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Poll: Should Knicks Trade Iman Shumpert?

November 18th, 2013 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Outside of perhaps Omer Asik, no player has been involved in more trade rumors in the first month of the season than Iman Shumpert. Shumpert has been linked to the Nuggets and Celtics, among other teams, and is reportedly drawing leaguewide interest, though nothing is imminent.

There are a number of reasons why Shumpert finds himself at the center of so many trade rumors early in the 2013/14 season. The 23-year-old is viewed as potentially expendable because the Knicks already have players like Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith, and Metta World Peace at the two and three. More importantly, with the Knicks off to a slow start, they have holes that need filling, and Shumpert represents their best trade chip. New York has traded away most of its draft picks and doesn’t have another player with Shumpert’s combination of youth, upside, and affordability.

Still, Shumpert’s youth, upside, and affordability are also prime reasons for the Knicks to hang on to him. For a team overloaded with aging players on expensive multiyear contracts, Shumpert is perhaps the only Knick who has yet to reach his ceiling. The club isn’t so overloaded on the wing that there’s no room for the third-year swingman, particularly if Carmelo plays power forward more frequently. Depending on what sort of value they can get back in a deal, rushing to deal Shumpert may backfire on the Knicks in both the short-term and the long-term.

The Nuggets reportedly wanted a first-round pick in addition to Shumpert for Kenneth Faried, while the Celtics quickly shot down the idea that a Shumpert-centric package could land Rajon Rondo. In other words, it’s unlikely that the Knicks could acquire an impact player for Shumpert alone. Taking that into account, is it worth it for New York to trade him, or would the club be better off keeping him and hoping he starts to deliver on some of the potential he’s shown?

Poll: Should The Rockets Trade Omer Asik?

November 16th, 2013 at 7:40pm CST by Jonathan Nehring

With Omer Asik out of the Rockets lineup tonight it is becoming more evident that Asik and the Rockets may be parting ways shortly. This should not come as a surprise as Asik asked for a trade in July after the Rockets signed Dwight Howard in free agency. Houston has been shopping Asik around but it appears the team is asking too high a price for him.

As Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors points out, Asik’s backloaded contract may change the playing field of NBA teams looking to trade with Houston. The same trap Houston created to deter the Bulls from resigning Asik when he was a restricted free agent may be the same trap that hinders the Rockets from getting rid of Asik this season.

Teams may also shy away from signing Asik due to his performance decrease so far this season. While Asik has averaged 10 minutes less this season than last year, he has only scored half the points per game he did last season (10.1 PPG in 12/13; 5.0 PPG in 13/14) and is down to 7.2 RPG instead of his 11.7 RPG last year.

Should the Rockets hold on to an unhappy Asik until he buys into the new Houston system or should they try to get rid of the bad chemistry as soon as possible?

Poll: Who Will Be 2014’s First Overall Pick?

November 13th, 2013 at 9:53am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s Monday night schedule featured four games, but for many basketball fans, the focus wasn’t on the Heat, Lakers, or Warriors, but rather the Wildcats, Jayhawks, and Blue Devils. The NCAA’s Champions Classic in Chicago featured four top college teams, each of whom could eventually see multiple players selected in the first round of the 2014 draft. And top prospects like Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, and Julius Randle didn’t disappoint — Parker and Randle each poured in 27 points, while Wiggins held his own with 22 points and eight rebounds.

For fans of subpar NBA teams, it was a tantalizing preview of what figures to be a season-long race for the top spots in next year’s draft. Wiggins has long been considered the favorite to come off the board first, but as ESPN.com’s Jeff Goodman tweeted last night, while the Kansas forward may be the leader, he’s far from a lock. Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com (Twitter link) expressed that sentiment in even stronger terms, calling the race for the No. 1 spot “wide open,” with multiple great options in the mix.

In addition to the three top prospects who played in last night’s games, point guards Dante Exum and Marcus Smart shouldn’t be ruled out of the discussion for 2014’s first overall pick. Heading into Tuesday’s games, ESPN.com’s Chad Ford ranked Exum above Parker on his big board, and tweeted last night that he wished Exum could be in Chicago to show his stuff as well. Smart, meanwhile, will at least have a small advantage in experience over his fellow top-five prospects, after deciding to return to Oklahoma State for his sophomore year. Ford’s No. 5 prospect doesn’t have the most upside among 2014 prospects, but if he makes strides on his ballhandling and jump shot this season, he’ll make for a very tantalizing option next June.

The race for the No. 1 pick figures to be one of the season’s most entertaining stories, particularly for NBA teams without serious playoff aspirations. As Sam Amick of USA Today observed last night (via Twitter), more than one NBA club had five reps in Chicago last night, attempting to get as many sets of eyes as possible on the next generation of stars.

What do you think? Is Wiggins still the likely No. 1 pick next June, or has the early-season play of either Parker or Randle changed your mind?

Poll: Should Wolves Trade Derrick Williams Now?

November 12th, 2013 at 7:04pm CST by Chuck Myron

One of the NBA’s most frequently mentioned trade candidates over the past couple of years appears to be on the block again. Team executives from around the league tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports that the Timberwolves are making Derrick Williams available in trade talks, as we passed along earlier today. The Wolves are also shopping Alexey Shved, according to the report, but Williams is the much more intriguing name.

The news comes just two and a half weeks after the Timberwolves committed to Williams through 2014/15, picking up the former No. 2 overall pick’s option for more than $6.3MM next season. That could make Williams either more difficult or easier to trade, depending on how rival clubs view him. Timberwolves president Flip Saunders and GM Milt Newton surely hope they can find a team that still believes in the potential that made Williams such a high draft selection and sees his $6.3MM+ salary next season as a potential bargain. The option pickup also allows Williams to remain on track for restricted free agency, furthering his value to a team that has faith in him.

Conversely, Williams no longer has value as an expiring deal, and teams that feel as though his career lows of 5.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in 17.3 minutes this season are more reflective of his worth than his draft status might not be willing to commit for two years. The Timberwolves appear ready to improve their roster now to demonstrate to potential 2015 free agent Kevin Love that they’re serious about winning, but that could be tough to accomplish with Williams off to such a slow start.

There are teams that see Williams as an intriguing buy-low candidate, as Grantland’s Zach Lowe reports. Of course, that would make Williams a “sell-low” proposition for the Wolves, so perhaps now isn’t the right time for a trade. Still, if Williams continues to languish on Minnesota’s bench and gets farther removed from his days as a promising college prospect, his value may only decrease.

Let us know if you think it’s time for the Wolves to pull the trigger on a Williams deal, and elaborate on your thoughts in the comments.

Poll: Should The Knicks Make A Move?

November 9th, 2013 at 8:41pm CST by Jonathan Nehring

Earlier this week, Tyson Chandler went down with a right fibula injury that will sideline him for four to six weeks. For the time being, power forward Andrea Bargnani has been filling in for Chandler but with only him and Cole Aldrich available at center, the Knicks may be forced to make a move in the coming weeks.

Additionally, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reported earlier today that Iman Shumpert‘s trade value seems high, and much higher than how the Knicks currently value him. Isola suggested Kenneth Faried of the Denver Nuggets as a possible trade candidate who would interest the Knicks.

As our roster counts show, New York is currently at the 15 player max. This means signing any free agent would subsequently force the Knicks to release a current player on their roster. Available free agent big men the Knicks have been rumored to be interested in include Jason Collins and Louis Amundson.

Should the Knicks trade for a big man, sign a free agent, or stay put?

Poll: Will Danny Granger Stay With The Pacers?

November 9th, 2013 at 10:44am CST by Zachary Links

Pacers guard Lance Stephenson says that he’s confident he’ll be staying put, even though his bargain basement ~$1MM deal expires at season’s end. “It’s a long season, I’m not thinking nothing about contracts,” Stephenson said. “I’m going to stay with the Pacers, so I’m not even thinking about the contract.” Meanwhile, team president Larry Bird constantly tells Stephenson that he’s the next one to get a new deal after teammates Roy Hibbert, David West, and George Hill have all received contract extensions over the last two years. Barring something unexpected, it looks like Stephenson will be in Indiana for years to come. However, the same can’t be said for former franchise cornerstone Danny Granger.

After missing the bulk of 2012/13, Granger is in the final year of his contract. The Pacers have about $60.6MM in commitments for next season thanks to Granger and a few others coming off of the books, leaving them about $15MM shy of the luxury tax threshold – which they will not go over – with two notable players eligible for the open market. Stephenson probably won’t see $10MM+ per season, but a deal with an average annual value closer to $8MM would make sense for the 23-year-old. With a big chunk of their breathing room going to Stephenson and at least some of the remainder being allocated elsewhere, there isn’t a ton of space for Granger. Even if he halves his $14MM+ salary for this season, it’s an unlikely squeeze, barring a significant trade.

It stands to reason that Granger’s future rests upon how well he does when he returns to the hardwood in a couple of weeks. If Granger shows that he is still somewhat near his All-Star form, it’s hard to see the Pacers being able to carve out enough space for him. If he appears to still be a work in progress as he rehabs his patellar tendinosis, then the Pacers could conceivably find a way to keep him on a low-risk deal at the end of the season. Of course, there’s another possible outcome: Granger looks sharp over the first half of the season and becomes a strong trade chip for Indiana at the deadline. How will things play out?

Poll: Will Stephen Jackson Play In NBA In ’13/14?

November 8th, 2013 at 2:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Sports agency Interperformances announced today that it has added Stephen Jackson to its list of clients. While no reason was provided for the change, I speculated that perhaps Jackson was disappointed in the ability of his previous reps at Relativity Sports to secure him an NBA job for this season.

Jackson, 35, was last seen appearing in 55 games for the 2012/13 Spurs, a team that eventually came within a miracle Ray Allen three-pointer of winning the NBA Finals. It’s hard to argue that Jackson played a huge role in San Antonio’s success. Not only were his averages of 6.2 PPG and an 8.0 PER his worst in over a decade, but the team also released him during the last week of the regular season, replacing him with Tracy McGrady for the postseason.

Still, one of the league’s best teams made Jackson a part of its rotation for the majority of the season. Despite his declining numbers, that seems to suggest the veteran small forward has something left in the tank, so it’d be a little surprising not to see him return to the NBA at some point.

In Jackson’s case, of course, his availability can probably be attributed less to his talent than to his strong personality and his unrealistic expectations. Reports that surfaced following his release from San Antonio suggested Jackson was unable to admit that players like Manu Ginobili and Danny Green were better than him. Although he may have been humbled by the experience, it’s still hard to imagine Jackson accepting a non-guaranteed, minimum salary contract, which may be the most an NBA team is willing to offer right now.

ESPN.com’s Marc Stein predicted earlier this week that Jackson will be back in the NBA, since teams are more inclined to roll the dice on veterans who have extensive playoff experience and the ability to be difference-makers. It wouldn’t surprise me if Stein is right, but on the other hand, we recently saw a player like Michael Redd slip quietly into retirement. Even though Redd was more efficient in 2011/12 than Jackson was last season, the longtime Buck was unable to land another NBA contract.

What do you think? Will we see Jackson in the NBA this season?

Poll: Will Andrew Bynum Retire Early?

November 7th, 2013 at 9:41pm CST by Ryan Raroque

I remember attending the Long Beach Summer Pro League back in 2006, and one of the scheduled matchups pitted the Grizzlies – featuring Hakim Warrick and then-rookie Kyle Lowry – against newly drafted Jordan Farmar and the Lakers. Though it’s difficult to recall most of the remaining players who suited up for that particular game, I do remember seeing 19-year-old Andrew Bynum matched up against Andreas Glyniadakis at the center position. Though he finished with 12 points, Bynum seemingly had his hands full that afternoon, committing six fouls in 20 minutes and appearing a bit out of rhythm.

Two of the biggest question marks surrounding Bynum as he entered the league was how he’d fare having to fill the void at center after the departure of Shaquille O’Neal, and how he’d handle developing in a city that had been accustomed to competing for championships. During his sophomore season that year, he averaged 7.8 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 1.3 BPG. In 2007/08, Bynum posted 13.1/10.2/2.1, and despite being limited to 35 games, continued to show promise as a potential franchise cornerstone. HIs scoring averages would increase to 14.3 and 15.0 respectively over the next two seasons, and just a little over four years after that forgettable performance in Long Beach, Bynum would be celebrating his second consecutive NBA title as the team’s starting center.

Though he struggled with injuries during his seven-year stint in Los Angeles, he statistically peaked in his final year with the Lakers, appearing in 60 games and scoring 18.7 PPG on 55.8% shooting, grabbing 11.8 RPG, blocking nearly 2 shots per night, and would consequently earn his first All-Star berth. Unfortunately, Bynum wouldn’t be able to follow up in 2012/13, as injuries kept him from playing a single game for the 76ers. Cleveland appeared to present another chance at returning to prominence, though it appears that things don’t seem to progressing as well as he would like.

Earlier today, we heard that Bynum’s continued battle to stay healthy has mentally taken it’s toll, and he says he can’t enjoy playing the game knowing that he’s unable to completely do what he used to (Keith Pompey of Philly.com):

“It’s tough to enjoy the game because of how I am physically. I’m certain that I will work through the pain…My health is my concern…My knees are my knees. They’re not going to get better. They are what they are. And that’s really it.”

For some, the period of NBA prime arguably lasts between ages 26-33. While it’s hard to believe that he’s already considering retirement at 26, if you consider what he’s already accomplished in the league at this point, do you think Bynum will ultimately retire early?

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Poll: Will Suns Trade Goran Dragic?

November 5th, 2013 at 4:54pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns have made a number of major trades since the end of the 2012/13 season, but arguably none were bigger than the three-way deal that sent Eric Bledsoe to Phoenix. In Bledsoe, the Suns acquired a player capable of being a starting NBA point guard, and one with star upside.

While the trade itself was a coup for the Suns, skeptics immediately questioned how Bledsoe would fit with incumbent point guard Goran Dragic, the club’s most productive player last season. Team executives insisted the two players could coexist in Phoenix’s backcourt, but there were rumblings that Dragic, an acquisition of the old regime, could be shipped out by new GM Ryan McDonough.

McDonough denied that he was interested in moving Dragic, and things got a little more interesting when the Suns failed to work out an extension with Bledsoe last week. That means the former Clipper will be a restricted free agent next summer, and will likely be in line for a much larger salary than the $7.5MM being earned annually by Dragic. I wouldn’t expect Phoenix to let Bledsoe walk, but it sounds like a sign-and-trade isn’t out of the question, if the price tag gets too high.

Keeping both Bledsoe and Dragic long-term doesn’t make much sense for the Suns, since each player represents a valuable asset that could be turned into a productive piece at another position. Still, that doesn’t mean that the club won’t ride out the 2013/14 season with both players still in tow.

What do you think? Will Dragic be the next veteran player moved by the Suns, or will he stay put through this season’s trade deadline?

Poll: Will Raptors Trade Rudy Gay?

November 4th, 2013 at 10:41am CST by Luke Adams

When I wrote about Rudy Gay‘s contract situation two months ago, I described the Raptors forward as both an extension candidate and a trade candidate, depending on how the team thought he fit into its long-term plans. According to ESPN.com’s Marc Stein, that’s also how GM Masai Ujiri viewed Gay heading into training camp. Stein wrote on Friday that Toronto would have been willing to consider an extension for Gay if the club liked what it saw in camp.

Now, however, Stein suggests that there’s a “strong sense” the Raptors are open to trading anyone on their roster not named Jonas Valanciunas. While there are other potential trade candidates in Toronto, including DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, Gay looks like the most obvious chip. He’s still an 18 or 19 PPG player, and may be on an expiring contract, since he has a player option for 2014/15 that he could turn down in favor of a longer deal.

Gay’s $17.89MM salary will be a deterrent when it comes to finding a trade partner, but if the Raptors were willing to take a big salary back, along with an asset or two, it’s not hard to imagine them finding a taker. Non-tanking teams hoping to earn a playoff spot this season and needing one more piece to get there could show interest in Gay. The Bucks, Wizards, Bobcats, and Cavaliers are among the candidates that come to mind, and that’s just in the East.

So what do you think? Will Ujiri do what he did in Denver with Carmelo Anthony and Nene, striking a deal that ships his highest-paid player out of town? Or will the Raptors play out the season with Gay in the hopes of landing a playoff spot themselves?