchester center Jordan Bachynski; Bakersfield forward Earl Clark; Rio Grande Valley guard Will Cummings; Westchester guard Jimmer Fredette; Santa Cruz guard Darington Hobson; Reno forward Vince Hunter; Idaho guard Pierre Jackson; Rio Grande Valley swingman Nick Johnson; Sioux Falls guard DeAndre Liggins; and Raptors 905 big man Greg Smith.

The 10-day contract has been the starting point for several players who’ve gone on to successful NBA careers, like Anthony Mason, Bruce Bowen, Raja Bell, Kurt Rambis, Howard Eisley and a number of others. More recently, C.J. Watson saw his first NBA action on a pair of 10-day contracts with the Warriors in 2008, and he’s since developed into a solid backup point guard. Watson signed a three-year, $15MM deal with the Magic this past offseason, which is quite a jump from what he earned while signed to those 10-day pacts.

Now that the preamble is out of the way it’s time for today’s topic: Which of the 10-day contract candidates mentioned above is the likeliest to make an impact in the NBA this season?

I would say that Erick Green has the highest potential to make his mark this season given the number of teams in need of point guard depth around the league. But for teams seeking to take on a project who may bear fruit in the future, I’d highly recommend taking a flier on Bachynski, who has the potential to develop into a useful stretch-four in the NBA. He has a ways to go in terms of his development, but he is a skilled and mobile big man who could have a future as a rotation player in the league if given the right opportunity.

But what say you? Which of the above mentioned players would you like to see your favorite team sign? Who do you think will make the most significant impact in the league in 2015/16? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: 1/5/16

January 5th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The NBA may be going smaller but there’s always room for a talented young big man.

The new wave of “bigs” hardly resembles the traditional version of power forwards and centers. Rather than exclusively setting up shop in the low post, the modern-day version of the big man is much more athletic and versatile.

An exciting development for the league in general is that many of them are just heading into their prime years. Topping that list, at least at the start of the season, was Anthony Davis, who led the Pelicans to a playoff berth last spring.

Davis can overwhelm opponents at both ends of the floor with his varied skills and imposing length. But the 22-year-old’s numbers have taken a slight dip this season while adjusting to a new coaching staff. In particular, Davis’ shooting percentage has fallen from 53.5 a year ago to 49.2 while the Pelicans have lost two-thirds of their games.

In the meantime, several other big men 25 years old or younger have shined during the first half of the season. Pistons center Andre Drummond leads the league in rebounding by a wide margin while also displaying much improved low-post moves.

Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins may be better known for his temper than his production, but he’s the NBA’s highest-scoring big man at 24.4 points per game.

At 6’7”, Warriors power forward Draymond Green may not cut as imposing a figure as many other power forwards, but his all-around contributions have been dazzling. He has posted three consecutive triple-doubles for a team that has lost just two games.

A couple of rookies have also made big impressions in their inaugural campaigns. The Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns has justified his status of being the top overall pick by averaging 15.9 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in his first 35 games.

Meanwhile, Kristaps Porzingis has taken the Big Apple by storm, drowning out the draft-night boos with a torrent of big performances. The 7’3” European import is already the Knicks’ leading rebounder and shot-blocker and has shooting range that extends beyond the 3-point arc.

This leads us to our question of the day: Which frontcourt player 25 years old or younger would you choose to build your franchise around?

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.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 1/4/16

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

The Celtics, much like the Bulls, have an overabundance of front court players on their roster this season. While depth is certainly a nice luxury to possess for any franchise, having more players than minutes to go around can create locker room issues if some team members feel slighted by playing time cuts. It can also slow the development of younger players needing as much game experience as they can get their hands on. With the February trade deadline rapidly approaching and the team clinging to the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, Boston’s president of basketball operations, Danny Ainge, could look to alleviate Boston’s frontcourt logjam, as Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com noted on Sunday.

This brings me to the topic for today: Should the Celtics look to deal one or more of their current crop of frontcourt players, and if so, who should the team look to move?

Tyler Zeller and Jared Sullinger are both eligible to hit restricted free agency after the season, provided Boston tenders them qualifying offers, and David Lee is playing on an expiring deal, which makes them all prime candidates to be moved. The team would likely prefer to deal Lee, seeing as he’s not in the Celtics’ long-term plans, but his $15,493,680 salary for 2015/16 makes him a difficult player to find a suitor for without having to take back a less than desirable contract or two in return. Offseason signee Amir Johnson is also a possibility, and his non-guaranteed salary for next season could certainly be attractive to a team looking to free up cap space. Boston could also look to make a smaller trade involving Jonas Jerebko, whose 2016/17 salary is non-guaranteed, or Kelly Olynyk, who still has one more season on his fully guaranteed contract remaining after this one.

But what say you? Should the team look to deal one of the players I mentioned above, or would you prefer the Celtics stand pat? If you think Boston needs to make a trade, who should the team look to move first? What’s the best realistic trade you can come up with for your choice? Take to the comments section below to weigh in and share your thoughts on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 1/3/16

January 3rd, 2016 at 10:35pm CST by Will Joseph

The Wolves reportedly made shooting guard Kevin Martin in trade discussions during December. This, of course, is nothing new for Martin, who is 32 and has played on four different teams, including two stints each with the Kings and Rockets. Martin was a part of trade talk last winter, too, when a series of reports identified the Mavericks, Wizards, Bulls, Kings and Rockets as interested parties.

We covered today that Sam Smith of Bulls.com doesn’t believe there is any substance to the idea Chicago will acquire Martin because the veteran has another year on his contract worth nearly $7.4MM, and because his scoring average and shooting percentage are near career lows. But it seems like some team will, indeed, take a flier on him. While Martin’s numbers are down (mainly his shooting percentage), he is still quite serviceable. He is averaging 12.1 points per game in 26 games, including 12 starts. Several teams could use his experience and scoring production.

That leads us to today’s shootaround topic: What team do you think would benefit the most from adding Martin?

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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Community Shootaround

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 1/2/16

January 2nd, 2016 at 8:08pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Jimmer Fredette hasn’t lived up to expectation since entering the league as the No. 10 overall pick in the 2011 draft, but he has impressed since re-joining New York’s D-League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks. Ticket sales, and not strictly Fredette’s basketball skills, reportedly fueled the team’s decision to select Fredette in the D-League draft, yet after an impressive stretch of games, I bet the team is happy to have him on its side. The BYU product torched the Delaware 87ers today, accumulating 27 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists.

The Knicks are looking to add a young scorer or a shooter in the backcourt, as sources told Ian Begley of ESPN.com a few weeks ago. Team president Phil Jackson apparently likes Fredette, as Begley wrote at the time, and he would seem to fit a need. New York is running the triangle much better than last year, but the offense runs stagnant at times, as the team is only scoring 97.5 points per game, which is the seventh worst mark in the league. Adding Fredette, who is a career 38.0% shooter from downtown, might be a good way to bring in some offense without making a drastic change.

That leads us to tonight’s shootaround topic: Should the Knicks sign Jimmer Fredette to bolster their offense and if not New York, is there another team that would be a good fit for him? 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 1/1/16

January 1st, 2016 at 10:40pm CST by Will Joseph

We all made our fair share of mistakes in 2015. Granted, some made more than others. So much is true in the NBA, too, of course. While several teams improved after certain signings and acquisitions, others seemingly miscalculated or completely missed on a move or two.

We discussed favorite transactions from 2015 on this site yesterday and to continue our look back on the year, we thought it best to talk about some not-so-favorite moves, too. Of course, while 2015 has ended, the season is far from over so there is still time for our thoughts to change on certain transactions.

Still, some are definitely looking better than others with 2016 underway.

So, here is today’s question: What was the worst transaction of 2015?

Sometimes players just don’t mesh as well in a new system, in a new city or with a new coach, as a prospective team had hoped for. With that said, I have to hand it to the Pelicans. New Orleans’ re-signing of Omer Asik in July is my pick for the year’s worst move. This is not one of those moves that make or break a franchise, but Asik is definitely not playing up to the five-year deal worth nearly $52.978MM in base salary he signed. I didn’t think he would, either, given his overall deteriorating value and playoff struggles coming into this season. The signing was odd right when it was announced, in my opinion. Asik is averaging a career low 2.8 points per game.

But what do you think? Surely, there are more transactions that teams would love to hit a “redo” button on. 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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Community Shootaround

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 12/31/15

December 31st, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Will Joseph

The Warriors captured the title. There was the untimely death of Flip Saunders. Superstar Kobe Bryant announced his plans to retire after this season. Those are only three from a long list of vital news stories around the league this year. Indeed, plenty happened in 2015. The year was also filled with significant transactions in the league.

With the year coming to a close tonight, we find it fitting to look back and discuss the most interesting and important moves over the past 12 months. From Greg Monroe choosing the Bucks to LaMarcus Aldridge signing with the Spurs, there are plenty worth revisiting.

So, here is our question of the day: What was the best transaction made by your favorite team in 2015?

It’s an easy topic to digest (it is New Year’s Eve, after all), of course, but regardless of who your favorite team is, there are likely a few moves to choose from. I’ll get us started: While the Knicks’ decision to draft Kristaps Porzingis is likely the organization’s most important move, my favorite transaction was the signing of Arron Afflalo because the veteran has proven to be the rare player who can easily pick up the triangle offense and mesh with Carmelo Anthony.

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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Community Shootaround

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: 12/30/15

December 30th, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Will Joseph

The Pistons have an interesting situation on their hands with point guard Brandon Jennings. He made his season debut Tuesday night against the Knicks after working his way back from an Achilles injury. While Jennings was out with the injury, however, starter Reggie Jackson shined and backup Steve Blake, who is 35, proved he still has something left. In other words, the Pistons, who are now 17-15, survived without Jennings.

Hoops Rumors’ Dana Gauruder recently profiled Jennings as a trade candidate because Jennings has an expiring contract at $8,344,497. With Jennings set to be a free agent, Frank Isola of The New York Daily News opines that the Knicks should make a play for the 26-year-old.

Of course, it behooves both parties — Jennings and the Pistons — for Jennings to have a successful return from injury. If Jennings plays well, he puts himself in line for a significant pay day this summer. From the Pistons’ perspective, a positive comeback would likely help the team on the court and also boost his trade value.

That leads us to today’s question: Which team will Brandon Jennings be playing for after the trade deadline? Why? Will he still be with the Pistons? How much would it take to acquire him?

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

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Community Shootaround