Community Shootaround

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 3/28/16

March 28th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

A common lament heard around the NBA, especially at this time of the year, is that the schedule remains too grueling. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich continues to rest his veterans — particularly Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili — multiple games as they await the playoffs. Many other coaches are searching for ways to rest or reduce the minutes of their star players, even if it might cost them a higher playoff seeding.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr has the difficult challenge of dealing with several injured players, trying to keep his top players somewhat fresh for the postseason, and yet giving his team a chance to break the league’s single-season win record. Virtually every coach in the league will tell anybody willing to lend an ear that they don’t have enough practice time and/or enough healthy bodies to hold a meaningful practice.

The league has made some minor changes recently to improve the situation. It extended the All-Star break to give players a longer midseason rest. This season, it reduced the number of back-to-back sets that every team plays, though most teams feel there’s still too many. The Pistons, for example, are playing a league-high 20 back-to-backs — thus, nearly half of their schedule is being played on consecutive nights.

There are several ways the league can attack the problem. They could reduce the amount of regular-season games, though that’s the most unlikely scenario. Team revenues are based upon having 41 regular-season home dates and players in turn probably wouldn’t be willing to sacrifice any income in order to play fewer games.

The season could be stretched out a couple more weeks at the front or back end. If it came on the back end, the Finals would likely have to be played in late June and the draft and free agency periods would also have to be pushed back.

A more likely scenario would be to reduce the amount of preseason games — teams can play a maximum of eight — and start the regular season earlier in October. Once again, though, the teams and players would have to be willing to lose the revenue generated by those preseason games if they were, say, whittled to four for each club. It could also lead to more early-season injuries, with regulars playing heavier minutes with fewer preseason games to prepare.

In any case, there’s little doubt the quality of play would improve if the games were spaced out to a greater extent. This leads us to our question of the day: What would you do to make the NBA schedule less grueling and reduce the wear and tear on players?

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.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 3/27/16

March 27th, 2016 at 9:18pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Chicago entered the season with hopes of challenging LeBron James and Cleveland for the Eastern Conference crown. How did it go for the Bulls? Injuries derailed any hope of an NBA Finals appearance and just making the playoffs seems unlikely after three straight losses, all against teams with losing records. At 36-36, the Bulls sit two games behind the Pistons and Pacers for one of the last two playoff spots in the conference. If Chicago misses the playoffs for the first time since the 2007/08 campaign, the roster could see a serious overhaul this summer.

Joakim Noah may have played his last game in a Bulls uniform, as he will be a free agent come July. Pau Gasol will likely opt out of his deal and become a free agent as well. Taj Gibson was the subject of trade rumors leading up to the trade deadline, so he is no lock to remain in town, and if the front office doesn’t believe Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler can find the ideal on-court chemistry, it may be time to look at trade options for Rose while the point guard still has one year remaining on his deal.

The Bulls have talent, and they own all of their future first-rounders in addition to a top-10 protected 2016 first-rounder from Sacramento. This team could easily retool and get itself back into the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference. How should the team go about improving? That’s tonight’s shootaround topic: What moves should the Bulls make this summer? We’re asking you to sit in GM Gar Forman‘s chair and make the tough calls. Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say!

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 3/26/16

March 26th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by ChrisCrouse

With tonight’s 80-68 win over Oregon, Oklahoma will advance to the Final Four for the first time since 2002. Buddy Hield had another excellent game, knocking down eight of 13 shots from behind the arc on his way to 37 points. Hield is one of the best shooters in the nation, making nearly 46% of his 3-pointers this season. NBA teams are taking more shots from behind the arc than ever before and the shooting guard seems to have the skill set to play immediately in the league.

Chad Ford of ESPN.com has Hield ranked as the eighth-best prospect, while Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress ranks Hield ninth-best. Both of these projections came before tonight’s game and the shooting guard may see his stock rise if he continues to dominate on the way to a National Title.

So that leads us to tonight’s topic: How far up the draft board can Hield climb with a sensational performance in the Final Four? With the league’s emphasis on the 3-ball, should the team that wins the lottery take Hield with the No. 1 pick?

Let us know which lottery team should consider taking Hield and if you don’t believe he’s worthy of that No. 1 spot, where does he rank for you? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 3/25/16

March 25th, 2016 at 6:01pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Dirk Nowitzki declined to say anything definitive when asked recently whether he would leave the Mavericks if they went into rebuilding mode. The 37-year-old who has a player option worth only about $8.7MM for next season fielded the query on the “Ben and Skin Show” on KRLD-FM. “You know, that’s something I’ll focus on from summer to summer,” Nowitzki said. “I’m in the midst of chasing the playoffs here and trying to play well and compete every night. That’s something we’ll revisit this summer. Obviously I still have a year on the contract. I could choose to opt out. I think that’s in my contract. Honestly, I haven’t really spent a lot of thought on that at all. Like I said, I want to really make the playoffs bad. I think our fan base deserves that. It’s always a fun part of the year. The competition is high. We’d love to be a part of that. Everything else we can, you know, come together and talk about after. There’s just not enough thought put into it right now. Hopefully we can squeeze in the playoffs and then we can talk about all that stuff later.”

The veteran big man later clarified his comments, saying that he intends to opt in with Dallas for the 2016/17 campaign and adding that he’s envisioned playing the rest of his career with the Mavs ever since they won the 2011 title. But Nowitzki also reiterated that he doesn’t want to be part of a rebuilding effort. “If I’m not mistaken, the question was, if we’re going through a rebuilding phase, is what they asked me yesterday, and obviously I want to compete,” Nowitzki said. “I want to compete at the highest level. I always want to make the playoffs, and even more. So, if that’s what the Mavs are going to do is rebuild, then, you know, well, we’ll just have to wait and see.”

The idea that Nowitzki sees rebuilding as distasteful ostensibly leaves the door open for him to leave Dallas at some point, but his willingness to make financial sacrifices means the Mavs have an easier financial path to surrounding him with top-flight talent, making it less likely they rebuild, as Hoops Rumors’ Chuck Myron noted earlier today. The power forward has been the textbook definition of a loyal player, accepting a salary well below his market value to remain with the Mavs and to allow the team to sign other players. It would be almost impossible to fault him if he decided he wanted one last shot at an NBA title with another franchise. While it’s certainly difficult to picture Nowitzki in a different uniform, there have been numerous other players throughout the years who have signed on with other clubs in order to chase a ring in the twilight of their careers.

This brings me to the topic for today: Should Dirk Nowitzki opt out of his deal this summer and sign on with a team that has a better shot at winning a title than the Mavericks do?

If you believe that Nowitzki should indeed leave Dallas, where would be the best landing spot for him in 2016/17? Would you support him in such a move, or would he be vilified in your eyes for abandoning the Mavericks? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 3/24/16

March 24th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

LeBron James is reportedly holding out hope that he can team with Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul for at least one season before they all retire. James, 31, and Wade, 34, can hit free agency this summer, but the 30-year-old Paul’s locked in with the Clippers through next season and Anthony, 31, doesn’t have an opt-out in his deal until the summer of 2018. “I really hope that, before our career is over, we can all play together,” James told Howard Beck of Bleacher Report just before the All-Star break last month. “At least one, maybe one or two seasons — me, Melo, D-Wade, CP — we can get a year in. I would actually take a pay cut to do that.”

It would be extremely difficult for any team to fit the quartet on its roster within the salary cap, even with the projected increase that is set to take effect this summer. If James truly wishes for this to occur, he would likely be the player who would need to make the largest financial sacrifice. Unless Anthony and Paul were willing to agree to buyout arrangements with their current teams, which is a highly unlikely scenario, LeBron would need to be the player who takes the hit. Wade isn’t a max player any more, unless Miami is feeling deeply sentimental come this offseason, so any sacrifice of income he made would pale in comparison to what James would likely need to give up to make this theoretical grouping of star players a reality.

There also remains the question of where the quartet would play. The only franchise that I could realistically see making this work in the immediate future given the players’ current salaries is the Cavaliers. Cleveland could theoretically trade Kevin Love to the Knicks for Anthony and ship Kyrie Irving to the Clippers for Paul, though in both instances the Cavs would be taking on more salary than they shipped out. It’s also not a given that Los Angeles and New York would agree to such deals, though the Knicks taking on Love in exchange for Anthony isn’t as far-fetched to me as the Clippers flipping Paul for Irving. Then it would be up to Wade to leave Miami, a city where he has played his entire NBA career, for the much colder climate of Ohio, and he’d have to take a pay cut to do so.

Which brings me to the topic(s) for today: Do you think that LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade will ever play together? If so, what team do you think they would suit up for? Would this grouping of stars guarantee an NBA title?

Take to the comments section to share your thoughts, trade ideas and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 3/23/16

March 23rd, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Sixers face a long climb if they wish to return to prominence in the Eastern Conference. The effectiveness of GM Sam Hinkie‘s rebuilding through tanking plan is certainly debatable given the team’s woeful record the past few seasons. One major critique levied against Hinkie is his failure to build a cohesive roster, a valid criticism given his lack of attention to the team’s backcourt the past two years. The executive has used three lottery picks in a row to select big men, players whose skills don’t appear to complement each other, which will likely become a bigger issue when and if Joel Embiid finally makes his NBA debut.

Hinkie did land point guard Michael Carter-Williams in the 2014 NBA Draft, a player who snagged Rookie of the Year Honors for the 2013/14 campaign. While Carter-Williams’ game certainly has its flaws, he did provide the team with steady production at a critical position. Since dealing away the 24-year-old to the Bucks during the 2014/15 season, the Sixers have struggled to find a playmaker who could run the team as well as help their young big men develop.

Philadelphia made an attempt to fix this glaring roster hole this season with its acquisition of Ish Smith from the Pelicans in December, a move that hasn’t translated into wins, but there is no denying that the Sixers are a better team since Smith arrived. In 39 games since joining Philly, Smith has notched 14.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 6.9 assists in 31.7 minutes per night. Smith certainly has his negatives as a player, namely his high turnover rate (2.5 per game) and shaky shot selection (39.7% from the field overall), but he has certainly performed better than anyone the team has trotted out at the one spot since Carter-Williams was dealt.

This brings me to the question/topic for today: Is Ish Smith the long-term answer at point guard for the Sixers?

The Sixers aren’t viewed as a free agent destination around the league given their current state, which doesn’t bode well for landing a big name free agent to lead the team this offseason. This means that the team will either need to pin its hopes on Smith, who is an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, attempt to upgrade via the draft or to try and strike gold on the free agent market with a lower-tiered player.

So what say you? Should the Sixers look to re-sign Smith this offseason and hand the team over to him, or is he just a placeholder in your eyes? If you don’t believe Smith is the solution, who is a realistic target for the team either via the draft, free agency or the trade market? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 3/22/16

March 22nd, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com reported earlier today that Mavericks small forward Chandler Parsons will likely have season-ending surgery this week on a torn meniscus in his right knee. Parsons, 27, left Friday’s game early with what the Mavs called a sore right hamstring. He sat out Sunday’s game, and an MRI revealed Monday that the torn meniscus was causing the hamstring pain, according to MacMahon. If going under the knife is indeed in Parsons’ future, it would be the second consecutive campaign to end prematurely for the player due to injury.

Though his current malady isn’t as severe as the one that required microfracture surgery last spring, this is still an alarming trend for the player. Parsons is still expected to opt out and hit free agency this summer, with the Mavericks the favorites to re-sign him, according to the ESPN scribe. Prior to his latest injury, Parsons was expected to be pursued by the Heat, Lakers, Nets, Knicks, Trail Blazers, Rockets and Nuggets. The Magic have also reportedly been primed for an aggressive run at Parsons in free agency this summer, and they loom as his top non-Dallas choice, as MacMahon previously reported, though it’s unclear how his latest injury affects how teams view the player.

This brings me to the topic for today: Is Chandler Parsons worth a maximum salary deal this offseason?

The Mavericks may be inclined to pony up that amount given the front office’s apparent fondness for Parsons as well as the team’s difficulties in landing upper-tier free agents the past few seasons. But even with the salary cap set to jump into the $90MM-$95MM range, inking Parsons to a deal in excess of $20MM per season is a major risk given his injury history. It’s also arguable whether Parsons would be worthy of the amount based on his numbers alone. He’s averaging 14.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game to go along with his shooting line of .474/.380/.705.

While Parsons is a versatile contributor who possesses a solid skill set, I’d find it difficult to justify paying Parsons top-dollar on his next deal even if he was completely healthy. But that’s merely my opinion and we’re looking for yours. So what say you? Is Parsons worth a salary in excess of $20MM per season given his production and injury history? If so, which team is the likeliest to break the bank to sign him this summer? If you don’t believe Parsons is worthy of top-dollar compensation, what contract parameters do you deem fair for all parties? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 3/20/16

March 20th, 2016 at 9:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sacramento point guard Rajon Rondo is in New York tonight for his only game of the season at Madison Square Garden. Next year, there’s a chance he’ll be playing there 41 times.

The market for Rondo was limited when he hit free agency last summer after a disastrous experience in Dallas. He clashed constantly with Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle after Boston traded him there and was benched midway through Dallas’ first-round playoff series, although both sides reportedly agreed to say he was out with a back injury. With few suitors to pick from, Rondo accepted a one-year, $10MM offer from the Kings.

He’ll be a free agent again in a little more than three months, and this time the demand should be much greater. Rondo is averaging a league-best 11.9 assists per game to go with 11.8 points. He’s shooting 45% from the floor, which is his highest mark in four years, and his 3-point percentage is a career-best 35%.

New York is expected to be among the teams lined up for Rondo. The Knicks have made no secret of their desire to improve at the point guard position, and they are projected to have between $21MM and $27MM available to chase free agents.

While Rondo would be an upgrade in New York, there are questions about his ability to run the triangle offense and to adapt to an unfamiliar system after his experience in Dallas. Rondo made some disparaging comments about the philosophy earlier in the season, but he was much more open to it when meeting with reporters prior to tonight’s game. Interim coach Kurt Rambis apparently believes Rondo can succeed in the triangle, though there’s no guarantee Rambis will be with the team next season.

And Rondo won’t be the only available option on the market. Bobby Marks of the Vertical on Yahoo Sports ranks the Grizzlies’ Mike Conley as the top free agent point guard. Conley said he hasn’t ruled out anything when it comes to free agency, and the Knicks are believed to have strong interest in him.

Marks puts Rondo second, followed by Deron Williams, Jeremy Lin, Brandon Jennings, Tyler Johnson, Ish Smith, Matthew Dellavedova, Jerryd Bayless and Mario Chalmers. A return of “Lin-sanity” to New York seems unlikely, given the rumored tensions with Carmelo Anthony, but the Knicks may be looking at every other name on the list.

That brings us to tonight’s topic: Who will be the Knicks’ starting point guard next season? Will this be the year they finally land a big name in free agency? Can Conley be persuaded to leave Memphis, where he has spent his entire career? Would Rondo be able to fit into the triangle? Or will the top free agents pass up New York, leaving the Knicks to solve their point guard problem through a trade?

Please use the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 3/19/16

March 19th, 2016 at 7:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA’s top two teams are meeting tonight for the second time this season as the 58-10 Spurs host the 62-6 Warriors in San Antonio. The Spurs have done their best to present themselves as the most formidable challenger to the Warriors’ throne, lagging just behind Golden State’s record-setting pace all season. However, when the teams met on January 25th, it was a complete mismatch. Stephen Curry put up a 37-point performance as Golden State grabbed a 120-90 victory.

San Antonio made the biggest free agent splash of last summer, adding LaMarcus Aldridge to a franchise that has remained among the NBA’s best throughout Tim Duncan‘s 19-year career. Add in All-Star small forward Kawhi Leonard and a veteran crew loaded with playoff experience, and the Spurs have grabbed their annual spot among the league’s elite teams.

The Warriors made few changes from their title-winning 2014/15 team, keeping their core together when they re-signed Draymond Green to a five-year, $82MM deal and inked Leandro Barbosa to a one-year contract at $2.5MM.

Golden State blitzed through the league for a scintillating 24-0 start, and only the Spurs have gotten close to challenging for the NBA’s best record at any time this season. Both teams have been nearly unbeatable anywhere this season, but especially at home, where the Spurs are 34-0 and Golden State is 32-0.

Each of Golden State’s six losses this season have come in road games against the Bucks, Mavericks, Nuggets, Pistons, Blazers and Lakers. Portland enters tonight in sixth place in the Western Conference playoff race at 36-34, with Dallas in eighth at 34-35, so either would at least know how it feels to beat the Warriors if they wind up as Golden State’s first-round opponent.

That brings us to tonight’s topic: Which team has the best chance of taking down the Warriors in a seven-game series? Is it the Spurs with their experienced roster and one of the league’s best coaches in Gregg Popovich? Or are the Thunder more of a threat with two unstoppable scorers in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook? The Clippers have an intense rivalry with Golden State and appeared headed to a Western Conference Finals showdown last season before letting their series with Houston slip away. Do any of the other Western Conference contenders have matchup advantages against the Warriors that could lead to a major upset?

How about in the East? The Cavaliers put up a good fight in the NBA Finals, despite missing Kevin Love and not having Kyrie Irving after Game 1. Does Toronto have the right mix to challenge Golden State, or maybe Miami, Boston, Atlanta or someone else?

Please use the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 3/18/16

March 18th, 2016 at 11:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

Losing a player like Marc Gasol midway through the season would be enough bad luck for any franchise. But for this season’s Grizzlies, it was just the beginning.

Since Gasol had his season ended prematurely by a broken right foot last month, the Grizzlies have been hit by a near-unprecedented rash of injuries. Star point guard Mike Conley developed soreness in his left foot last week and was diagnosed with Achilles tendinitis. Doctors expect to re-evaluate him near the end of the month. Rugged power forward Zach Randolph has missed seven straight games with an aching right knee.

And the injury problems continue all the way down the roster. Here’s a sampling:

Veteran swingman Vince Carter has been out since straining his left calf last Friday.
Center Chris Andersen is rehabbing a left shoulder subluxation, and the Grizzlies are hoping for his return soon.
Second-year shooting guard Jordan Adams is working to recover from surgery on his right knee, and Memphis isn’t sure when he might be available again.
Forward/center Brandan Wright is trying to recover from a sprained right MCL, and the Grizzlies don’t know if he’ll be back before the regular season ends.
Swingman P.J. Hairston was hit with a left groin strain Monday and will be re-evaluated next week. As with many of his teammates, there is no set timetable for his return.

Injuries have struck the Grizzlies so hard that the NBA approved a request to permit the team to carry 18 players, three above the standard minimum. In total, eight players are currently trying to overcome some type of injury, and many nights it’s difficult for coach Dave Joerger to fill out a full rotation.

The only good news in Memphis is that the team built a huge cushion for the playoffs before all the injuries began. Despite losing their last four games, the Grizzlies are 39-30 and still in fifth place in the Western Conference. They hold a five and a half game lead over ninth-place Utah with 13 games left in the season. However, the Grizzlies’ schedule is challenging the rest of the way. Memphis still has two games left with the Clippers and Spurs, as well as meetings with the Raptors, Bulls, Mavericks and Warriors. Seven of their final 13 games are at home.

That leads me to tonight’s Shootaround topic: Can the Grizzlies overcome their injuries and hold on to a playoff spot? What is a realistic record over the final 13 games for a team that used Matt Barnes, JaMychal Green, Ryan Hollins, Tony Allen and Lance Stephenson as its starting lineup Thursday night, backed up by a collection of former D-Leaguers and 10-day signings? Memphis has seen 26 players pass through its roster this season, which would be the most ever for a playoff team.

Please use the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.

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