Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 9/7/15
Despite the Suns seemingly wanting to work things out, it seems inevitable that Markieff Morris will be playing elsewhere this season. He hasn’t backed off on his trade demand. The four-year, $32MM extension that Morris signed last fall kicks in for this coming season. The contract might be an obstacle for a trade, but a lack of communication between Morris and the team indicates that the relationship will be extremely difficult to repair.
With Morris’ days in Phoenix apparently numbered, there are a few teams that come to mind as potential new homes. Personally, I think the Magic are a good fit, given Orlando’s lack of talent at the power forward position. Morris would be an intriguing fit because he would further allow Tobias Harris to play small forward.
There are other teams that make sense, of course. Thus, our topic of the day: Where do you think the best landing spot for Markieff Morris is?
Please share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.
Note: Since these Shootarounds are meant to be guided by you the reader, we certainly welcome your input on the topics we present. If there is something you’d like to see pop up here for a discussion, shoot us a message at hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 9/6/15
Earlier today, we learned Jared Sullinger, David Lee and James Young are the players on the Celtics who have the most riding on this season, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com.
All three make a lot of sense because Sullinger will be a restricted free agent if he does not get an extension, Lee is on a new team after losing his starting job last season with the Warriors and Young is a entering an important season in terms of his growth.
Those players are not alone in the league. From Wesley Matthews to Reggie Jackson, there are so many other players with something to prove this season because of large contracts, pending free agency, age and many other factors.
Thus, our topic of the day: Who are some players with the most to prove this season and why?
Please share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.
Note: Since these Shootarounds are meant to be guided by you the reader, we certainly welcome your input on the topics we present. If there is something you’d like to see pop up here for a discussion, shoot us a message at hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 9/5/15
New Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry calls Anthony Davis a “generational player” who compares to some of the greatest stars the NBA has ever seen. As an assistant with the Warriors, Gentry coached last season’s MVP in Stephen Curry, and he believes Davis will capture that same honor before he’s through.
“It is up to us to make him as good as he can possibly be, and not settle for him to be less than great in this area or that area,” Gentry said to Ian Thomsen of NBA.com. “I told him that I have no doubt that he is going to be an MVP in this league. And I said to him, ‘We are going to be really, really good if you also win Defensive Player of the Year.”’
It’s natural for a newly hired coach to make gushing remarks about his best player, but it’s also easy to understand why Gentry is so excited. At age 22, Davis is already a two-time All-Star. Last season, he earned first-team All-NBA honors and led New Orleans to the playoffs for the first time since 2011. In addition, he won an NCAA championship at Kentucky and a gold medal in the 2012 Olympics.
Some scouts questioned his physical strength and mid-range shooting when he came out of college, but Davis has improved in both areas. He posted career highs last season with averages of 24.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.9 blocks.
Today’s topic is: Will Anthony Davis be the NBA’s best player over the next decade or do you see another young star who can come along and eclipse him?
Please share your thoughts and opinions on Davis in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.
Note: Since these Shootarounds are meant to be guided by you the reader, we certainly welcome your input on the topics we present. If there is something you’d like to see pop up here for a discussion, shoot us a message at hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 9/4/15
One of the more challenging aspects of being a first round draftee in the NBA is that you generally have a complete lack of control as to where you will play throughout the duration of your rookie scale deal. Some first year players find themselves in the ideal situation, and their development is hastened as a result. But there are other draftees who are not so lucky for one reason or another, and they begin their careers at a slight disadvantage.
These reasons can include being blocked on the depth chart by already established players, ending up in a system that is a poor fit for a player’s skillset, or even landing smack in the middle of a toxic locker room situation, which can certainly act as a demotivating factor that early in a professional career. There are also some players, who, based on their draft position, are weighted down with unrealistic expectations that they will single-handedly elevate their new clubs into the company of the league’s elite during their rookie seasons.
This brings me to today’s topic: Which 2015 NBA first round draft pick is entering the most difficult situation, and why?
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on which 2015 NBA Draft pick’s professional career will have the roughest beginning, and why you believe that to be the case. We look forward to what you have to say.
Note: Since these Shootarounds are meant to be guided by you the reader, we certainly welcome your input on the topics we present. If there is something you’d like to see pop up here for a discussion, shoot us a message at hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 9/3/15
Their have been quite a few prognostications of doom unleashed regarding the Nets’ 2015/16 campaign, and much of this pessimism revolves around Jarrett Jack, who is projected to be the team’s starting point guard this season. While Jack is not likely to earn an All-Star nod anytime soon, it’s not like he’s replacing Chris Paul or Stephen Curry in the team’s rotation. Former starter Deron Williams certainly wasn’t getting the job done for the franchise, and the team was all too happy to reach a buyout deal with him earlier this offseason.
Jack started 27 games for the Nets last season, and they went 11-16 overall in those contests. For the season, the 31-year-old averaged 12.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.7 assists to accompany a slash line of .439/.267/.881. The veteran isn’t a neophyte to starting in the NBA, with a total of 310 starts over the course of his 10 year NBA career. But it should also be noted that Jack hasn’t been a starter for an entire season since the 2006/07 campaign, when he was on the court for the opening tip during 79 times for the Trail Blazers that campaign. That season Jack notched averages of 12.0 points and 5.3 assists and Portland finished an underwhelming 32-50.
This brings me to the topic/question of the day: Do you feel that the Nets are better off with Jarrett Jack as the starter, or would the team have been better served to retain Deron Williams?
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 9/2/15
Restricted free agent Tristan Thompson, who has already rejected a five-year, $80MM contract offer from the Cavaliers this offseason, also nixed a four-year, $52MM extension offer from the team last fall. The power forward’s agent, Rich Paul, has reportedly informed the Cavs that his client would not put pen to paper on a new deal unless it was a maximum salary arrangement, and that Thompson would be OK with signing his one-year qualifying offer worth $6,777,589 if a deal can’t be worked out between the two sides prior to the deadline in October.
One reason that Thompson is reportedly willing to risk playing without the security of a long-term pact in 2015/16 is that Paul believes he can wrangle a max deal out of the Raptors next offseason, as was noted by Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher. Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops had previously broached the possibility of Thompson, a native Canadian, joining the Raptors in 2016/17. Raptors GM Masai Ujiri has stated that he considers it a priority to add Canadian born players to the team, which obviously makes Thompson a natural target for the franchise.
This brings me to the topic for the day: Which would be a better situation for Tristan Thompson long-term, re-signing with the Cavaliers or joining the Raptors next Summer?
Would the young forward be better served to remain a key reserve in Cleveland, and have the opportunity to chase NBA titles for as long as LeBron James is still on the roster? Or would he be better served to chase the bigger dollars and a likely role as a starter for the Raptors back in his country of birth? 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 9/1/15
During the offseason it’s OK for teams to carry as many as 20 players, but franchises must pare down their rosters down to a maximum of 15 by opening night. The Pistons find themselves in a bit of a difficult situation, with the team currently possessing 17 players with fully guaranteed pacts, as Hoops Rumors’ Chuck Myron examined last week.
This brings me to the topic of the day: Looking at the Pistons’ roster below, which two players with fully guaranteed deals should the team waive or trade prior to the start of the regular season?
The players who own fully guaranteed deals are listed below alphabetically, and I’ve also included the 2015/16 salary for each player, courtesy of the Basketball Insiders salary pages, for your convenience.
- Joel Anthony (C) — 6’9″/32 years old/$2,500,000
- Aron Baynes (F/C) — 6’10″/28 years old/$6,500,000
- Steve Blake (G) — 6’3″/35 years old/$2,170,465
- Reggie Bullock (G) — 6’7″/24 years old/$1,252,440
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (G) — 6’5″/22 years old/$2,891,760
- Spencer Dinwiddie (G) — 6’6″/22 years old/$845,059
- Andre Drummond (C) — 6’11″/21 years old/$3,272,091
- Danny Granger (F) — 6’9″/32 years old/$2,170,465
- Darrun Hilliard (F) — 6’6″/22 years old/$600,000
- Ersan Ilyasova (F) — 6’10″/28 years old/$7,900,000
- Reggie Jackson (G) — 6’3″/25 years old/$13,913,044
- Brandon Jennings (G) — 6’1″/25 years old/$8,344,497
- Stanley Johnson (F) — 6’7″/19 years old/$2,841,960
- Cartier Martin (F) — 6’7″/30 years old/$1,270,964
- Jodie Meeks (G) — 6’4″/27 years old/$6,270,000
- Marcus Morris (F) — 6’9″/25 years old/$5,000,000
- Anthony Tolliver (F) — 6’8″/30 years old/$3,000,000
Keep in mind that Detroit has no choice in the matter, and will have to part ways with a minimum of two of the players listed above prior to the regular season tipping off. Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on which two players need to go, and more importantly, why? We look forward to what you have to say.
Note: Since these Shootarounds are meant to be guided by you the reader, we certainly welcome your input on the topics we present. If there is something you’d like to see pop up here for a discussion, shoot us a message at hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 8/31/15
There was plenty of drama and intrigue regarding this summer’s free agent class, highlighted by All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge signing with the Spurs and the DeAndre Jordan saga, which ultimately left the Mavs fuming and the Clippers rejoicing.
Next summer promises to be another fascinating chapter in the league’s annual player sweepstakes but no other situation bears more watching than Kevin Durant’s decision on his long-term future. Durant, who will make more than $20MM this season, becomes an unrestricted free agent in July. The prospect of one of the league’s true superstars going on the market will have executives and fans around the league salivating. As Bleacher Report’s Kevin Ding recently put it, Durant’s foray into the open market is shaping up as the “biggest non-LeBron free agency the NBA has ever seen.”
It’s no secret that the Wizards have been clearing salary-cap space to make a run at the Washington, D.C. native. The Mavs, Lakers, Heat, Knicks and Nets are other teams expected to make a spirited run at Durant. Several other suitors are likely to surface in the Durant sweepstakes by the time next summer rolls around.
Of course, it’s no lock that Durant will change uniforms. If he fully recovers from the foot injuries that plagued him last season, Durant could lead the Thunder to their second appearance in the NBA Finals. The dynamic duo of Durant and Russell Westbrook now has an interior scoring threat with the presence of Enes Kanter, and Serge Ibaka is still around to provide rebounding and defense in the middle. A deep playoff run, perhaps even a championship, could convince Durant to stay right where he is.
Thus, our question of the day is as follows: Will Kevin Durant re-sign with the Thunder or will he change uniforms next summer? If he leaves, which team has the best chance to land his services?
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on Durant’s future.
Note: Since these Shootarounds are meant to be guided by you the reader, we certainly welcome your input on the topics we present. If there is something you’d like to see pop up here for a discussion, shoot us a message at hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 8/30/15
As we learned earlier today, the Rockets‘ Dwight Howard is generating little buzz with his potential 2016 free agency. Howard signed a four-year deal with Houston worth more than $87MM, but has a player option for 2016/17. With the salary cap expected to soar next summer, he will likely test the market once again. While there may not be much buzz now, there is intrigue when the variables in play are brought up. There’s Howard’s age (he’ll soon be 30) and injury history, for starters.
Thus, the question of the day: What type of deal will Howard land if he becomes a 2016 free agent?
Personally, I see Howard — if he stays healthy and produces this season — getting a long-term deal from the Rockets worth at least $100MM.
Being mindful of our commenting policy, let us know in the comments section below what you think is the most underrated signing of the summer so far.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 8/29/15
Earlier today, Eddie Scarito of Hoops Rumors handed out his draft grades to each team in the Central Division. The Pacers earned the highest grade with their selections of Myles Turner and Joseph Young. Turner is a defensive presence and he has the potential to be the team’s anchor down low for years to come. The Texas product is extremely raw and is likely to struggle early, but Scarito believes he could end up being one of the best players in the entire draft.
The Pistons and Bucks both earned high marks for their selections of wing players. Rashad Vaughn gives Milwaukee a high upside project in its backcourt. The guard will certainly take some time to develop, but based on the team’s current roster, he won’t feel the pressure to produce immediately. Vaughn could end up one of the best players in this year’s draft based on potential and he’s in a good spot to expand his game.
Detroit’s selection of Stanley Johnson has been criticized, not because of Johnson’s talent, but rather because the Pistons took him over Justise Winslow, as Scarito points out in the column. Johnson’s poor outside shooting will be something the rookie has to overcome, but the Arizona product should be able to slip into the Pistons’ rotation immediately. He’s already a solid defender, but he’ll need some work on the offensive side of his game in order to reach his ceiling.
Bobby Portis was a surprising pick by the Bulls with the No.22 overall pick as the team already has Taj Gibson, Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic at the four spot. The Arkansas product likely won’t see significant playing time this season unless the team’s frontcourt suffers an injury or two. However, Portis is an offensive threat with decent range. If he develops into a reliable low post defender over the next few seasons, it wouldn’t be out of the question for him to become the team’s starter at four and eventually earn a few All-Star appearances.
So here’s the topic of the day: Which Central Division rookie will have the best career?
Which player will become the cream of the crop in the division? Will it be Turner, Johnson, Vaughn or Portis? Or will a second rounder turn into the steal of the draft and dominate for years to come?
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.