NBA Chat With Alex Kennedy 12/30/11

1. Ronny

   What do you think about all the recruiting that alot of players are doing now? It seems like most of our top players just want to play with their buddies. I know its probably impossible to be enforced but could the league step in and ban players recruiting players? Leave it to the GM’s

   The way Carmelo, Bron, CP, Dwight and all the others are carrying on makes me love Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant even more for not getting involved in that crap.

   • Alex Kennedy

     It would be very difficult for the league to ban recruiting. How would you police it? David Stern isn’t going to demand phone records and ban players from hanging out. At the end of the day, players realize that they need to team up if they want to compete with the juggernauts like Miami, New York, etc. It isn’t even about players wanting to team up with their buddies anymore. Dwight Howard and Deron Williams aren’t particularly close, they want to win a championship and understand that they can’t do it alone.

2. Shad

   Both Devin Harris and Al Jefferson have been awful fits in Utah, are they tradable?

   • Alex Kennedy

     Al Jefferson is making $14 million this season and Devin Harris is making $9.3 million. Those contracts are pretty bad, especially since they struggled in Utah, as you mentioned. Harris’ deal has one year left after this season, and he’s only owed $8.5 million next year. Jefferson’s deal increases to $15 million next year. Harris is more tradable than Jefferson, but that doesn’t say much.

3. Will

   Do you think Dwight will be playing for the Magic after the trade deadline.

   • Alex Kennedy

     It depends how many wins Orlando has in March. If they’re one of the top seeds in the Eastern Conference, they’ll probably hold onto him and try to convince him to stay as they compete for a championship. However, if they’re struggling and barely a playoff team, they may decide to move him. A lot can happen between now and March so we’ll see where the Magic are at as a team.

4. Mac

   Can we please all admit Kwame Brown has tennis racquets as hands. If he had half the hands of a Josh McRoberts, that 8 million dollar deal would be praised as a bargain. Agree or Disagree?

   • Alex Kennedy

     I completely agree. There’s no question that a few years of college would have helped Kwame Brown’s development, but his hands are probably his biggest weakness. I’ve seen Kwame bobble or drop more passes than anyone. It definitely limits his game. I’m still scratching my head over that signing.

5. Ron

   Where do you think Dwight ends up at deadline?

   • Alex Kennedy

     I think it’ll come down to three cities: Orlando, New Jersey and Los Angeles. Either the Magic will keep him and try to convince him to sign a long-term deal or he’ll be dealt to the Nets or Lakers. There is a growing belief that the Magic will try to compete this season and call Howard’s bluff in July. He would be leaving a lot of money on the table if he were to walk and sign elsewhere as a free agent. If Orlando’s plan fails, they could sign-and-trade him, but I think they still believe keeping him is an option.

6. Dennis

   The Lakers are currently starting Derek Fisher, Devin Ebanks, and Josh McRoberts. I’m sure Los Angeles fans are aware that individually none of the players would even start for the lowly Toronto Raptors. Yet we are to believe that bringing back an injury prone 7 footer will completely turn this ship around. Who are we trying to fool?? As currently constructed the Lakers have 0% chance to win the title. Agree or Disagree?

   • Alex Kennedy

     With Andrew Bynum, they have a slim chance to win the title. I’m not going to completely count out Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Bynum. With those three players healthy, it’ll be difficult but they have a shot. If one of them goes down, that’s when it becomes nearly impossible. I agree that Derek Fisher and Devin Ebanks wouldn’t start for the majority of NBA teams, and it’s very clear that the Lakers have glaring holes. With that said, I’d be very surprised if the Lakers didn’t make a big move prior to the trade deadline.

7. Sweet Dee

   This morning, Yannis’ chat was riddled with questions about Russell Westbook. Asking if they could trade him for Rondo or Nash, etc. Man, are fans tough on players or what. Russell and KD led Oklahoma to the conference finals LAST YEAR!!! And just because Westbrook called his own number a few too many times during the playoffs were calling for his head?? City fans should be begging that man to resign, if not they will take a major step backwards. Agree?

   • Alex Kennedy

     You’re right, fans are extremely tough on players. They’re especially critical of point guards because they’re constantly handling the ball and making big decisions that impact games. After the “fight” between Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, I’m not surprised that fans are talking about trading him. They’re probably the same fans that will praise him next time he has a huge game. At the end of the day, Westbrook is one of the best up-and-coming point guards in the league and he’s only costing the Thunder $5 million this season. I agree that re-signing Westbrook is the best move for OKC going forward.

8. Steve

   Alex,
   Shouldn’t Otis just do the honorable thing and resign?
   He really blew it with a number of bad moves and has burned his bridge with Howard. The party is over. How long is going to pretend otherwise?

   • Alex Kennedy

     We’ve already seen new CEO Alex Martins take on a bigger front office role, which is a start. I don’t think we’ll see Otis Smith resign, but having Martins involved in the decision-making process will help. Martins has met with Dwight Howard, without Smith present, and the two men share many of the same ideas when it comes to changing the culture and building the team. Firing Smith may send the message that the team is willing to start fresh and do whatever it takes to appease Howard, but I don’t think he’ll resign.

9. Steve

   Alex,
   Magic are not using Howard correctly IMO.
   He should be their primary offensive option where he sets up on the block nearly every possession and then the offense plays off of how the defense reacts. This is what teams have dine with great centers in the last but I don’t see it with Magic.

   • Alex Kennedy

     They don’t have the personnel to run their offense like that. They have stockpiled shooters, which is why they keep so many players on the perimeter and force teams to either play Howard or play their perimeter scorers. Dwight Howard does touch the ball on nearly on possession, but oftentimes he’s kicking it back out to open shooters. When the Magic’s shots are falling, they’re tough to beat. When they’re in a shooting slump, they struggle against the league’s bottom feeders. You never know which Magic team is going to show up. This season, they’re giving him more post-up opportunities in the past, but you’re right that he doesn’t set up on the block on nearly every possession. If Howard gets traded or sign elsewhere, he’ll likely play a more traditional role and be the primary option.

10. George

    What is the main problem you see with the Kings this year? It looks to me that is a lack of effort/fundamentals, which falls on Westphal.

    • Alex Kennedy

      I’m friends with a number of players who have played for Paul Westphal and they’re all extremely critical of his coaching. Lack of effort seems to be a common problem on Westphal-coached teams. With that said, the Kings have played the Lakers, Blazers and Bulls. As a young team, it’s surprising that they won one of those games. Their schedule gets easier over the next couple of weeks and we’ll see how they stack up against other teams on their level.

11. James

    Why is everyone so enamored with the Bulls I see the same team as last year? Rip isnt 2004 rip, this is 2011-2012 isnt it? Beside who is rip stopping on the defensive end?

    • Alex Kennedy

      Seeing the same team as last year isn’t necessarily a bad thing. They won a league-best 62 games despite having eight new players, a first-year head coach and a number of significant injuries. Now, their core has developed chemistry, which is scary for the rest of the league. The addition of Richard Hamilton will help, but the people are so enamored by the Bulls because they were a contender against all odds last season and should be even better this year if they can stay healthy. Chicago is extremely well-rounded and has a lot of potential.

12. Tim

    Do you see a deal with the Knicks Howard, Turk, for Chandler, Stoudemire. I cant imagine Howard not wanting to go there. Or what about Horford and Johnson, for Howard Turk. Both those deals leave the Magic in a solid position.

    • Alex Kennedy

      The Atlanta offer is intriguing. I know for a fact that the Hawks tried to get involved in the Dwight Howard sweepstakes several weeks ago, and they were confident that their offer of Josh Smith and Joe Johnson was being considered. However, it wasn’t enough for Orlando. At some point, the Hawks need to consider trading Al Horford. They had the opportunity to acquire Deron Williams prior to last year’s trade deadline, but they weren’t willing to part with Horford. The Magic would want Horford back because they want a big man to build around. Howard would love to play in his hometown of Atlanta, especially if the Hawks keep Smith because that’s his best friend in the league. They could emerge as an interesting suitor as the March trade deadline gets closer.

13. steve

    After last nights game, I am wondering why Dwill isn’t demanding a trade to play with D12. Agree? I think there is more to this saga than meets the eye.

    • Alex Kennedy

      Deron Williams and Dwight Howard want to play together. That has become very clear. They have talked about it and even met for dinner on Wednesday night. While they would love to team up in Brooklyn, that may be difficult with Brook Lopez’s injury and Orlando’s ownership refusing to trade Howard. The Nets have gotten off to a rough start and if the team continues to struggle, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Williams demand a trade to Orlando. While they could both decide to wait out this year and sign together this summer, I doubt Deron Williams (who will be 28 years old in June) wants to waste a year of his prime if New Jersey ends up being a bottom feeder in the Eastern Conference. This saga is far from over and there may be a few more twists and turns before it comes to an end.

14. Enrique

    Happy New Year! Why in the world will Howard not consider the Bulls? I’m starting to think that there’s a bit of professional jealousy around the league towards D. Rose. Thanks.

    • Alex Kennedy

      Happy New Year! I think Dwight Howard wants to be the man. If he’s playing with Derrick Rose in Chicago, he’ll be playing second fiddle to the reigning MVP in his hometown. If he’s playing with Deron Williams, he’s the face of the franchise. It’s as simple as that. He wants help, but he doesn’t want his star teammate to overshadow him. He’s Batman and he wants a Robin, a sidekick who’s a notch below him. That’s just my opinion.

15. Chris

    Hi Alex. What do you think of this trade proposal? Miami gets Carlos Boozer and Omer Asik and Chicago gets Chris Bosh. The Bulls get a consistent, young second option AND the Heat, while downgrading a hair at PF, get a solid starting center.

    • Alex Kennedy

      Chicago would love it, but Miami would reject it. Going from Chris Bosh to Carlos Boozer is more than “downgrading a hair.” Bosh is three years younger and much more productive than Boozer. Omer Asik sweetens the deal, but he’s not enough to make the Heat pull the trigger. If Miami decides to shop Bosh, they can find a better offer than that.

16. rodney

    Aslo I’ve been a big fan of ryan anderson since he steped foot in a magic jersey and fought adamently that he should of always of started over bass.

    Do you think with the numbers he is putting up offensivly that if he could keep his per percent up and averafe like 7 to 8 boards a game that he could develop into a star soon?

    And when dwight is traded eventually that the magiC should begin to rebuild around ryan?

    • Alex Kennedy

      Ryan Anderson is a great role player and he has been very productive this season. With that said, I don’t think you can build a team around Anderson. He’s excellent at catch-and-shoot plays, but he struggles to create his own shot. If he were the focal point of a team, it’d be easy for opposing defenses to take him out of the game. He has been a pleasant surprise this season and he’s a bargain at $2.2 million, but I don’t think he’ll ever be a star. He still needs to improve as a defender and rebounder, and Stan Van Gundy will be the first person to tell you that. I like Ryan and at 23 years old, he still has plenty of potential, but I don’t see him becoming a franchise player down the road.

17. Michael

    Are the Clippers pursuing Dwight?

    • Alex Kennedy

      I’m sure that they’re monitoring the situation. The real question: What would they be willing to give up? DeAndre Jordan and scraps won’t get it done. They would love to have Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and Dwight Howard, but I can’t see it happening.