Community Shootaround News & Rumors

Well before their stunning blockbuster trade, the Cavaliers and Celtics were considered the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. Nothing has changed in that regard, despite some major pieces swapping uniforms. It’s generally assumed we’ll see LeBron James, Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder squaring off against Al Horford, Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward in the Eastern Conference Finals next spring.

A majority of the other teams are in the conference have either plunged into rebuild mode or are simply trying to show significant improvement following frequent trips to the lottery. Only a precious few seem capable of pulling a surprise and preventing another Cavs-Celtics matchup in the conference finals.

That group includes the Raptors, who shelled out big bucks this summer to retain their top free agents, Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka. The supporting cast seems a little weaker since Toronto shed some salary (DeMarre Carroll, Cory Joseph) to keep the trio of Lowry, Ibaka and DeMar DeRozan intact. But the core group from a 51-win season remain intact.

The Wizards’ offseason had a similar feel as they needed to make Otto Porter their highest-paid player for the next two seasons by matching an offer sheet from the Nets. Then they locked up John Wall with a max extension, ensuring that the trio of Wall, Porter and Bradley Beal will continue their efforts to climb the Eastern Conference ladder in the near future.

The Bucks and Heat, who overcame major injuries last season to finish around the .500 mark, could also make a leap into major contention. In particular, Milwaukee might be poised for a big run led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, especially if Jabari Parker can provide a second-half boost after recovering from his latest knee injury.

This leads us to our question of the day: Which Eastern team has the best chance of knocking out either the Cavaliers or Celtics in next year’s playoffs and reaching the conference finals?

Please take to the comments section to share your thoughts on this topic. We look forward to what you have to say.

Under the NBA’s current rules, players who reach buyout agreements become unrestricted free agents and are able to sign with anybody. Of course, they almost always choose championship contenders, giving a handful of teams a huge advantage in the buyout market.

Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel is the latest writer to support changes to the system, using Dwyane Wade as an example. Wade seems likely to negotiate a buyout with the Bulls at some point this season, then is expected to join former Heat teammate LeBron James in Cleveland.

Though the Cavaliers haven’t confirmed it, a report tonight says they won’t approve the trade of Kyrie Irving to the Celtics unless Boston throws in at least one more asset.

The sticking point is the condition of Isaiah Thomas‘ hip, which Cleveland officials contend is worse than they expected after seeing the results of Friday’s physical. The Cavs are believed to want another player or an extra draft pick included to compensate them for the time Thomas might miss, while sources say the Celtics insist they were honest about Thomas in trade talks and will resist any effort to sweeten the deal.

At this stage, both teams have incentives to get the trade done. Cleveland has been getting positive reviews for the package it was able to get for Irving, who put the franchise in a difficult position by demanding a trade. The Cavs picked up Thomas, who has been an All-Star the past two seasons, along with Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and the Nets’ unprotected first-rounder for next year. If the deal is called off, Cleveland would have to resume efforts to trade Irving less than a month from camp and would be hard pressed to obtain four similar assets.

The Celtics may have burned their bridges with Thomas (as did some of their fans who set his jersey on fire on social media), who has been greatly underpaid for his production during his two and a half seasons in Boston. There’s no way to know how long Thomas might be sidelined, potentially leaving the Celtics shorthanded in the backcourt for an extended stretch. Plus, Thomas will be a free agent next summer and may see the collapsed deal as a sign that he’s not appreciated in Boston. Crowder would also be returning to an uncomfortable situation, although he’s under contract through 2019/20.

Considering both teams’ situations and their desire to be the top seed in the East, should the Celtics sweeten the trade if the Cavaliers demand it, and how much should they agree to? Please leave your responses in the space below. We look forward to what you have to say.

Tuesday night’s blockbuster deal that sent Kyrie Irving to the Celtics would have been clearly the biggest news of many NBA offseasons. But it has a lot of competition this summer in a league where Jimmy Butler, Paul George and Chris Paul have all been traded since the playoffs ended.

Still, Tuesday’s trade affects the balance of power in the East, both for the 2017/18 season and for years to come. The Cavaliers added an extra defender in Jae Crowder, who can harass Kevin Durant and the Warriors’ other wings if we get another Cleveland-Golden State matchup in the Finals. In landing Irving along with Gordon Hayward, the Celtics probably made the best two offseason acquisitions in the East.

But does that mean the Warriors should be afraid of either team — or anyone else?

Golden State brought back virtually all the key components of its championship team and picked up promising rookie Jordan Bell in the draft. Stephen Curry agreed to a five-year extension. Kevin Durant inked a one-year deal with a player option, but that was only to lead to a long-term contract next summer. Klay Thompson is under contract for two more seasons, and Draymond Green is signed for the next three.

So in addition to a wealth of talent, the Warriors will have continuity in their corner.

A lot of teams got better this summer. The Thunder got a bargain price on George. The Timberwolves traded for Butler and signed Jeff Teague and Taj Gibson. The Rockets traded for Paul and may have Carmelo Anthony before the season starts.

So with training camps about a month away, we want to know who you believe will be the Warriors’ top challenger. Please leave your comments below.

The Lakers and team president Magic Johnson are under scrutiny as the league announced this weekend it was investigating potential tampering between the club and Paul George.

The Pacers, who dealt George to the Thunder this summer, filed the charges. The Lakers and Johnson now face a variety of potential punishments if the league finds evidence of impermissible contact and/or tampering.

George is a unique case in that he publicly stated his desire to sign with the Lakers when he becomes a free agent next summer. That prompted Indiana to shop the four-time All-Star, with the Thunder winning the sweepstakes by dealing away Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis.

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks points out, the Hawks and Kings were fined four years ago for outlining their plans to pursue free agents from other teams. But it’s been 17 years since the league cracked down hard on any team for tampering.

The Timberwolves were fined $3.5MM, lost five first-round picks (though two were later reinstated) and saw their owner and GM suspended. Those penalties were handed down when the league uncovered evidence that the club and forward Joe Smith had a side agreement for a future contract to circumvent the salary cap before Smith became a free agent. Smith wound up signing with the Pistons after Minnesota was prevented from securing his services.

A fine is the Lakers’ most likely penalty if some evidence of tampering is uncovered. However, if the league believes the Lakers and George already have a verbal agreement, they could face penalties similar to the ones doled out to the Timberwolves in 2000. It could also prevent George from joining the Lakers.

The Lakers have hired legal representation and seem confident they will be cleared of the charges.

That brings us to our question of the day: If the league’s tampering investigation involving the Lakers and Paul George uncovers evidence of a verbal agreement, should the Lakers be prohibited from signing George in free agency or acquiring him in a trade? If not, what would be an appropriate punishment?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this hot topic. We look forward to what you have to say.

There’s an argument to be made about Phil Jackson’s worst move as president of the Knicks, but any list would have to include the signing of Joakim Noah last summer for $72MM over four years.

Even Noah feels bad about it, blaming himself for Jackson’s firing. He virtually apologized in comments reported today by Marc Berman of The New York Post.

“It’s tough, man, because I got a lot of love and respect for Phil,’’ Noah said. “He gave me an opportunity to play back home. Somebody I read all his books as a kid. I was just a big fan and still am. I have a lot of respect for him. It didn’t work out. That sucks. It’s something I have to live with. He believed in me, and I kind of let him down. That’s frustrating. He got a lot of blame that it was his fault. But we didn’t lose all those games because of Phil Jackson.’’

Noah’s first season in New York was a disappointment, but it was hardly a surprise. He was plagued by injuries and declining production during his final two years in Chicago, so no one could be shocked that in his first year with the Knicks he got hurt and his numbers went down.

Physical problems limited him to just 46 games last year and he was almost shut down for the year after arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in February. He only returned late in the season to trim eight games off a 20-game suspension imposed for using a substance banned by the NBA.

Noah’s performance on the court was just as frustrating as the things that kept him off of it. His scoring average dipped to 5.0 points per game, the worst of his career except for a 29-game season in 2015/16, and he took a career-low 4.4 shots per game.

Noah still has three seasons and $55MM left on his contract, so the Knicks are going to be stuck with him as an anchor on their cap unless they can find a way to include him in a trade. It’s a move that’s going to haunt the franchise for a long time, and there weren’t any obvious suitors that Jackson was bidding against to force such a generous offer.

But is signing Noah the main reason Jackson got fired? Or was it his long public feud with Carmelo Anthony, his attempt to trade Kristaps Porzingis after he skipped an exit meeting, his unbridled love affair with the triangle offense or the Knicks’ lousy play in general? In short, does Noah owe Jackson an apology or would the Zen Master have gotten dismissed regardless?

Please leave your comments below. We look forward to what you have to say.

Russell Westbrook is the favorite to repeat as MVP, according to odds released by Bovada, an online gambling site.

Westbrook is listed as +350, which means a bettor who wagers $100 would get back $350 if Westbrook wins the award. Kevin Durant is close behind at +450, followed by Kawhi Leonard at +650. LeBron James at +750 and James Harden at +800 round out the top five.

Westbrook cruised to the trophy last season with a record-setting 42 triple-doubles. His production may fall this year with the addition of Paul George in Oklahoma City, but he could help his case if the Thunder improve on their 47-35 record.

Bovada lays odds on 39 candidates, ranging down to Dirk Nowitzki, Andre Drummond, Dwight Howard, Hassan Whiteside and Jeff Teague, who are all listed at +25,000. Among players who changed teams over the offseason, George and new Rockets point guard Chris Paul are tied for the best odds at +2,500.

Given the changes that have taken place across the league, who is you favorite to take home MVP honors for 2017/18? Please leave your comments below.