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Poll: Did The Lakers Make The Right Hire?

November 12th, 2012 at 7:51pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, the Lakers made their hiring of Mike D'Antoni official via press release, bringing closure to a bizarre week in Los Angeles. Unsurprisingly, the announcement placed a strong emphasis on how D'Antoni's up-tempo offensive philosophy will make for a strong fit for the 2012/13 incarnation of the club.

"After speaking with several excellent and well-respected coaching candidates, Dr. [Jerry] Buss, Jim [Buss] and I all agreed that Mike was the right person at this time to lead the Lakers forward," said GM Mitch Kupchak. "Knowing his style of play and given the current make-up of our roster, we feel Mike is a great fit, are excited to have him as our next head coach and hope he will help our team reach its full potential."

Of course, Phil Jackson was among the top candidates considered for the position, and, from the outside, it appeared that the job would be his if he wanted it. It turns out that this was the perception from the inside as well, as Jackson claimed earlier tonight that he was told he was offered the job and would have until today to accept. Instead, Jackson was woken up at midnight by a phone call from Kupchak who informed him that D'Antoni would instead take the reins on a three-year deal.

D'Antoni and Jackson were obviously the top two choices for the Lakers gig and it doesn't appear that the club went any further down their list. Former Blazers coach Nate McMillan was viewed as a possible candidate, but was reportedly never contacted by the club. Same goes for longtime Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, who said that he would not lobby for the job without first hearing from Kupchak & Co.

The Lakers are hoping that a reunion between D'Antoni and starting point guard Steve Nash will allow the team to fulfill its vast potential, but there are plenty of question marks when it comes to the former Knicks and Suns head man. While D'Antoni-led teams are known for delivering high-octane offense, they tend to be less-than-tenacious on the other side of the floor, to put it mildly. Having center Dwight Howard to control the low-post should be a major boost to the club, but it's fair to wonder if they'll be playing quality D while putting up shots in seven seconds or less on offense.

Poll: Best NBA Contract

November 11th, 2012 at 5:59pm CST by Sean Highkin

Earlier today, HoopsWorld posted an article debating the best-valued contracts in the NBA. Among the names the writers posited were Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Raymond Felton, Kyle Lowry, and Tony Parker.

Which of these contracts to you think is best? Or is it someone else entirely? Weigh in in the comments.

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Hoops Rumors Polls

Poll: Who Should Be The Lakers’ Next Coach?

November 9th, 2012 at 2:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers have ensured it's an eventful Friday afternoon, dismissing Mike Brown in what former Magic coach Stan Van Gundy called "the most ridiculous firing in the history of NBA," according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. Just five games into the regular season, the Lakers are now involved in a search for their next permanent head coach, with assistant Bernie Bickerstaff taking over in the interim.

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak and executive VP Jim Buss are certainly making phone calls, but for now, Mike Trudell of Lakers.com (Twitter link) says any speculation about the team's new head coach would be just that — speculation. Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld hears from a source that the Lakers have yet to zero in on a specific name, and that "everyone is a candidate" (Twitter link).

Still, there are a number of ex-coaches that make sense for the Lakers to varying degrees. I outlined some of the pros and cons for a few of the high-profile candidates in an earlier post. Now it's your turn to weigh in. Which candidate do you feel is the best fit for the Lakers? Who would you hire if you were running the team? Vote in the poll below, and feel free to explain your choice in the comments section.

Poll: Did Mark Cuban Cost Himself A Ring?

November 8th, 2012 at 5:28pm CST by Alex Lee

It has been nearly 18 months since the Mavericks beat the Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals, but if you take a look at their current roster, it sure seems longer than that. Forced to change their offseason approach after missing out on Dwight Howard and Deron Williams, the Mavs overhauled their roster by adding much cheaper veteran alternatives like Elton Brand, Darren Collison, O.J. Mayo and Chris Kaman. At 4-1 through their first 5 games, their strategy looks like a stroke of genius so far.

However, accoring to Marc Berman of the New York Post, Tyson Chandler said today that he thinks that by blowing up the 2011 title team, Mark Cuban cost himself a second championship. With Jason Kidd now also in New York, Chandler addressed Cuban's post-title decision-making:

"I'm glad because I'm here. It's a great situation. I'm very happy with the situation. I definitely think we had an opportunity to win back-to-back. Unfortunately things were blown up. That's the business side of it."

So what do you think? Had Cuban opted to retain Chandler and Jose Barea, among others, would the Mavericks have won a second title?

Poll: Will Kenyon Martin Sign With An NBA Team?

November 6th, 2012 at 7:06pm CST by Zachary Links

On Sunday, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports reported that Kenyon Martin has yet to even receive even a non-guaranteed contract offer this year. The forward is, predictably, frustrated by the lack of opportunities put him front of him this offseason, but it's fair to say that he misjudged what the market would be for his services. The 12-year veteran wanted a team to fork over the mini-mid level exception for him, which could have been a realistic request under the old CBA.

Now, Martin is anxious to get back on an NBA court and prove that he can still play at a high level while shedding the bad-boy image that has plagued him throughout much of his career. While Martin struggled to contain his emotions on the court in his early years with the Nets, the forward has since learned to control his anger and no longer racks up technical fouls in bunches. He has also learned a valuable lesson from this offseason and now plans to sign with the next club that makes him an offer. The Knicks, Lakers, Mavericks, Nets, Hawks, and Spurs all checked in on Martin this offseason – will one of those clubs come calling again with a contract in hand?

Poll: Will The Bucks Trade Brandon Jennings?

November 5th, 2012 at 8:13pm CST by Zachary Links

While the most of the top players from the 2009 draft class received contract extensions prior to the Halloween deadline, Bucks guard Brandon Jennings did not. The 23-year-old has had an up-and-down relationship with Milwaukee management in his time there, but from the outside Jennings has looked much happier to be with the club. In fact, Jennings reportedly backed down from his desire for a max contract and was seeking just $9-10MM annually on a new deal. That figure was still to rich for the Bucks' blood, apparently, as Jennings is now headed towards restricted free agency this summer.

Jennings recently told reporters that he feels as though he's "kind of auditioning for other teams". Any team that acquires the outspoken one-guard has to be willing to match an offer sheet for him next summer, but his high upside should still give the Bucks plenty of value if they decide to move him. The question is, will the Bucks move Jennings before the trade deadline or are they banking on a weak market for him in the offseason?

Poll: Which Extension Will Provide The Most Value?

November 5th, 2012 at 12:52pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA teams spent big on rookie-scale extensions this offseason, with over $400MM in total salary committed to extensions for eight players. But despite the hefty price tags, more than one of these new deals could turn out to be bargains for their respective clubs.

Of the eight rookie scale extensions signed in the offseason, which contract do you think will provide the most value for its team for the next several seasons? Taj Gibson's relatively inexpensive pact with the Bulls? Ty Lawson's four-year deal with the Nuggets? Maybe James Harden's max-salary extension with the Rockets looks the most appealing after his early-season performance?

Weigh in below with your pick, and feel free to explain your choice in the comments section.

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Hoops Rumors Polls

Poll: Most Impressive Rookie

November 2nd, 2012 at 5:51pm CST by Sean Highkin

Through three days of the NBA season, most of the heavily hyped rookies have made their debuts. In particular, five have had standout first games as pros: New Orleans' No. 1 overall pick Anthony Davis, Washington's No. 3 overall pick Bradley Beal, Cleveland's No. 4 overall pick Dion Waiters, Portland's No. 6 overall pick Damian Lillard, and Toronto's Jonas Valanciunas, drafted in 2011. Charlotte's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist makes his debut tonight.

Which of the five rookies who have made an impact so far have impressed you the most?

Poll: Who Made Out Best In Harden Trade?

October 29th, 2012 at 9:03pm CST by Michael Pina

The Saturday night deal that sent James Harden to Houston continues to send shockwaves throughout the NBA, and will have a significant impact on both the Thunder and Rockets for the foreseeable future. Who made out the best?

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Hoops Rumors Polls

Poll: David Stern’s Performance As Commissioner

October 26th, 2012 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

When it was announced yesterday that David Stern would be retiring as NBA commissioner on February 1st, 2014, reactions and retrospectives immediately started pouring in. Many pundits praised Stern for the work he's done over the last three decades to grow the NBA globally, and plenty of players and executives around the league echoed those thoughts.

Not everyone was complimentary of Stern's tenure as NBA commissioner, however. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports wrote that the longtime commish used intimidation and manipulation to get his way for years, and that his last 15 months on the job will be spent "promoting the myth of David Stern." Grantland's Zach Lowe also points to four lockouts and a string of unpopular decisions, including last year's veto of the Lakers' trade for Chris Paul, as blemishes on Stern's legacy.

How do you feel about Stern's 28+ years as NBA commissioner? Weigh in on the poll below with the grade you'd assign Stern for the job he's done at the head of the Association since 1984.