Community Shootaround

The first quarter of the NBA season has been dominated by two storylines: 1. The Warriors’ amazing and historic start, with reigning Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry leading them to a 22-0 record; 2. Kobe Bryant‘s retirement announcement, which has turned Lakers’ road games into a farewell tour for one of the league’s all-time greats.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, several teams that reached the postseason last season have gotten off to slow or even woeful starts. In the Eastern Conference, the Wizards were expected to make a lot of noise this season after reaching the conference semifinals a year ago. Instead, they entered Monday’s action as one of just four Eastern teams with a losing record.

The Bucks, who lost to the Bulls in six games during the first round, outbid several suitors to win the services of free agent center Greg Monroe in July. They also have several quality young pieces, yet they’re languishing in last place in the Central Division, five games below .500.

The Nets, who lost an opening-round series to the Hawks in six games, re-signed center Brook Lopez and power forward Thaddeus Young but they’re 10 games under .500. Worse yet, they owe a likely high lottery pick to the Celtics.

In the West, the Rockets’ season has already been tumultuous following their appearance in the Western Conference Finals. They have fired head coach Kevin McHale and they’re already seven games behind the Spurs in the division standings. The star-studded Clippers, who got center DeAndre Jordan to flip his free agent commitment to the Mavericks, are just two games above .500.

The Pelicans have been bit by the injury bug but it’s still eye-opening to see a team with superstar power forward Anthony Davis owning a 5-15 record. The Pelicans were supposed to take the next step after their first-round appearance last season with veteran coach Alvin Gentry bringing in a new offensive scheme. But their defense has been a sieve, allowing a league-worst 109 points per game.

This leads us to our question of the day: Which team has been the biggest disappointment during the first quarter of the season?

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.

Rajon Rondo‘s stock plummeted last season after his trade to Dallas didn’t turn out well for either party, but according to a report by Sean Deveney of The Sporting News, Rondo’s performance thus far for Sacramento has edged his value back into maximum-salary territory. The point guard accepted a one-year, $9.5MM deal from the Kings this past summer, a figure roughly $10MM less than the $19.689MM maximum salary for which he was eligible this season. His projected maximum salary for next season, when he’ll be a 10-year veteran, is $29.3MM.

The Kings are the only team able to ink Rondo for more than four years, and he said earlier this week that he finds the team a fit and that playing with his new teammates has helped his game. He also appears to have formed a strong bond with center DeMarcus Cousins, who told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports recently that he’ll do whatever he can to keep Rondo in Sacramento for the long-term.

So here’s the topic for today: Should the Kings look to re-sign Rajon Rondo, and is he worth a maximum salary deal?

Rondo has been a triple-double machine thus far this season, turning back the clock and channeling his prime years with the Celtics. The 29-year-old’s game is certainly not without its flaws, namely his defense and outside shooting. But in the right environment and with the proper teammates surrounding him, Rondo can be quite an effective floor general. The salary cap is set to increase dramatically next season, which means that a number of players will likely sign deals that would have turned heads if they had been agreed upon this past offseason, and Rondo could certainly be one who falls into that category.

But what say you? Is Rondo remaining in Sacramento past this season a good fit for both the player and the team? If so, then should the Kings pony up whatever it takes to keep in in the fold? Or are you on the other side of the fence and believe that Sacramento would be better served to draw the line salary-wise, and allow Rondo to depart if he receives an outlandish contract offer? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.

In a recent column from Chris Mannix of SI.com, the scribe opined that the Rockets need to make a run at hiring former Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau. Mannix’s reasoning was that Thibodeau’s hard-nosed defensive approach was needed if the team hoped to maximize the full potential of its roster, as well as revamp its woeful defense. Of course, it would remain to be seen how well Thibs’ personality would mesh with the likes of Dwight Howard and James Harden, neither of whom are well-known for their ability to accept tough coaching. Nevertheless, the idea of the Rockets straying from their preferred run-and-gun style of recent seasons and transitioning into a grittier defensive squad is an interesting one, though it’s no given that Thibs’ system would thrive in the much tougher and faster Western Conference.

This brings me to today’s topic: Should the Rockets make a run at hiring Tom Thibodeau as coach?

Is Thibs’ style just what the franchise needs to move forward in the West, or would his system be a hindrance given the competition in the conference? Could Harden and Howard thrive under Thibodeau, or would this grouping result in more back page headlines than wins? Head to the comments section below to share your thoughts, opinions, as well as best and worst case scenarios if coach Thibs were to join the Rockets. We look forward to what you have to say.

Since the Magic made Victor Oladipo the No. 2 overall pick back in the 2013 NBA draft the team has been waiting for him to develop into a franchise player. The results have been mixed during his first two seasons in the league, though Oladipo did demonstrate improvement in virtually every statistical category in 2014/15 over his rookie numbers. New head coach Scott Skiles is still experimenting with his rotation, and one of his riskier moves was shifting Oladipo to a sixth man role. Oladipo has responded well and has averaged 20.0 points per game over his three appearances as a reserve, and the team has gone 3-0 in those contests.

This brings me to the topic for today: Should the Magic keep Victor Oladipo in the sixth man role for the remainder of the season?

The easy response is the affirmative, going by the logic that if it’s working, then it’s best for the squad. But there are other concerns that accompany any dramatic role change, especially for a player expected to develop into a star. The 23-year-old will be eligible for a rookie scale extension next summer, and any displeasure with his playing time or role on the team could impact Oladipo’s willingness to commit to Orlando for the long term. The Magic are 9-8 thus far in 2015/16 and appear to be a much-improved team from last season, especially on the defensive end, which comes as little surprise given the presence of Skiles. But if the team hopes to take the next step toward being a contender in the East, Oladipo’s talent and buy-in will be needed, which makes any changes in his role a risky proposition.

But what say you? Is keeping Oladipo in a reserve role the best tactic for the team, or should he return to the starting lineup full-time? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.

The Warriors and Rockets have been on completely different paths since meeting in the Western Conference Finals last spring. Golden State went on to win the title and set a record for consecutive victories to start a season. Houston started so poorly that coach Kevin McHale was sent packing after 11 games, as we chronicled in our Offseason in Review.

The Rockets’ 6-10 start is even worse than it looks on the surface. They have played 11 of their first 16 games at home, where they are just 4-7, including losses to the Nuggets, Nets, a depleted Mavericks team and then nearly to the winless Sixers on Friday night. That two-point win over Philadelphia and an overtime decision over Portland on November 18th (where Corey Brewer hit a long three-pointer off one leg at the buzzer to force the extra session) are all that separate the Rockets from a nine-game losing streak. They are 0-3 in the Southwest Division, 4-6 in the Western Conference and have an average point differential of -6.5.

In the James Harden era, the Rockets have succeed by bombarding their opponents with three-point shots. This season, they’re still taking them, but they aren’t making them. Going into today’s games, Houston led all NBA teams with an average of 31.7 three-point attempts per game, but is 29th in three-point percentage at an abysmal 31%. Some of the biggest offenders behind the arc include Trevor Ariza at 31%, Ty Lawson at 25% and Brewer at 23%. Even Harden, who has built a reputation as a three-point marksman, is connecting on just 31%.

Things aren’t any better when their opponents have the ball, as the Rockets are 28th in the league in points allowed. They are also 29th in committing turnovers and 17th in rebounding, mostly because of Dwight Howard, who gets 12.7 per game.

There is some hope, however. Point guard Patrick Beverley returned from an ankle injury this week, and power forward Donatas Motiejunas, out since April with back problems, may be ready next month. Plus it’s only November, and despite their awful start, the Rockets are just two games out of a playoff spot.

That leads us to our question of the day: Will the Rockets be a playoff team this season?

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject. Please be aware of our commenting policy and use the comments section below to give us your opinion.

Kobe Bryant has suffered several major injuries in recent seasons but the biggest pain he’s experiencing now is the sting of criticism. The longtime Lakers superstar has been struggling mightily with his shooting and coach Byron Scott is getting bombarded with questions and critiques regarding what he should do about it.

Bryant is shooting a career worst 31.1% from the field and 19.5% from 3-point range. Just this week, Bryant matched the worst shooting performance of his career by going 1 for 14 from the field against the Warriors. Bryant, as always, remains supremely confident in his ability and says he’s not concerned about his shooting slump.

Scott has held firm that Bryant will come around. Scott indicated this week that he has no plans to cut down on the veteran small forward’s minutes. When asked on Friday if he might bench Bryant for poor play, Scott shot back that he would “never, never, never” do that.

However, there’s a strong argument that removing Bryant from the rotation would help the Lakers in the long run. Bryant won’t be around when lottery picks Julius Randle and D’Angelo Russell hit their prime, so having him play such a prominent role — especially at the offensive end — does nothing to facilitate their development and chemistry.

On the flip side, Bryant has given so much to the franchise that it’s hard to shove him to the end of the bench. Bryant doesn’t seem interested in finishing his career somewhere else and his contract is so huge that even if he agreed to a trade, it would be hard to move him. He’s also still a huge fan favorite and a draw. Love him or hate him, people still like to see him play.

This leads us to our question of the day: Should the Lakers reduce Kobe Bryant’s minutes or even bench him?

We’d love to hear your thought on this subject. Please be aware of our commenting policy and use the comments section below to give us your opinion.