Community Shootaround Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Community Shootaround: Early-Season Surprises

November 2nd, 2017 at 10:30pm CST by Jeff Kasler

The NBA season is just over two weeks old, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t already been a few surprises. From the Magic’s success to the “Greek Freak’s” utter dominance to Ben Simmons‘ channeling of Magic Johnson, there has been no shortage of eyebrow-raising moments in the early going.

Frank Vogel has the Magic playing well above what anyone expected. ESPN’s preseason power rankings slotted Orlando at 24. To his credit, Vogel has strayed from the physical, grinding style that defined his best Pacers teams in favor of a fast-paced attack predicated on ball movement and good floor spacing. Perhaps that explains Aaron Gordon‘s newfound accuracy from long-range – in his first three NBA seasons, Gordon never cracked 30% from three-point range. This season, he’s hitting over 57% from deep. It is a guarantee that Gordon will regress, but will the same be true of the Magic?
Giannis Antetokounmpo was a star last season, averaging about 23 points, nine rebounds, and five assists per contest. But his performance through eight games this season has made those numbers look pedestrian. The “Greek Freak” is leading the league in scoring at 31.3 PPG, pulling down 10.6 RPG and handing out 5.1 APG. His superior athleticism is evident, but his efficiency – he is shooting 60% from the floor – is deadly. If these early season numbers hold, he’s a near lock to earn MVP honors.
Ben Simmons missed his entire rookie campaign due to injury. The No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft, Simmons obviously had the talent to project greatness, but a year off from basketball can build up rust on even the greatest athlete (see: Jordan, Michael). This makes Simmons’ dominance through eight games a surprise. He is stuffing the stat sheet at 18.5 PPG, 9.6 RPG and 7.9 APG. Lonzo Ball garners a lot of attention for basketball and non-basketball reasons, but Simmons is the one with the dominant game reminiscent of Magic Johnson in style and stature.

We want to know what you think. Which early-season player or team performances have surprised and impressed you? Which are likely to last and which are a flash-in-the-pan? Please share your thoughts in the space below.

Community Shootaround: Rookie Of The Year Eligibility

November 1st, 2017 at 9:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Ben Simmons entered this season as the odds-on favorite to be named Rookie of the Year, and he hasn’t disappointed.

The Sixers guard has been outstanding over the first two weeks of the season, averaging 18.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game. He’s a tough matchup for opposing point guards at 6’10”, he’s versatile enough to defend multiple positions and he has a shooting touch that is better than advertised. But is he really a rookie?

Simmons was the first player picked in the 2016 draft as a highly touted prospect out of LSU, but he missed all of last season after suffering a Jones fracture in his right foot during training camp. Although he didn’t play his first game until this season, Simmons had the advantage of learning the game in an NBA environment for an entire year.

Joel Embiid, Simmons’ teammate, was third in last year’s Rookie of the Year voting. His stats of 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per night dwarfed those of the top two finishers, but he only appeared in 31 games, which disqualified him in the eyes of many voters. Like Simmons, Embiid was technically a rookie, but he was in his third season since being drafted.

Clippers forward Blake Griffin is the only player to win the Rookie of the Year trophy after sitting out a season with an injury. Griffin suffered a broken left kneecap during the 2009 preseason and didn’t make his official debut until the following year.

Another aspect to this discussion is international players, such as Clippers guard Milos Teodosic, who is classified as a rookie even though he is 30 years old and has more than a decade of international experience. Is it fair for players in the prime of their careers to be competing with kids just out of college, many of whom are still in their teens?

We want to know what you think. Should the Rookie of the Year race be open to all first-year players, or does the NBA need to make a distinction for players who sat out with injuries or spent time overseas? Please share your thoughts in the space below.

Community Shootaround: Available Free Agents

October 26th, 2017 at 1:59pm CST by Luke Adams

One notable NBA free agent found a new home this week, as 12-year veteran Josh Smith agreed to terms with the Pelicans. While it’s good to see J-Smoove back on an NBA roster, there are a number of players still on the free agent market whose inability to find new deals has been unexpected.

[RELATED: Current NBA free agents]

For instance, despite the fact that clubs like the Suns, Clippers, Hornets, and Pelicans are all missing key point guards early in the season, former third overall pick Deron Williams has yet to find work. Williams’ disappointing showing in the NBA Finals against Golden State remains fresh in everyone’s mind, but the longtime star is still just 33 years old and had a solid 2016/17 campaign in Dallas and Cleveland before struggling the postseason.

Meanwhile, given the rate at which most NBA teams are bombing away from beyond the three-point line, it’s surprising that veteran sharpshooters like Anthony Morrow and Brandon Rush remain free agents. Instant-offense shooting guards such as Monta Ellis and Jordan Crawford are also available for clubs in need of scoring off the bench.

Up front, David Lee is still unsigned after a productive season in San Antonio, while fellow bigs like Kris Humphries, Spencer Hawes, Roy Hibbert, and Tiago Splitter remain on the open market too.

Our full list of current free agents primarily includes players who spent some or all of last season on an NBA roster, so veterans still hoping for another shot – like Kendrick Perkins and Emeka Okafor – aren’t listed. Still, the list is extensive, featuring a mix of young players such as Archie Goodwin, Semaj Christon, James Young, and Edy Tavares, as well as reliable vets like Matt Barnes, Mike Dunleavy, Leandro Barbosa, C.J. Watson, and more.

What do you think? Do any of these players jump out as guys who should be on NBA rosters, or does it seem about right that they’re still available? If you think any of these free agents should be signed, which team(s) could use them?

Jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Community Shootaround: Best Fit For Eric Bledsoe

October 25th, 2017 at 4:06pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA offseason featured a parade of trade candidates eventually finding new homes, with Jimmy Butler, Paul George, Kyrie Irving, and Carmelo Anthony among the All-Star players who were dealt. In the wake of Oklahoma City’s acquisition of Anthony, it seemed like the trade market may be quiet for a couple months, but a five-word tweet from Eric Bledsoe (“I don’t wanna be here”) changed all that earlier this week.

In the three days since Bledsoe’s now-infamous tweet, the Suns have sent him home and begun exploring potential trades, though public comments made by general manager Ryan McDonough on the situation aren’t exactly buoying the point guard’s trade value.

While there still seems to be a significant gap between what the Suns are looking for in exchange for Bledsoe and what potential suitors are willing to offer, a number of possible landing spots have emerged. According to various reports, the Nuggets, Bucks, and Knicks are among the clubs with interest in Bledsoe.

Several other teams have also been linked to the point guard, including the Magic, Cavaliers, Trail Blazers, Clippers, Sixers, Pacers, and Spurs. However, most of those potential trade partners for Phoenix appear to be based more on speculation than on anything concrete.

The Suns have some excess cap room and they aren’t in any rush to win now, so they have some flexibility when it comes to finding a deal for Bledsoe and his $14.5MM salary. But it may be tricky to find a package they feel gives them fair value. While Bledsoe put up big numbers last season, averaging 21.1 PPG, 6.3 APG, and 4.8 RPG, he has battled injuries throughout his career, and this season’s saga has raised questions about his ability to handle difficult situations.

What do you think? Which team do you think would be the best fit for Bledsoe, and which club could offer the Suns the best package? What sort of return do you think the Suns should be happy with for Bledsoe?

Jump into our comment section below to share your thoughts!

Community Shootaround: Boston Celtics

October 21st, 2017 at 10:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

After a summer upheaval that included adding a pair of All-Stars, the Celtics appeared headed for at least another trip to the Eastern Conference finals. Their fortunes may have changed Tuesday when Gordon Hayward took a hard fall less than six minutes into the season opener that left him with a dislocated and fractured left tibia.

It was a shocking way to start the year for Celtics fans and for Hayward, who left Utah for Boston and a four-year, maximum-salary contract. He was expected to be one of the top forwards in the East and part of the foundation for the team’s future, along with newly acquired point guard Kyrie Irving.

The Celtics still have plenty of talent, including the No. 3 picks in the last two drafts, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. They have both moved into the starting lineup and added youthful energy to the team. Still, it’s hard to replace someone who can score [21.9 points per game last season] and shoot [nearly 40% from 3-point range] like Hayward.

The injury plunges the Celtics into a pack of teams that will fight to be the chief challenger to Cleveland in the East. The Wizards took Boston to seven games last season in the conference semifinals, the Raptors are back with a wealth of talent and the young Bucks could be ready for a major step forward.

That brings us to tonight’s question: With the loss of Hayward, are the Celtics still among the two best teams in the East? Please share your thoughts in the space below. We look forward to your responses.

Community Shootaround: 2017/18 NBA Predictions

October 17th, 2017 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

After four long months without meaningful NBA games, the 2017/18 season will tip off tonight. Tuesday’s doubleheader includes Kyrie Irving and the Celtics visiting his old team in Cleveland, and Chris Paul making his debut for the Rockets in Golden State.

With only a few more hours to go until the start of the season, it’s time to register your predictions for the coming season.

Which eight teams do you expect to make the playoffs in each conference?
Will the 2018 NBA Finals feature the Warriors and Cavaliers for a fourth straight year?
Who will win this season’s MVP award? Will any player enjoy a historic individual run like Russell Westbrook did last year?
What are your picks for the other awards, including Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, and Coach of the Year?
Will any coaches be fired during the season? If so, which one(s)?
Which players or teams do you expect to most significantly outperform expectations or disappoint?
Which big-name players do you think will be traded before this season’s deadline?

Jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts, predictions, and bold takes on the upcoming season. And enjoy tonight’s games!

Community Shootaround: 82-Game Season

October 7th, 2017 at 8:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

As the NBA marks the 50th anniversary of its first 82-game season, Commissioner Adam Silver is giving indications that a shorter schedule is under consideration.

The league wants to expand its international exposure, possibly with an overseas franchise, which would mean longer flights and a greater physical toll on the players. The tradeoff may be fewer regular-season games to give teams more time to recover from intercontinental travel.

“There’s nothing magical about 82 games,” Silver told Sam Amick of USA Today. “It’s been in place for 50 years, but for the long-term planning of the league, as we learn more about the human body and the wear and tear of travel and the competitive landscape … invariably we’ll look at the regular season. And in looking at the regular season, it may create more opportunities for international franchises.”

Before the formation of the NBA in 1946, professionals used to play a schedule similar to college teams, with a few dozen games each year. The new league started with 11 teams each playing 60 games, explains Stayton Bonner of slate.com, then cut that to seven teams and 48 games in its second season. Eventually the owners settled on 82 for the 1967-68 season because it gave teams three games a week for roughly half the year.

But as Silver says, that number isn’t set in stone. Owners saw it as a level where ticket revenues would cover team salaries without creating too much of an injury risk for the players. The number has endured for five decades, but there’s no reason it can’t be changed if circumstances warrant it.

The last NBA work stoppage in 2011 forced the season to begin on Christmas Day, with each team playing 66 games. Although travel was difficult with so many games condensed into such a short window, some people around the league thought fewer games made for a better product.

What do you think? Does five decades of playing 82 games make it a sacred number? Would all records have to come with asterisks if the season is reduced? Or would the level of play improve with a shorter regular season?

Please share your thoughts in the space below. We look forward to your responses.

Community Shootaround: GMs’ Predictions

October 4th, 2017 at 8:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Earlier today, we shared the results of an annual survey of NBA general managers offering their predictions for the upcoming season.

Few of their forecasts were surprising. Twenty-eight of the 30 GMs like the Warriors to repeat as champions, with the other two votes going to the Cavaliers. LeBron James was the MVP pick of half the GMs, followed by Kevin Durant at 29% and Kawhi Leonard at 11%.

In other major categories:

Paul George was chosen as the offseason acquisition most likely to make the biggest impact with 59% of the vote. The Thunder acquired the four-time All-Star in a trade with the Pacers just before the start of free agency.
Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns was chosen by 29% as the player they would most like to build a franchise around. The Bucks‘ Giannis Antetokounmpo was close behind at 21%.
Paul Millsap‘s signing with the Nuggets is the most underrated acquisition of the offseason at 24%, followed by the Pistons‘ trade for Avery Bradley (17%).
Mavericks point guard Dennis Smith Jr. was chosen as the biggest steal of the draft (37%), with Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball the favorite to be named Rookie of the Year (62%).
The GMs picked the Wolves as the most improved team with 69% of the vote, far ahead of the second-place Sixers (17%).

That’s what the insiders think, but now we want to hear from you. In which of these categories did the GMs get it wrong, and who will the real winners be? Please share your thoughts in the space below. We look forward to your responses.

Community Shootaround: Top League Pass Teams

October 3rd, 2017 at 3:48pm CST by Luke Adams

In a pair of pieces this week for ESPN.com, Zach Lowe continued his annual tradition of ranking all 30 NBA teams in terms of how much entertainment they’ll provide on League Pass during the 2017/18 season. Lowe’s highest-ranked teams score well in a number of categories, including zeitgeist appeal, style of play, highlight potential, and even uniform and court aesthetics.

Lowe’s rankings aren’t particularly shocking. Teams expected to land near the top of next year’s draft lottery – such as the Hawks, Suns, Bulls, Magic, and Pacers – round out the bottom of his list, while the Warriors, Thunder, Celtics, and Rockets are at the top.

Still, there are a handful of interesting results in Lowe’s list. The Sixers and Pelicans rank ahead of the Cavaliers in the top 10. The Trail Blazers, Timberwolves, and Nuggets also place highly for three teams either barely made the playoffs or missed out entirely last season. And despite the preseason buzz they’ve been generating, the Lakers don’t show up in the top half of Lowe’s list, coming in at No. 16.

While Lowe makes a strong case for his selections, we want to hear from you. Outside of the team you root for, which clubs do you expect to make an effort to watch this season?

Will you be keeping a close eye on perennial title contenders like the Warriors, Cavaliers, and Spurs, or are you more fascinated by up-and-coming teams like the Bucks, Timberwolves, and Nuggets? Maybe there are rebuilding lottery teams – perhaps the Kings, Lakers, Knicks, or Mavericks – that you’ll be excited to see in action?

Head to the comment section below to share your thoughts on your top League Pass picks for 2017/18.

Community Shootaround: Thunder’s Big Three

September 30th, 2017 at 8:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

Thunder GM Sam Presti wrapped up an incredible offseason this week when Russell Westbrook signed a five-year, $205MM extension that ensures the reigning MVP will remain in Oklahoma City at least through the 2021-22 season.

Presti also added two of the best available players on the trade market in Paul George and Carmelo Anthony to bolster a team that won 47 games last season. OKC’s new Big Three figures to be one of the top scoring trios in the league, and many observers believe the Thunder are the top challenger to the Warriors in the West.

But now that Oklahoma City has its three stars, how long will they stay together? Westbrook will make more than $35.3MM next season when the extension kicks in, George is expected to opt out of a deal worth $20.7MM and become a free agent next summer, while Anthony has an early termination option on a nearly $28MM salary. ESPN’s Bobby Marks estimated that keeping all three would give the Thunder the first $300MM payroll, with $157MM going to salaries and $143MM in taxes.

George seemed like a lock to opt out and sign with the Lakers, but he said Westbrook’s extension may give him a reason to stay in OKC. Anthony, who will turn 34 in May, is unlikely to find a better deal in free agency, although he could be planning to join his “Banana Boat” friends in Cleveland, Los Angeles or somewhere else.

That brings us to tonight’s question: Will George and Anthony both be with Westbrook in Oklahoma City when training camp opens next year? Please share your thoughts in the space below. We look forward to your responses.