NBA Chat With Alex Kennedy 1/18/13

1. Yoichi

   What do players do when they need to use the bathroom during the game ?

   • Alex Kennedy

     What’s up everyone? Thanks for stopping by and submitting your questions. Let’s get started.

     Assuming they can’t hold it until halftime or postgame, they run to one of the bathrooms in the tunnel when they’re on the bench. I know NFL players have to get creative, but it’s pretty easy for an NBA player to sneak away and jog to a nearby bathroom.

2. Deven

   Will Paul Pierce be traded?

   • Alex Kennedy

     It’s possible. He’s an attractive trade chip because he can help a team win today and only $5 million of his 2013-14 salary is guaranteed. Honestly, I think a Paul Pierce for Rudy Gay trade makes sense. The Grizzlies get a veteran small forward who will keep them in contention in the West while shedding costs, especially if they let him go next season. The Celtics get a younger, more athletic small forward who fits better with Rajon Rondo (one of Gay’s best friends), Avery Bradley, Courtney Lee, Jeff Green, etc.

3. Deven

   Do you think that the Lakers season is more dramatic and scrutinized than Miami’s or is it completely different?

   • Alex Kennedy

     I think the Los Angeles Lakers have gotten more coverage, but there was more hatred toward the Miami HEAT.

4. Deven

   How has the system changed within this Brooklyn Nets team? What’s different from Avery’s system?

   • Alex Kennedy

     The Nets’ scoring is up (94.5 points per game under Avery Johnson to 101.8 points per game under P.J. Carlesimo) and they’re shooting the ball much better (43.8 percent from the field to 45.8 percent from the field). They’re also playing better defense, much like they were earlier in the season. Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez are playing better, and MarShon Brooks is being used much more. Carlesimo is doing a great job and making the case that his interim tag should be removed.

5. Deven

   Can we expect alot trades around the February trade deadline with the harsh luxury tax kicking in next season? Any big-name players or just role players?

   • Alex Kennedy

     I don’t expect a ton of trades. We may see a couple, but it seems like all of the names that have been mentioned aren’t going anywhere. Rudy Gay is the most likely to be traded, but I don’t think it’ll be a blockbuster deal. Teams aren’t willing to give up a ton for him, as I wrote yesterday in the NBA PM. Pau Gasol likely isn’t getting traded because there’s not much interest in him. The Kings insist that DeMarcus Cousins isn’t going anywhere, which makes sense since the team’s future is up in the air. Guys like Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani aren’t exactly big-name players. I may be wrong, but I don’t think we’ll see a ton of star players traded at the deadline.

     That’s not a huge surprise, considering there was so much movement over the offseason. Last summer, there were 31 trades involving 96 players. Twenty-nine teams completed at least one trade. Dwight Howard, Andrew Bynum, Steve Nash, Andre Iguodala, Joe Johnson, James Harden, Kyle Lowry, Ryan Anderson, Kevin Martin, Arron Afflalo, Mo Williams, Marvin Williams, Darren Collison, Emeka Okafor, Trevor Ariza, Raymond Felton, Lamar Odom, Devin Harris, Ben Gordon, Corey Maggette, Courtney Lee and Jason Richardson were all traded. After a busy offseason, I don’t expect a lot of trades at the deadline.

6. LA in LA

   I’m a little suspect of Gasol being out over a week with a concussion. Football players, except ones with a history of concussions, almost always come back in a week, and no more than 2. So what’s up with Gasol?

   • Alex Kennedy

     Considering that Mike D’Antoni has benched Pau Gasol four times in the fourth quarter this season and explained it as trying to win games, maybe the Lakers want to see how they perform without Gasol in the lineup. The timing of his knee tendinitis was strange too. Or, it could just be that every player is different and has their own timetable for recovery.

7. Raptor Fanatic

   What is the trade market for Jose Calderon? Been playing insane for the last 22 games. Outside of Utah, I’m not seeing any team who might give up anything of significance to get him (prospect or pick). What do you think?

   • Alex Kennedy

     That’s the problem for the Raptors. There just aren’t many teams that are willing to give up significant assets for Calderon. It also doesn’t help that he’s 31 years old and an unrestricted free agent after the season. He’s not exactly a long-term solution for a team that needs a starting point guard. That’s why there have been rumors that Toronto may package Calderon with Bargnani or go in a different direction and trade Kyle Lowry (who is only 26 years old and under contract for one more year after this one).

8. pizzafor20

   Big if. If Bogut returns to peak form…how good are the Warriors this year and next year and the year after?

   • Alex Kennedy

     Very good. If Andrew Bogut returns to peak form, he makes a huge impact on both ends of the court. I’ve been very impressed with the Warriors this season. It’s amazing that they have been able to win so many games without Bogut. Once he returns, they’ll be even better and could even make some noise in the playoffs.

9. Taki

   I’m a Knicks fan, do you think Kenyon Martin would help the team? I think the Lakers need him more than anyone.

   How much does Shumpert’s return help the Knicks? How much should we expect from him?

   • Alex Kennedy

     I think Kenyon Martin would help the Lakers or the Knicks. I wrote about that recently. Check out the article here. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t understand why Martin is still a free agent. It makes me wonder if teams know something that we don’t.

     I think Iman Shumpert’s return makes the Knicks very scary. Once they’re at full strength, they’ll basically have two starting lineups. Their second unit will consist of Jason Kidd, J.R. Smith, Ronnie Brewer, Steve Novak, Amar’e Stoudemire, Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas. That team is ridiculously deep.

10. William

    Do you agree its time for hawks to move on without smith.

    9 Years is WAAAAAY to long !

    His game has never developed beyond a dunker:

    1. No real back to the basket game
    2. No real ability to take a defender of the dribble
    3. Average mid range game
    4. Jacking up 3′s has always been detrimental to the team because he’s not good at that either

    I commend Ferry for getting rid of that obnoxious Joe Johnson contract because that dude makes more than LBJ, Durant, Wade, CP3 and many others……that was ABSURD !!!

    Now, if Ferry can continue his work of cleansing this team, maybe they can start fresh. They will have a truck load of money to attract a true super-star caliber player.

    • Alex Kennedy

      I think Danny Ferry wants to re-sign Josh Smith this summer. Keep in mind, it’s very hard to attract “a true superstar-caliber player” when you don’t have any stars (or even borderline All-Stars) on your roster. Just ask the Houston Rockets. It took forever for them to land their franchise player.

11. Cain

    What will it take for Derrick Favors to get a shot in Utah? How good can he be? (Along with Paul George one of favorites from 2010 Draft)

    • Alex Kennedy

      Derrick Favors needs an opportunity. Paul George has been great this year because he has been playing more and he’s had a bigger role in Danny Granger’s absence. Favors needs the same thing. As of right now, Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson are standing in the way of his development. Maybe it’ll come later this season if the Jazz decide to move Millsap or Jefferson. Maybe it’ll come next season if they let one or both of those guys walk as free agents. It’ll come eventually, but for now Favors is buried on the depth chart.

12. Cain

    DO you think the Pacers will make a move before trade deadline? or will they bank on Lance Stephenson carrying the bench once Granger returns.

    • Alex Kennedy

      If the Pacers keep playing well, I doubt they’ll make a move. They struggled in the beginning of the season, but they’re finally getting into a rhythm (not counting the loss to the Magic a few nights ago). I think their big addition in February will be getting Danny Granger back from injury.

13. LA in LA

    Do you think that teams truly aren’t interested in Gay or that they’re just getting typical lowball offers that will pick up close to the deadline?
    Or is it really his bloated contract + his lack of efficiency?

    2) Who would you rather have, Rudy Gay or Luol Deng?

    • Alex Kennedy

      It truly seems like teams aren’t interested. Several teams have turned down very reasonable offers because they didn’t want Gay. His contract and poor performance this season seem to be scaring off some teams. I still think Gay is a talented player with a lot of potential. In fact, I would’ve accepted the offers that I heard involving Gay. They involved role players and possibly a draft pick. Nothing too crazy.

14. Jim in CyberSpace

    I don’t know if Iman Shumpert is trying to do his best impersonation of Arsenio Hall…but some elder need’s to pull that young man aside….and take him to the barber shop.

    • Alex Kennedy

      I saw it in person when he came through Orlando. It was impressive. I’ve known Shump since he was in college and it’s been very entertaining to watch him blow up, from the hairstyle to the mixtape.

15. justin

    Can you share a few Jazz rumors with us? Us Jazz fanz live for trade rumors and seem to never get them.

    • Alex Kennedy

      Don’t expect many trade rumors as long as Dennis Lindsey is running things. He keeps his cards close to his chest. He’ll make moves, but you won’t hear about them ahead of time.

16. Anthony

    I saw a report that the Bobcats scouts are advising them to get out of this draft. Are other teams looking at this as such a terrible draft? As a celtics fan I would love to see them trade into the top ten this year.

    • Alex Kennedy

      Most scouts and executives believe there isn’t a potential superstar in this draft. There’s no franchise-changing prospect like a LeBron James or Kevin Durant. With that said, I think this draft has a lot of high-potential players. Even though the very top of the draft is weaker than usual, it’s pretty deep. But for a team like Charlotte, that’ll like land a top pick, it’s easy to see why they’re not thrilled with this draft class.

17. Chris

    Hi Alex. What do you think Greg Oden will end up doing? I feel really bad for him, and hope he can eventually have some semblance of a career.

    • Alex Kennedy

      I think he’ll try to make a comeback next season. He won’t be a superstar, but he may be able to stick around in the NBA for awhile as a role player. Keep in mind, he’s only 24 years old. Don’t count him out yet.

18. tim

    Any clue if Sheed will play again this season? this guy has sat out 15 games with a “sore foot”. Makes me think the team knows something we dont.

    • Alex Kennedy

      He says that he’s going to play again, but people around the team aren’t so sure. We’ll see.

19. Tony

    Any new trade rumors for the Celtics. I just cant see them standing pat. They supposedly almost traded Pierce and Ray last year for the #6 pick and Mayo. I cant see this year being different.

    • Alex Kennedy

      They’re definitely a team to watch as the deadline gets closer. You never know what Danny Ainge has up his sleeve.

      Thanks for submitting your questions. Have a great weekend!