Community Shootaround News & Rumors

Lakers executive vice president of basketball operations Jim Buss said that he doesn’t regret signing Kobe Bryant to a two-year, $48.5MM extension back in 2013, regardless of how Bryant’s tenure with the franchise ends, according to Sam Amick of USA Today. “You give Kobe Bryant $50MM for two years,” Buss said regarding the Mamba’s contract. “Are you kidding me? What did he bring us? In this day and age, what did he bring us, for 20 years? And if that isn’t what you’re supposed to do, then I have no idea what life is all about. You pay the guy. You believe in the guy. If he ends up [staying healthy], that’s fantastic. Well everybody [in the media] cut me up for that, but I’d say over 200 fans have come up to me and said, ‘Thank you so much for letting my kid see Kobe Bryant for two more years.’ And I’m like, ‘You know what? I’m glad I can see him for two more years.’ ”

Buss also took the time to refute a report by Henry Abbott of ESPN indicating that the organization was anxious for Bryant to depart so it could begin rebuilding properly, Amick adds. “It’s [expletive], that’s exactly what that was,” Buss said when asked about the article. “The organization absolutely loves him. You know why? Because he has made a living, as we [have] with the Lakers for the last 20 years, because of this man. Magic Johnson carried us [to] this part [of their history] … and Kobe Bryant has carried us for 20 years. So every person that works in that organization, why would they hate him? Why would they want him out of there? There’s only a basketball or a Kobe hater that would want that. There’s no other reason.”

This brings me to the topic/question of the day: Do you believe that the Lakers made a mistake in signing Kobe Bryant to an extension back in 2013? What are your feelings on franchises rewarding players for their past performances more so than their current production level?

Should a team pay big money for the twilight years of a player’s career as a way to thank him for past service, or should he be forced to take a pay cut that is in line with the production he currently provides? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on Bryant’s deal, as well as the concept of loyalty contracts in general. We look forward to what you have to say on the subject.

As a part of out ongoing series “The Beat” we spoke with Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun regarding a number of Raptors-related topics. One such topic was whether or not small forward DeMarre Carroll would justify the four-year, $58MM contract he inked with Toronto this offseason. Wolstat’s response to our question was:

“Considering how insane the money is getting in the NBA, the Carroll deal seems pretty fine to me. His track record isn’t as long as you’d like, but he’s been a very good player for a while now, and was by far Atlanta’s best performer in the playoffs, and that was a very good team. He’s a perfect fit both on and off the floor. He gives Toronto badly-needed size at small forward, another outside threat in the starting lineup and above-average defense and a willingness to compete against any of the NBA’s top swingmen. He also is a leader with an infectious style of play. His relentlessness, similar to how Lowry plays, already seems to be rubbing off.The Raptors would love to see the postseason version of Carroll every night, but if the regular season guy shows up, that will be fine.”

This brings me to the topic/question of the day: What sort of production will the Raptors need from DeMarre Carroll to justify his new contract?

Do you agree with Wolstat, and believe that Carroll’s stat line of 12.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per contest coupled with his excellent perimeter defense would justify the Raptors’ investment in him? If not, what numbers would the 29-year-old need to put up to satisfy you? What averages do you think Carroll will actually end the 2015/16 campaign with, keeping in mind he’ll be learning a new set of teammates and system in Toronto?

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

The Thunder and shooting guard Dion Waiters have had discussions regarding a contract extension, according to a report by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. The two sides have until November 2nd to come to an agreement or Waiters would be eligible to become a restricted free agent after the 2015/16 campaign, which is just in time for the anticipated jump in the salary cap. For his part, Waiters has been enthusiastic about working toward a new deal with the Thunder, as Wojnarowski’s report noted, and he is eager to compete on a contender as well as comfortable with his growth in a strong atmosphere for player development like Oklahoma City provides.

Oklahoma City already has $59,056,672 in guaranteed salary on the books for 2016/17, and that figure doesn’t include Kevin Durant, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent come the end of this campaign. Any dealings by the franchise this season will certainly need to be conducted with Durant’s pending free agency in mind, which could potentially hinder the two sides in reaching an accord by the league’s deadline. For what it’s worth, Durant believes Waiters will remain in OKC for the long term, telling Royce Young of ESPN.com, “He feels like he belongs here. He’s not going anywhere.”

This brings me to the question/topic for today: Should the Thunder sign Dion Waiters to an extension? If so, then how much is Waiters worth annually?

The Thunder acquired Waiters as part of a three-way trade last January and he contributed 12.7 points in 30.3 minutes while shooting 39.2% overall and 31.9% from long range after arriving in OKC. Hardly earth-shattering numbers, but in fairness to the 23-year-old, he was learning a new system and collection of teammates on the fly. With the Thunder more than likely to be over the salary cap for the next few seasons, especially if the team re-signs both Durant and Russell Westbrook, who is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency in 2017, retaining existing talent will take on increased importance.

But is Waiters worth holding onto, and for what price? That’s your call to make, and we want to know your thoughts on the matter. Take to the comments section below and share with us whether or not you think the Thunder should work out an extension with the young shooting guard without the benefit of full season with the team, or if it is wiser to risk letting Waiters become an unrestricted free agent. We look forward to what you have to say.

Last year’s NBA All-Star game saw six players earn themselves an invite for the first time, and for many of these players, it won’t be their last appearance at the annual showcase. While the league has averaged approximately five first-time All-Stars per year since 2005, the 2013 and 2014 events saw a combined 13 first-time All-Stars join the ranks of the elite. The 2014 first-timers were DeMar DeRozan, Paul Millsap, and John Wall in the East, and Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, and Damian Lillard out West. While being named as an All-Star starter is occasionally based more on a player’s popularity than actual on-court production, it’s difficult to argue against any of last season’s rookie All-Stars making the cut.

This brings me to the topic/question for today: Who will earn their first NBA All-Star game invitation this season?

Which player(s) do you predict will take the next step this season and emerge as an All-Star? Or are you on the other side of the fence, and believe that there won’t be any new additions to the All-Star rosters of either Conference? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.

Mavericks small forward Chandler Parsons is entering the second year of the three-year, $46.08MM deal that he signed with Dallas back in July of 2013. The upcoming campaign is a pivotal one for the 26-year-old who can opt out of his contract after this season and become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his professional career. Parsons’ first year in Dallas was marred by injury, as well as the team failing to live up to expectations in the wake of acquiring point guard Rajon Rondo from Boston back in December.

Parsons appeared in 66 contests for Dallas during the 2014/15 season, averaging 15.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 33.1 minutes per game. While those numbers aren’t terrible, they don’t quite measure up to the expectations that go along with the $15MM+ annual salary that Parsons receives, an amount that is more befitting a star player than the supporting role that Parsons has played thus far since arriving in Dallas.

This brings me to the question/topic of the day: Will Chandler Parsons’ performance ever live up to his contract, or will he be looked at as a mistake once his current deal runs its course?

It can certainly be argued that Parsons’ performance last season was impacted by switching teams and cities, though I was never a fan of the deal in the first place. I have always felt that Dallas overpaid for Parsons in an effort to damage the rival Rockets, and that his contract would hamper the Mavs’ efforts to rebuild. He has shown himself to be a valuable player, though I don’t ever see him evolving past his current ability level and production, which certainly would not justify Dallas’ expenditure for Parsons’ services … especially if he opts in for the 2016/17 campaign.

But what do you think? Do you believe that Parsons will live up to his contract, or are you dissatisfied with the return the Mavs franchise has received thus far, and remain pessimistic that Parsons will do much to improve? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.

According to a report by Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times, a Western Conference team has had internal discussions about the idea of signing former Bucks center Larry Sanders. It’s unknown which team is reportedly interested, or even whether Sanders desires to play again. The 26-year-old cast some doubt on the notion after his buyout deal with Milwaukee last February. Woelfel reported in April that Sanders still had no desire to return to the game, and the player had spoken in early June about his peace with life away from basketball.

The Mavericks and Clippers, as well as the Cavs, all reportedly had at least some level of interest in Sanders toward the end of last season, though all but the Mavericks appear set roster-wise for the time being. That’s not to say that the unnamed team from Woelfel’s report is indeed Dallas, though it would certainly be reasonable to speculate that the Mavericks would have some passing level of interest given the current state of their center rotation. The Mavs have a need for a clear-cut starter at center, though they do happen to have 15 fully guaranteed salaries plus a $500K partial guarantee out to JaVale McGee currently on the books. Both Tim Cato of SB Nation’s Mavs Moneyball and Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com confirmed that the Mavs continue to have interest in Sanders, but noted that no talks are currently ongoing.

This bring me to the question/topic of the day: Which team, if any, would be the best fit for Larry Sanders if he were to return to the NBA this season?

A motivated and healthy Sanders could be a game-changing pickup at this point of the preseason, but adding him comes with some level of risk, and his commitment level would be a constant topic of conversation for the team. If I were a team like the Mavericks, who have an aging Dirk Nowitzki, and a clear need for an upgrade at the pivot, signing Sanders to a non-guaranteed, make-good deal would carry little risk and could possibly pay off big time.

But that’s merely my opinion, and now it’s time for you to offer up yours. Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts on which team, if any, you believe could use Sanders’ particular skill set. Also, no need to stop there, go ahead and tell us why you feel that way. We look forward to what you have to say.