Hoops Rumors Polls

Poll: Should Cavs Be The 2014/15 Favorite?

August 8th, 2014 at 9:02pm CST by Alex Lee

LeBron James spoke to the media on Friday night for the first time since announcing he would return to Cleveland. With the arrival of Kevin Love and the potential additions of Shawn Marion and Ray Allen to a roster that already includes the best player on the planet and a budding superstar in Kyrie Irving, the Cavaliers are undoubtedly a title contender in 2014/15. But should they be the favorites?

The Las Vegas oddsmakers say yes, and many of them were firmly in that position long before the addition of Love. However, there are plenty of external variables that go into creating those odds, some of which have nothing to do with what happens on the court. So what about from a basketball standpoint? Remember, it took LeBron’s first super squad two seasons to capture a title and that team, with an in-his-prime version of Dwyane Wade, probably had a bit more star power than this group. After all, neither Love nor Irving have played in a playoff game at this point in their careers.

Speaking of LeBron’s former Miami team, they were just dismantled by a Spurs group that looked unbeatable and remains largely intact. When it comes to things like oddsmaking and public perception, small market San Antonio has never been a sexy selection nationally. While few would doubt their potential to repeat, the idea that they aren’t hands down favorites for next season’s title suggests that their triumph in June didn’t have the impact that it should have.

With the injury to Paul George and the always-uncertain status of Derrick Rose, the Cavs might just have a clear path through the Eastern Conference. But as we saw a few months ago, that might not mean much against the loaded West. So what do you think? Does Love rightfully make the Cavs the NBA favorite in 2014/15 or should the Spurs still be the pick? Or is it someone else? Please let us know the reasoning behind your vote in the comments section.

Poll: Which NBA Team’s Offseason Is Worst?

August 5th, 2014 at 1:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

There are surely a few dissenters who believe otherwise, but by and large the winners of the NBA offseason so far have been the Cavaliers, who vaulted to the top of the list the moment LeBron James chose to return to Cleveland. Just about all doubt about the success of the team’s summer would be erased if the Cavs complete a trade for Kevin Love, a swap they seemingly move ever closer to making.

It’s not as easy to identify the team that’s endured the worst summer. The Heat might be a logical candidate, having lost the league’s best player, but they nonetheless pulled Chris Bosh away from the Rockets and other suitors and convinced Luol Deng to sign a deal for less than market value. Those kinds of signings would be the envy of many other franchises.

The Timberwolves were at the bottom of the list that TNT’s David Aldridge compiled for this week’s Morning Tip column on NBA.com. The specter of a Love trade hangs over the organization, and agent Dan Fegan appears ready to make the Wolves pay a premium rate if they want to sign Ricky Rubio to an extension. Still, it seems there’s a strong chance Minnesota will walk away from a Love trade with Andrew Wiggins, the No. 1 overall pick from this year’s draft, so it could be worse in Minnesota.

The Blazers are just one step above the Wolves on Aldridge’s list, their presence a product of inactivity outside of the signings of Chris Kaman and Steve Blake to man their bench. But Portland improved mightily after last summer, when Robin Lopez and Mo Williams were the marquee additions.

The Rockets have had the fourth-worst offseason so far, according to Aldridge, sitting one spot in front of the Heat, the very team that snatched Bosh from their clutches. They declined a team option that would have let them have Chandler Parsons for less than $1MM, then watched as the Mavericks gave Parsons a near-max offer sheet that they judged too lucrative to match. Houston missed out on targets James, Bosh and Carmelo Anthony, landing Trevor Ariza in a sign-and-trade as their most prominent addition. Still, Houston retains most of its mid-level exception, and with a trade exception for nearly $8.4MM from the Jeremy Lin deal, the Rockets might not be done yet.

Paul George‘s gruesome injury on August 1st was an unfortunate coda to what had been a disappointing month of July for the Pacers, who lost Lance Stephenson to the Hornets. Signees C.J. Miles and Rodney Stuckey stand so far as the team’s primary replacements for their premiere wing players. More than two-thirds of Hoops Rumors readers think that’s enough for Indiana to go from two straight conference finals appearances to missing the playoffs altogether this year. Aldridge ranks Indiana’s offseason as the fifth-worst, even though George, who’s under contract through 2019, is expected to return to the Pacers eventually, if not this season.

Let us know which team has had the NBA’s worst offseason so far in your eyes. Check out our Free Agent Tracker, this year’s draft results, and this year’s draft-and-stash signees for reference. You can choose from one of Aldridge’s bottom five, or select the “Another team” option and tell us who you have in mind in the comments.

Poll: Kevin Love And The Cavaliers

August 3rd, 2014 at 9:32pm CST by Zachary Links

Last time we asked you to pick where Kevin Love would start the 2014/15 season, there was a wide field of teams to choose from that did not include the Cavaliers. Boy, how things have changed. The Cavs brought LeBron James home to Cleveland and now Love badly wants to join his friend in Ohio. Finally, months of denials from the T’Wolves organization, owner Glen Taylor finally confessed that he expects to trade the All-Star shortly after August 23rd.

August 23rd isn’t just some random date on the calendar, of course. That’s the date when Andrew Wiggins‘ rookie contract with the Cavs can be moved. It’s not exactly clear what a package for the pending free agent would look like, but it has been said that the Wolves will walk away with at least Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, and a future first-round selection. It won’t be easy to replace Love, who turned in a ~27 PER which was good for third in the NBA behind James and Kevin Durant, but two consecutive No. 1 picks and a future first wouldn’t be a bad way to start the rebuilding process.

In the Love poll from two months ago, the Celtics were the leading vote getter followed by the Bulls and the T’Wolves. The Warriors, Lakers, and pie-in-the-sky Kings were among the other clubs receiving votes, but at this stage, Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com hear that Wolves are no longer in serious talks about Love with any team other than Cleveland. So, now we ask you to weigh the Cavs vs. the field. Do you see Love starting the 2014/15 season with any team other than the Cavs? And, yes, that includes the Timberwolves.

Poll: Pacers’ Playoff Chances Without George?

August 2nd, 2014 at 2:07pm CST by Charlie Adams

Although the Pacers haven’t officially ruled out Paul George for the 2014/15 season, it’s been reported that the gruesome injury he suffered during last night’s Team USA scrimmage will likely sideline him for the entire year. The news is pfarticularly stinging since it further depletes a Pacers’ core that had already lost last season’s starting two guard, Lance Stephenson, to the Hornets in free agency.

Heading into 2013/14, the Pacers were considered realistic contenders for the Larry O’Brien Trophy, but Indiana fell to the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals for a second-straight year. LeBron James‘ departure from Miami provided Pacers fans with hope that such a shuffling of power could alter the landscape of the East, potentially helping to propel Indiana toward a Finals appearance this season, but George’s unfortunate injury no doubt curbs such hopes.

No lineup that lacked both George and Stephenson logged more than 28 minutes per night for the Pacers in 2013/14 regular season, as Zach Lowe of Grantland observes (on Twitter). It’s going to be a completely different look for the team in the coming year, given that the duo of George and Stephenson averaged a combined 36.2 PPG for an Indiana team that ranked just 24th in nightly offense. The addition of Rodney Stuckey will give the team some much needed shooting, but he was never expected to carry the team in the scoring department.

Dr. Patrick Kersey, the doctor who treated Louisville guard Kevin Ware when he sustained a similar injury during the 2013 NCAA tournament, speculates that a full recovery from such an injury could take as long as 18 months, as W.G. Ramirez of The Associated Press details. While Indiana might be granted a disabled player exception that could help them bring aboard a player to fill in for George, it’ll be tough to match the production George has provided for the club over the last few seasons.

So what do you think? Can the Pacers put the pieces together and craft a 2014/15 playoff campaign in a weak Eastern Conference? Or will the loss of George put too much of a burden on a core that’s already been weakened by the loss of Stephenson? Vote below and weigh in with your thoughts!

Poll: Which Rebuild Will Pay Off First?

July 31st, 2014 at 7:54pm CST by Cray Allred

We are well acclimated to claims of “rebuilding” being met with charges of “tanking” when teams aggressively clear veteran salary and acquire assets while plummeting to the bottom of the standings. However you view teams that go into win-later mode, the reality is that many franchises are convinced that the method is the best bet to build a long-term winner.

I’ve summarized the moves for each team that won 25 games or fewer last season. This excludes the Lakers and Kings, teams in the Western Conference with recent records and expectations that typify a rebuild, but front offices using the free agent and trade markets to gain older, more expensive talent in ways that defy a standard rebuild.

Orlando: The Magic began the offseason by trading away their best veteran piece in Arron Afflalo, the kind of move typical for a team doubling down on rebuilding efforts. However, they have since added veteran free agents Channing Frye, Ben Gordon, and Luke Ridnour, all of whom could be more productive as starters then their younger positional counterparts in Orlando. The Magic also added lottery picks in point guard Elfrid Payton and power forward Aaron Gordon to their young core of Victor Oladipo, Nikola Vucevic, and Tobias Harris. Orlando owns all of its future first-round draft picks, and is owed many second rounders in the next few years. Head coach Jacque Vaughn is the longest tenured among these teams, entering just his third season on the bench.
Milwaukee: The new Bucks owners are resigned to a rebuild that will take years to complete, but the team didn’t arrive in this position by design. Milwaukee followed up a playoff berth in 2013 with moves meant to maintain competitiveness, but injuries and poor performance sunk them last season. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo, selected outside of the lottery by the Bucks last year, has proven to be a talent more in line with the top tier of the draft. They added phenom Jabari Parker with this year’s No. 2 pick, as well as head coach Jason Kidd after his unceremonious departure from Brooklyn. The first year of Larry Sanders‘ four-year, $44MM contract kicks in this season, and the team is also locked into pricey contracts with Ersan Ilyasova, O.J. Mayo, and Zaza Pachulia for at least the next two seasons. The Bucks have made modest backcourt additions in Jerryd Bayless and Kendall Marshall this offseason. Milwaukee owns all of its future first-round draft picks, and is owed many second rounders in the next few years.
Philadelphia: Largely viewed as the most calculated tanker in the league, the Sixers haven’t done much to sway that notion this summer, including putting up resistance to a proposed rules change that would decrease the odds that the very worst teams land the No. 1 draft pick. Philadelphia is still below the salary floor for 2014/15, and has yet to sign a free agent despite having a roster that many view as heavy on D-League talent and light on true NBA-caliber players. A year after acquiring Nerlens Noel in a draft-night trade, GM Sam Hinkie drafted two players that the team doesn’t count on seeing on the court this season in Joel Embiid and Dario Saric. The team made a shrewd deal in acquiring Saric, regaining control of its first-round pick in the 2017 draft from the Magic, who received Payton, the Sixers original No. 10 pick. Michael Carter-Williams just won rookie of the year, but Thaddeus Young could still be moved to facilitate a Kevin Love trade and gain Philadelphia even more assets. Brett Brown had little to smile about in his first year as a head coach outside of the team’s surprise 3-0 start, but is a believer in the team’s intentional process. The Sixers will owe their 2015 first-round pick to the Celtics if it falls outside the top 14–a seeming impossibility–but otherwise will convey two second-round picks to Boston, of which they have an abundance.
Boston: Celtics GM Danny Ainge has preached patience, but there have been plenty of rumblings about his eagerness to jumpstart Boston’s rebuilding efforts with a blockbuster deal, the loudest of which surround Kevin Love. So far, Ainge has been forced to stay the course, with a modest free agency period (Bayless and Kris Humpries leaving, Evan Turner arriving, Avery Bradley remaining) bolstered by the additions of No. 6 pick Marcus Smart and No. 17 selection James Young. The team also took on more salary burdens in deals for Marcus Thornton and Tyler Zeller that netted them more future assets. The team is on track to free up cap room in 2015 and 2016, and Rajon Rondo‘s free agency next summer will play a crucial part in where the team is headed, and how fast. Brad Stevens is another sophomore coach that signed up expecting a long-term process requiring patience. The Celtics own all of their first-round picks, and will receive up to six extra first rounders from other teams through 2018.
Utah: The Jazz retained Gordon Hayward this summer, and the 24-year-old projects to be the team’s oldest starter. Utah drafted point guard Dante Exum to play alongside Trey Burke and Alec Burks in a young, developing backcourt. The team let Marvin Williams leave as a free agent, and brought in veteran forwards in Steve Novak and Trevor Booker via the trade and free agent market, respectively. The Jazz let former twin towers Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson walk as free agents prior to the 2013/14 season to make way for their young frontcourt pieces in Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter, who have showed promise but have yet to excel as a post tandem. The team hired new coach Quin Snyder from the Spurs coaching tree, and will hope the rookie coach can bring some of the San Antonio magic to Salt Lake City. The Jazz own all of their picks moving forward, and are owed one first rounder and seven second rounders through 2018.

Which team do you think is closest to seeing the fruits of their rebuild? A team like the Magic would appear to be moving forward more aggressively than the ultra-methodical Sixers, but an impatient shortcut to team improvement could end up stalling a team’s ultimate resurgence. Meanwhile, a team like Boston appears more likely to turn their assets into star players, but until they do, there is less to be excited about from their developing roster than some of the other clubs.

Weigh in with your vote, and state your case in the comments.

Poll: Is Byron Scott The Right Hire For Lakers?

July 27th, 2014 at 9:02pm CST by Zachary Links

While most teams with coaching vacancies scrambled to make their hire prior to the June draft, the Lakers had no problem taking their time. At long last, however, their search just might be over. We’re still waiting on an announcement, but it appears that the Lakers are nearing agreement with Byron Scott on a contract that will make him the 25th coach in franchise history.

In an offseason where coaching neophytes Steve Kerr and Derek Fisher both landed lucrative deals and rising sophomore Jason Kidd jumped ship from the Nets to the Bucks with a hefty pay raise, the Lakers apparently valued experience. Scott’s career 416-521 record on the bench leaves something to be desired, but it’d be unfair to judge Scott purely on wins and losses considering some of the teams he managed, including the LeBron-less Cavs. Scott’s first foray into being a head coach was a rousing success, of course, as he guided the Nets to back-to-back Eastern Conference championships in 2001/02 and 2002/03 after a trying 2000/01. Those Nets were unceremoniously swept in the 2002 Finals by the Lakers but the 2003 team pushed a very talented Spurs squad to a six game series.

The Lakers considered other familiar names for the opening, including Lionel Hollins, George Karl, Alvin Gentry, Mike Dunleavy, and Kurt Rambis, but Scott was likely the pick thanks to his combination of experience and history with the Lakers franchise. Scott’s eleven career seasons in purple and gold was a definite foot in the door and it probably helped that his final season in Los Angeles was Kobe Bryant‘s first. As Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com noted, Bryant recently gave his blessing for the Lakers to hire Scott.

“He was my rookie mentor when I first came into the league,” Bryant said. “So I had to do things like get his doughnuts and run errands for him and things like that. We’ve had a tremendously close relationship throughout the years. So, obviously, I know him extremely well. He knows me extremely well. I’ve always been a fan of his.”

We’re pretty sure we know how Kobe would vote, but we want to know what you think. Is Scott the right man for the job in Los Angeles?

Poll: Should Cavs Deal Wiggins For Love?

July 27th, 2014 at 10:51am CST by Eddie Scarito

Heading into this offseason, the chances of Kevin Love heading to the Cavaliers were slim. But that was before LeBron James decided to return his talents to Cleveland. When LeBron announced his decision to sign with the Cavs, he preached patience, and in a move to lower expectations, implied that the team wouldn’t expect to contend for a championship this coming season.

But acquiring a player of Love’s caliber could certainly accelerate that timetable, which is one reason that Cleveland has seemingly been burning up the phone lines trying to work out a deal to acquire the stat-sheet-filling power forward. The feeling is apparently shared by Love, who, as recently reported, may have formally requested a trade to Cleveland via his agent.

Numerous other teams have been attempting to work out a deal, including the Warriors, Celtics, Lakers, Bulls and Knicks. Golden State still appears to be Cleveland’s main competitors for Love, but the Warriors have expressed an unwillingness to include Klay Thompson as part of the deal, which has stalled talks between the two franchises.

The potential blockbuster deal between the Wolves and the Cavs is being complicated by the insistence of Minnesota coach and president of basketball operation Flip Saunders that Cleveland include No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins as part of any package for Love. Wiggins recently signed with the Cavs, so they will have to wait 30 days before they can officially deal him away. But that is only a minor issue if both franchises are serious about making a trade.

Should the Cavs relent and include Wiggins if it nets them Love? Wiggins has a wealth of potential and could turn out to be a superstar, and the type of player you can build a champion around, but he has yet to play a minute of regular season action. Whereas Love has career averages of 19.2 PPG, 12.2 RPG, and 2.5 APG. He’s also only 25 years old and just entering his prime. The knock on Love of course is that in six seasons he has yet to lead his team to the playoffs, and that he is a subpar defender.

As for Wiggins, his value is more theoretical at this point. There have been numerous players, including first overall draft picks, who enter the league being touted as franchise changing talents, only to disappoint and underperform. The ceiling on the rookie appears to be incredibly high, but is holding onto him and gambling he’ll turn out to be a better player than Love worth the risk?

The other aspect to factor in is the leverage that Cleveland may have gained in the trade talks if Love indeed told the Timberwolves that he would opt out after the 2014/15 season and would not re-sign with the team. And if Love also specifically requested a trade to Cleveland, that could complicate matters further.

Cleveland could also decide to hold off on depleting its young assets and simply play out this season with its current roster, then try to clear enough cap room to sign Love next summer outright. This might allow them to keep Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, and whichever other pieces, including draft picks, that they would have had to ship to Minnesota to get this deal done, but it would still be a challenge. The Cavs already have more than $48MM in commitments for 2015/16, assuming James opts in and the team picks up its option on Dion Waiters.

So now it’s time for you to step into Cavs GM David Griffin‘s shoes and make the call. Do you relent and include Wiggins if it will bring Love’s talents to Cleveland? Or do you draw a line in the sand and refuse to offer Wiggins, even if it potentially costs you a LeBron-Love pairing?

Poll: Evan Turner Vs. Danny Granger

July 21st, 2014 at 5:03pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, the Celtics reached agreement on a deal for a portion of the mid-level exception with Evan Turner. Of course, the former No. 2 overall pick was shipped from the Sixers to the Pacers mid-season in a trade of NBA notables. Danny Granger, who went to Philly, signed with the Heat earlier this month in hopes of joining up with LeBron James. While that part of the plan didn’t quite pan out, Granger will nonetheless look to get his career back on track in a reserve role for Miami.

In 54 games for Philly last season, Turner averaged 17.4 PPG and 6.0 RPG with a career-high (but still below league average) 13.2 PER. Things wound up dropping off when Turner was sent to the Pacers as he averaged 7.1 PPG and 3.2 RPG with a 9.7 PER – a total lower than any he’s had in any full season.

Granger, meanwhile, came to the Clippers (after his release from the 76ers) with hopes of boosting his stock before hitting the open market in the summer. That didn’t quite pan out. Granger averaged 8.3 PPG and 3.6 RPG in 22.5 minutes per night for the Pacers after returning from injury and his numbers only saw a slight uptick when he headed to L.A. Of course, on a two-year, $4.2MM deal, he’s a very worthwhile risk for the Heat if he can get back to being half the player he once was.

Between Granger and Turner, who do you see having the more successful 2014/15 campaign?

Poll: Best Non-LeBron Signing

July 19th, 2014 at 9:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The 2014 free agency period is winding down with most of the top free agents now off the board. Out of the top ten players in Hoops Rumors’ 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings, only Eric Bledsoe and Greg Monroe, both restricted free agents, have yet to find a home for next season.

The biggest news this offseason was of course when LeBron James elected to return his talents to Cleveland–a move not many saw coming. The other big name, Carmelo Anthony, also surprised a few experts when he elected to re-sign in New York, and not leave for Chicago or the Lakers. Those two players were the undisputed prizes of this year’s free agent class.

But which player who changed teams, not named LeBron, was the best signing so far? I’m only including the deals where the player signed with the team outright, which means players involved in sign-and-trade deals aren’t being included in this poll. I also left off Chandler Parsons‘ signing since his average annual value was much higher than the other non sign-and-trade contracts. Here’s the rundown of the main choices:

Luol Deng: Deng went from the Cavaliers, where he was replaced at small forward by LeBron, to the Heat where he in turn replaces James. Deng signed a two-year, $20MM deal that included a player option for the second year. Deng’s career numbers are 16.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 2.5 APG over ten NBA seasons. His career slash lines are .457/.329/.773. Deng will bring defense and tenacity to a Heat team that will have to adjust to life after LeBron.
Lance Stephenson: During the first half of the 2013/14 season, Stephenson looked like a lock to return to Indiana. It was during the second half, after the trade that sent Danny Granger to the Sixers for Evan Turner where the wheels began to come off. There were reports of a practice altercation between he and Turner, and Stephenson’s on court production fell off as well. This was then followed by numerous playoff incidents, including the infamous “ear blowing” incident with James. After turning down a five-year, $44MM offer the Pacers made, Stephenson eventually landed with the Hornets, where he signed a three-year, $27.5MM deal. Stephenson had a career year last season when he averaged 13.8 PPG, 7.2 RPG and 4.6 APG.
Paul Pierce: Pierce was signed by the Wizards after the sign-and-trade deal with the Rockets for Trevor Ariza was completed. Pierce will bring his experience to a young and talented Washington squad that is looking to go deeper into the playoffs next season. Pierce signed a two-year deal worth roughly $11MM. The veteran out of Kansas has averaged 21.3 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 3.8 APG for his career. His lifetime shooting numbers are .447/.370/.807.
Pau Gasol: There was some heavy competition for the former Laker’s services with the Knicks, Spurs, Thunder, and Heat all angling to sign the seven-footer. But in the end, Gasol opted for the Bulls, and the opportunity to play for a playoff contender in the much weaker Eastern Conference. Gasol signed a three-year, $22MM+ deal with Chicago, where they hope his offensive skills can help improve the team’s woeful scoring and lead to a deeper run in next year’s playoffs. In 13 seasons, Gasol has averaged 18.3 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 3.3 APG. His career slash line is .515/.247/.750.
Spencer Hawes: The signing of Hawes gives the Clippers some needed frontcourt depth and his ability to stretch opposing defenses with his jump shot will add to an already formidable offensive team. Hawes was also being pursued by the Suns and the Trail Blazers, but decided that the Clippers offered him the best opportunity. His deal is for four years, $23MM. Hawes’ career averages are 9.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.0 APG and 1.1 BPG. His career shooting numbers are .465/.361/.703.

Poll: Will Duncan, Ginobili, And Popovich All Return?

June 15th, 2014 at 6:12pm CST by Zachary Links

The Spurs could be on the verge of winning their fifth franchise NBA championship and we still can’t help but harp on next season. Such is the bizarre nature of sports and the mindset of the sports fan. Rather than enjoy a beautiful and clear 80 degree sunny day, we want to know if there’s rain in the forecast for tomorrow.

We’ve heard the chatter all season long of will they/won’t they regarding Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and everyone’s favorite interview curmudgeon Gregg Popovich. In the last week, we got some news – we think – on which way everyone is leaning. Popovich, 65, says that he’s still full of energy and hopes to coach beyond this season. Ginobili told NBA Inside Stuff that he hopes to play for one or two more years. Tim Duncan, who indicated that he’s got a “couple” of seasons left in the tank not long ago, seems to be waffling somewhat, telling reporters this week that while he’s leaning towards a return in 2014/15, nothing is decided.

The outcome of this year’s Finals won’t influence LeBron James‘ decision but it could, in theory, weigh in for the Spurs’ aging trio. As we gear up for Game 5, how do you feel about the chances of Duncan, Ginobili, and Popovich all coming back for an encore in 2014/15?

Load More Posts