Hoops Rumors Polls

Poll: Should Knicks Trade Carmelo Anthony?

January 24th, 2014 at 10:56pm CST by Eddie Scarito

It would be an understatement to say the Knicks season hasn’t gone according to plan thus far. The team sits at 16-27, which is good for third place in the weak Atlantic Division. They are also currently tied for tenth in the conference with Cleveland, and two games behind the Bobcats for the eighth and final playoff spot. Even if the Knicks have a second half surge up the standings, they would be looking at a probable first-round matchup with either the Heat or the Pacers. The Knicks chances of advancing past the opening round would appear slim, given the depth and talent of those two opponents.

So the Knicks are at a crossroads, one that is vital to the team’s long-term outlook. It was only a short time ago that the Knicks traded for Carmelo Anthony. Here was the star player that they craved so badly, and even more important, he wanted to be a Knick. The Knicks had missed out on LeBron James after clearing the dead weight from their salary cap to make a run at him, and ended up with Amar’e Stoudemire instead. That rejection definitely stung the organization. So the team tore up its roster in order to make the trade with the Nuggets. After last year’s 54-28 record, with the team, and Melo, making it past the first-round of the playoffs, big things were expected this season. But the loss of some key veteran players in the offseason, a slew of injuries, and many players not meeting expectations, has Carmelo re-evaluating if he wants to remain with the team long-term.

Anthony can opt out of his deal at the end of this season and become an unrestricted free agent. It is a given that he will do so, but what isn’t so sure anymore is him re-signing with the Knicks. They own his Bird Rights, and can offer him the most money in a new deal. But many experts believe that Melo is tired of the losing, and will seek a better situation for himself. Coach Mike Woodson disagrees with that assessment, and stated, “Melo I think is on board. I know he’s on board…He’s going to be there to the bitter end if it’s a bitter end. But right now he’s going to be there. I trust he’s going to stay there. we got to make sure everybody else is on board.” Woodson though, might not be the most reliable source, as he’s been rumored to have lost the locker room, and is firmly on the hot seat as far as his job security goes.

Anthony isn’t the reason for the Knicks woes, as he’s having a very solid season. He’s currently averaging 26.1 PPG, 9.0 RPG, and adding 3.1 APG to those numbers. His slash line is .438/.412/.847. He’s also logging 39.2 MPG, and not receiving much help from the rest of the roster. He also just broke Bernard King‘s team single-game scoring record, dropping 62 on the Bobcats tonight. This total also eclipsed Kobe Bryant for the Madison Square Garden scoring record, which was previously 61.

So the big question is: Should the Knicks trade Carmelo Anthony? If he leaves after the season, the team gets nothing in return. This would not only set the franchise back in terms of on-court talent. It would also make the trade for him seem like a terrible deal in retrospect. The other factor to consider is if Anthony is worth re-signing to what is sure to be a max contract. He turns 30 this May, and has quite a bit of mileage on him. He’s never proven that he’s capable of leading a team on his own to a title, and the Knicks would be paying max dollars for his declining years. Re-signing Anthony would severely limit the other moves the team could make, and possibly prevent them from acquiring the pieces he would need around him to win. He wants to play with another star or two, and his salary would make it difficult for the team to accommodate that wish.

So the Knicks could decide to cut their losses and try to jump start their rebuilding process. That could be easier said than done, however. The first obstacle they will face will be finding a team that can take on his $21,388,953 salary. The Knicks would have to take back a large contract or two to make the trade work. They could trade for an expiring contract, but unless the deal was sweetened with a young player they could add to their core, or they receive a first-round draft pick, they wouldn’t gain anything by trading him. Teams may balk at that price for a player who could end up a half-season rental.

The second major issue would be finding a team that Melo would be willing to re-sign with. The Clippers, Lakers, and Bulls might fit that need. There were rumors about the Clippers having internal discussions about trading Blake Griffin for Melo, but the team dismissed them as false. The Clippers might not want to disrupt their roster in the middle of the season. They also might figure they could try and sign Anthony after the season, and not have to surrender any assets now. The Lakers don’t have much to offer outside Pau Gasol‘s expiring contract, and the Bulls could offer Carlos Boozer and another player. Neither of those last two scenarios would improve the Knicks fortunes.

It’s time for you to play general manager. After examining the situation, what would you do? Would you hold out hope that Melo will stay, either because the Knicks can offer the largest contract, or out of loyalty? Or would you try and find a taker, and hope that you could get something useful for your star? Vote below, and feel free to comment on why you made that particular choice.

Poll: Will Knicks Keep Woodson After 2013/14?

January 23rd, 2014 at 10:07pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Since the 1946/47 season, the Knicks have topped the 50-win mark 13 times. Last year, Mike Woodson led New York to 54 wins, joining Jeff Van Gundy, Pat Riley, Rick Pitino, and Red Holzman as the only five head coaches in Knicks history to accomplish such a feat. The 2013/14 season offers nothing but a stark contrast in comparison to last season’s success, as Woodson’s club stands 15-27 and would have to go 35 and 5 over the remaining 40 games in order to reach 50 wins again.

Earlier in December, after a nine-game losing streak sent the Knicks to a 3-13 record over the first 16 games, Carmelo Anthony publicly admitted that he, along with a few other teammates, became worried about Woodson’s job security (Ian Begley of ESPN New York):

“Yeah, we’re worried about (Woodson’s job). But then again, we’ve got to worry about playing basketball…We can’t worry about the speculation that’s going on outside this building and we shouldn’t…And as a leader of this team, I’ll try my best not to allow that.”

Although a 6-1 record over the new year’s first seven games briefly brought the Knicks into the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, the team’s recent five-game losing streak erased most, if not all of that momentum. It’s also worth noting that Anthony and co-captain Tyson Chandler publicly made comments about lack of adjustments and being “out-schemed” respectively in recent losses to the Pacers and Nets (Marc Berman of the New York Post). Though Chandler would later insist that his comments weren’t a knock on Woodson, Anthony told Ian Begley of ESPN New York: “…whatever’s happening is going to happen and it’s out of my hands and it will get dealt with.”

Whether or not those comments allude to Woodson’s job security can be left to interpretation, though it doesn’t seem that the team’s current situation is any better than it was when Anthony had been worried about the Knicks head coach in early December. With the possibility that the Knicks star exercises an early termination option this summer, it can’t be too far-fetched to wonder if New York would consider severing ties with Woodson if it meant helping their chances at retaining Anthony, especially if the Knicks missed the playoffs or suffered an embarrassing playoff exit. What are your thoughts? At this rate, do you think Mike Woodson will be retained beyond this season?

Poll: Which Hawk Is Most Likely To Be Traded?

January 22nd, 2014 at 11:19pm CST by Cray Allred

The Hawks currently sit at 22-19, good for the third seed in the East. That seeding could hold up, but they are far from secure as a playoff team. Al Horford is gone for the season with a torn pectoral muscle, and the Hawks are only five games away from the nearest non-playoff team at the moment.

The Hawks own the better pick between theirs and the Nets for this upcoming draft, with the worse of the two picks heading to the Celtics. The Nets have been turning things around of late, and that pick (obtained through the Joe Johnson trade) is looking less like a lock for the lottery with every Brooklyn win. The Hawks very well could stay afloat in the dreadful Eastern Conference and gain playoff experience for a fairly young roster, with a chance to advance against atypically weak playoff competition in the East. If they slip, though, it could become tempting to unload some talent to a contender in exchange for assets and a better shot at a premium pick for this year’s hyped draft.

Some players worth a look:

Paul Millsap: Millsap is working on one of the most tradable contracts in the league, with a modest $9.5MM cap hit each season of a short two-year deal, for a highly productive 28-year-old big man.
Jeff Teague: After expressing a desire to leave the Hawks after an extended restricted free agency, the Hawks wound up matching the Bucks’ offer sheet to secure the point guard for $32MM over four years. The Hawks are developing rookie point guard Dennis Schröder, and former Sixth Man of the Year, Louis Williams, is playing his way back from an ACL injury as a point/shooting guard combo.
Kyle Korver: Korver’s contract also stretches over four years, but the cap hit shrinks incrementally from $6.8MM this year to, eventually, $5.2 in the final year. Korver is a historically good three-point shooter, and there are usually contenders in the hunt for a scoring rotation piece as the season progresses.
Al Horford: Horford has three years and $36MM left on his contract, and is sitting out this year due to the aforementioned pectoral injury. The Hawks had also turned away all trade proposals for the center at last report.

What do you think? Will the Hawks make any significant moves before the trade deadline, or hang on to their current foundation?

Poll: Which Piston Is Most Likely To Be Traded?

January 19th, 2014 at 9:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

This wasn’t the result that Joe Dumars had hoped for when he signed Josh Smith to a four-year, $54MM contract, and Brandon Jennings to a three-year, $24MM contract, last summer. The Pistons currently have a record of 17-23, are third in the Central Division, and are tied with the Nets for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. If they hold that seed and make it to the playoffs, they have a first-round meeting with either the Heat, or the Pacers to look forward to. That doesn’t bode well for a deep playoff run.

With the rest of the league trending towards smaller lineups, the Pistons went against the grain with their front court pairing of Andre Drummond (6-10), Greg Monroe (6-11), and Smith (6-9). Josh Smith’s shot selection has come under fire, and Jennings is more of a scorer at the point, than a true facilitator. Currently, the Pistons average 99.4 PPG, good for 20th in the league, while giving up 102.6 PPG, which ranks them 25th overall. The larger front court hasn’t translated into the defensive presence they had hoped for. The Pistons do average 45.1 RPG, which is good for 7th overall.

With the trade deadline less than five weeks away, and the on court results not what they hoped for, the Pistons are expected to be very active on the trade front. Some NBA insiders think the team should take a run at Rajon Rondo, if the Celtics change their minds and make him available. Detroit has a number of assets that may be of value to other teams. Here’s a quick breakdown of the four main players that they could try and use to change their make-up:

Josh Smith, 28 years-old, is playing out of position at small forward, and would be better suited to play power forward. Smith is in the first year of a 4 year, $54MM deal. He’s averaging 15.5 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 3.3 APG. His slash line is: .406/.423/.592.
Greg Monroe, 23 years-old, earning $4,086,454 MM, and set to become a restricted free agent after the season. Monroe is averaging 14.4 PPG, and 8.8 RPG. His slash line is: .503/.000/.632.
Andre Drummond is only 20 years-old, earning $2,462,400 MM this year, and set to make $2,568,360 MM next season. He also has a team option for 2015-2016, of $3,272,091 MM. Drummond’s numbers are: 12.6 PPG, 12.7 RPG, and 1.8 BPG. His slash line is: .601/.000/.379.
Brandon Jennings, 24 years-old, and just signed to a 3 year, $24 MM deal. He’s the team’s leading scorer at 16.4 PPG, and also leads them in assists, with 8.4 APG. His slash line is: .374/.340/.781.

The Pistons can choose to stand pat, but could find themselves in a similar position next season. In addition, Monroe can leave as a restricted free agent, with the team getting nothing in return. So the Pistons have some difficult decisions to make. They could trade Monroe, and hope to get an impact player, or a first-round draft choice in return, though teams might be hesitant to deal a pick for a player they could lose after the year. Dumars could admit that signing Smith was a mistake, and attempt to deal him to a team that can let him return to his natural position, but that contract will be difficult to move. They could try and trade Jennings, similar to what they did with Brandon Knight, and attempt to upgrade at the point. Jennings’ contract isn’t unmovable, and as a young player under team control for two more years, he has value. The least likely to be moved would seem to be Drummond, who is under contract at a reasonable salary for two more seasons.

The Pistons also have other assets they could use to sweeten any potential deal. They could have a decent first-round selection this year, if they fail to make the playoffs. The Pistons keep their pick if they land in the first eight picks. If they make the playoffs, or if the pick falls between say, 9-14, then the pick goes to the Bobcats. They also have Rodney Stuckey, who is making $8.5 MM in the final year of his deal, as well as Charlie Villanueva‘s expiring $8.58 MM deal. So, let us know which of the four starters mentioned you think is most likely to leave Detroit by the February 20th trade deadline, and fill us in on your choice in the comments.

Poll: Which Sixer Is Likeliest To Be Traded?

January 17th, 2014 at 5:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Sixers are clearly in rebuilding mode, with a bargain payroll and just four players making more than $3.2MM this season. One of them is Jason Richardson, who’s been out all year with injury. Philadelphia would surely like to find a taker for his albatross of a contract, but most of the trade talk around the team this season has focused on the other three: Spencer Hawes, Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young.

GM Sam Hinkie is reportedly prioritizing the addition of first-round picks as he scours the market, and apparently he won’t take on a “lesser player” unless the Sixers receive such draft considerations in return. Those sorts of constraints might make it more difficult to pull off a deal, but the consensus around the league seems to indicate that Philadelphia will make a move. The Sixers have begun to more aggressively engage other teams in conversations about Young, according to Grantland’s Zach Lowe, who adds that most executives think it’s a “lock” that Hinkie will try to trade Turner. There’s been less talk about Hawes, but when the Rockets were shopping Omer Asik, they appeared to make Hawes, and not Turner or Young, their primary target.

Hawes will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, while Turner’s free agency this summer will be restricted. Young is under contract through 2015/16, as I noted when I examined his trade candidacy earlier this week. Each plays a different position with a different skill set, offering the Sixers, and other teams, an array of choices. So, let us know which of the three you think is most likely to leave Philly by the February 20th trade deadline, and elaborate on your choice in the comments.

Poll: Where Will Andrew Bynum Sign?

January 14th, 2014 at 8:18pm CST by Cray Allred

Last Tuesday, Andrew Bynum was released by the Bulls on the other side of the trade that sent Luol Deng to the Cavs. While there has been buzz around many potential suitors, he still remains unsigned days after clearing waivers. The 26-year-old 7-footer had worked his way back to playing 20 MPG after losing all of last season to chronic knee injuries. The big man was reportedly prepared to be choosy with where he signed, wanting the best combination of playing status, contending opportunity, and salary available.

However, in recent days Bynum’s choices have been dwindling. Interest from the Heat and Clippers has waned. The Mavericks, who pursued Bynum as a free agent last summer before winding up with Samuel Dalembert, now seems to be a possibility with the latest comments from owner Mark Cuban. Dallas could only offer the minimum salary exception. The Heat and Clippers are contenders that could benefit from frontcourt depth, but are also already in the luxury tax, so a Bynum signing would cost them more than his contract figure. The Clippers have gotten improved play from DeAndre Jordan this year, and the Heat already have two reclamation projects on their roster in Michael Beasley and Greg Oden. The Pacers were linked to the situation, but their presumed motivation of keeping him away from the Heat would disappear if the Heat have truly moved on. The Knicks and Nets are also tax teams, but are more desperate to establish playoff position after rocky starts to the season and a rash of injuries to their frontcourt starters. The Nets are reportedly staying away from the situation, but the Knicks have shown interest.

The short-lived stint with the Cavs was considered Bynum’s shot at proving he could stay motivated and perform at a high level in order to cash in later on a more rewarding contract. Since he didn’t make it through round one of the non-guaranteed contract window, it’s possible that there aren’t any successful franchises willing to let their team become another proving ground for him. It doesn’t make sense for most teams further down the standings to take that risk, since the short-term benefit of a half-season of solid Bynum production would worsen their odds in the vaunted upcoming draft, without any guarantee of the long-term services of Bynum should he play well.

Where do you think he ends up? If and when he’s signed, where will it be?

Poll: Will Luol Deng Remain With Cavs?

January 10th, 2014 at 9:33pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Cavaliers turned their experiment with Andrew Bynum into one of the game’s top perimeter defenders this week, sending the oft-injured center and three draft picks in a trade for Luol Deng. It’s a successful deal for Cleveland, opines Jim Ingraham of The News-Herald. It will become exponentially more beneficial for the Cavs if they can convince Deng, who’s in the final year of his contract, to stay, Ingraham writes.

The Cavs and Deng’s agent, Herb Rudoy, aren’t ready to discuss an extension yet, but Rudoy said those talks will happen at some point. Deng reportedly rejected a three-year, $30MM offer from the Bulls shortly before the trade, so it’ll take more than that to keep him around. A $12-13MM range seems realistic, and Rudoy has also pointed to Andre Iguodala‘s deal with the Warriors, which has an average annual value of $12MM, as comparable to the kind of contract he feels his client deserves. Deng and Rudoy are adamant that they haven’t set the price at $15MM a year, but it looks like they might come close to that.

Cleveland, by rule, can do whatever it takes to keep Deng, since the team has his Bird rights and can give him a deal for up to the max. The Cavs surely aren’t going that high, but the question might not revolve around exactly how much the team is willing to pay him.

Deng has been used to contending for championships in Chicago, and the Cavs are a long way from those kinds of aspirations. GM Chris Grant has promising young point guard Kyrie Irving as the linchpin of his rebuilding effort, but it will take much more to get into the title hunt. Deng could wind up as the most sought-after free agent this summer if he doesn’t sign an extension and if more prominent names like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony take themselves off the market. A team with legitimate championship hopes for next season could prove more attractive, even if they don’t offer quite as much money or years as the Cavs do.

Still, Cleveland has the built-in advantage of Deng’s Bird rights and nearly four months to make an impression. An extension isn’t out of the question, so Deng, who turns 29 this spring, might not even get to free agency.

Let us know what you think Deng will decide to do, and elaborate on your thoughts in the comments.

Poll: What Should Knicks Do With J.R. Smith?

January 9th, 2014 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s been an ugly few months in New York for J.R. Smith, who has had little go right since signing a three-year, $17.95MM contract to remain with the Knicks. Smith has undergone knee surgery, seen his numbers slip across the board, and has been involved in incidents on and off the court, ranging from a suspension for a drug violation to a $50K fine for repeatedly trying to untie opponents’ shoelaces.

It came as no surprise then that a report yesterday indicated the Knicks were exploring the market for trade options involving Smith. The real question though is whether or not the club will actually be able to get anything in a trade for the 28-year-old — the general consensus suggests they won’t. Executives who spoke to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com about Smith jokingly proposed Shanghai or Erie as potential destinations for the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, while one exec said to Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv that “only an idiot” would trade for him.

Of course, it’s very possible that the Knicks know all this already. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports indicated that the club understands there’s no market for Smith and that leaking word of the supposed trade talks represents an attempt to scare him straight.

As we’ve seen demonstrated over and over again, no NBA contract is untradable, and Smith’s salary is modest enough that I think the Knicks could find a taker. The team would likely have to take on a worse contract or throw in a sweetener to get a rotation player in any deal, but it probably could be done. Still, Smith is just a few months removed from finishing the 2012/13 season with 18.1 PPG and a 17.6 PER. It may make more sense for the Knicks to hang on to him in the hopes that he can approach that form again, rather than moving him for pennies on the dollar.

What do you think? What’s the Knicks’ best course of action for dealing with Smith?

Poll: What Should Lakers Do With Pau Gasol?

December 31st, 2013 at 11:01am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this morning, we passed along an overnight report from ESPN that revealed the Cavs and Lakers have discussed a potential swap centered around Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Such a deal would be financially motivated for the Lakers, potentially allowing the club to dip below luxury-tax territory, avoiding the repeater tax, creating some future flexibility, and saving $20MM+. It could also better position them for a top pick in the 2014 draft.

According to ESPN.com’s Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne, the Lakers would still want assets of value in such a deal, but it’s hard to imagine the Cavs parting with a player like Dion Waiters to rent Gasol for a few months. If the Lakers want to acquire real talent, or real future assets, for Gasol, they’ll likely have to take on longer-term contracts than Bynum’s, which would only be worth $6MM if he’s waived by next Tuesday.

The Lakers have set themselves up to have room for a max-salary free agent in either the summer of 2014 or 2015, so taking back long-term salary in exchange for Pau’s expiring $19MM+ contract may not be in the team’s best interests. In fact, Gasol may end up being one of the better free agents on the market next summer, so it could make sense for the Lakers to hang onto him, re-sign him at a lower salary, and pursue other second- or third-tier free agents with their remaining room.

In a perfect world, the Lakers would find a trade for Gasol that allowed the team to cut costs and maintain flexibility while simultaneously adding young talent or future draft picks, but I’d be surprised if that perfect deal materialized. For the purposes of this poll, we’ll assume that the Lakers would have to choose between two kinds of Pau trades: One that cuts costs and increases cap flexibility without adding much real talent, or one that nets the team assets at the expense of future cap space.

So what do you think? What’s the best course of action for the Lakers with Gasol in the coming weeks?

Poll: What Happens To Andrew Bynum Now?

December 28th, 2013 at 9:14pm CST by Jonathan Nehring

News broke this morning that the Cavaliers have indefinitely suspended Andrew Bynum for conduct detrimental to the team. This news started a flurry of rumors regarding Bynum’s future with the Cavaliers. We have put together a comprehensive list of all those rumors. Most of those rumors have included teams that will not be interested in trading or signing Bynum if waived rather than teams that are interested in Bynum. Two teams – the Heat and Clippers, have emerged as teams that would be interested in Bynum if waived.

Due to Bynum’s injury history, the contract he signed with the Cavaliers is not fully guaranteed. This will make the guarantee date of January 7th an important date for Cleveland’s front office. If they don’t trade or cut Bynum by then, they will owe him his entire $12.25MM salary for 2013/14 instead of his only $6MM currently guaranteed salary.

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