NBA Chat With Alex Kennedy 2/27/13

1. Hennigan

   Alex, people are bustin my chops for the Redick trade. What they dont realize is we got an expiring contract back so our cap doesnt take a hit. We also got back a combo forward with nice potential to shore up our front court, which by the way consists of 2 second yr players and 2 rooks all on rookie contracts with team options for the 14-15 season. Which also happens to be the year we will have mad salary cap space. So these 4 youngins, plus the next 2 years of very high lottory picks, plus mad cap space in 2 years spells great looking future to me. Thoughts?

   • Alex Kennedy

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

     The reason people criticized the Orlando Magic’s return for J.J. Redick was because in the weeks leading up to the deadline, everyone thought Orlando would get back a first-round pick and young players for Redick. However, that was always unrealistic. Teams don’t part ways with key assets like that to acquire a player who is approaching unrestricted free agency. The fact that the Magic were able to land a very talented young player in Tobias Harris, who has been great so far, a prospect in Doron Lamb and a large expiring contract in Beno Udrih was impressive. Redick wasn’t part of Orlando’s long-term plan so cashing him in was the right move. This was a good trade for the Magic, and one that had to be made.

     I agree with you that Rob Hennigan has a solid plan in place. We’ll see if he can continue to stockpile young talent and then turn this team into a contender in several years. The pieces are in place, but that also takes a lot of luck. We’ll see what happens.

2. Marcus

   Do you think any teams will amnesty big names this summer now that the CBA has teams tightening up financially. Pau? Boozer? Amare? I can’t figure out how the Lakers re-sign Howard without moving Pau or Kobe and compete next season.

   • Alex Kennedy

     It’s hard to justify amnestying a player who isn’t causing problems. Most owners don’t enjoy paying a player to go away, especially if they can still contribute to some extent. Players like Pau Gasol and Amar’e Stoudemire may not be playing at a high level anymore, but are they bad enough to amnesty them? Probably not. Teams will usually try to make it work or trade those players before writing that check. Amnestying a player is a last resort. More likely amnesty options for this summer are Tyrus Thomas and Drew Gooden.

3. Eric Gordon

   If NO has a chance to draft Noel, should they? That would be a pretty sweet inside presence between Davis and Noel.

   • Alex Kennedy

     I think that would make a lot of sense for New Orleans. In a few years, nobody would be able to score on the Hornets down low. It also helps that Anthony Davis and Nerlens Noel are friends. I like that move for the Hornets – let’s get Dell Demps on the phone. With that said, it wouldn’t surprise me if Noel went earlier, simply because he still has a ton of potential and executives will probably fall in love with him during the pre-draft process despite his injury.

4. LA in LA

   Hey Kennedy:

   1) I’m surprised the Bucks failed to move one of their 6 or 7 bigs.
   2) Do you think Ellis can actually get more money than he would if he invoked his option?Every team should read Zach Lowe’s article on him before paying him anything.
   3) Will you enjoy chats more or less now that there aren’t any trade rumors to discuss?

   • Alex Kennedy

     1) It wasn’t for lack of trying. The Bucks were one of the most active teams in the weeks leading up to the deadline. They talked with everyone and weighed a number of scenarios. Milwaukee had options, but they weren’t going to make a trade just to make a trade.

     2) He would be taking a pay cut from the $11 million he would make next season, but he would extend his career and have more long-term security. A lot of players choose to do that rather than just taking the larger single-season salary. I agree with you though. Teams need to be careful and understand what they’re getting before they throw a ton of money at Ellis.

     3) I will miss the trade rumors, but there is still plenty to talk about. Playoffs are just around the corner and then we’ll get into free agency talk, which is just as fun.

5. D

   Quite a few Magic fans i know enjoy watching KOQ and DeQuan Jones,and are impressed with the energy,effort and production,even in limited minutes.We already know about Nicholson and Harkless,but do you think KOQ and Jones deserve to be on the roster next year.

   • Alex Kennedy

     I think they deserve a shot. I love Kyle O’Quinn. I got to know him during the pre-draft process when he was training at Impact Basketball in Las Vegas. He’s the ultimate glue guy and if he’s not on the Magic, he’ll end up on another NBA team. He may be the funniest player in the NBA and every team needs a guy like that in the locker room. He’s very positive and supportive, and he brings the team together. I have nothing but praise for O’Quinn.

     He and DeQuan Jones are two guys who never expected to be on an NBA roster. They were both overlooked for much of their lives and then burst onto the scene. Those are the kind of guys who end up having long careers because they know their role, they hustle harder than anyone and they don’t have the ego that a lot of these NBA players have developed because they were pampered and praised from the time they hit puberty.

6. Steve

   Hey Alex, What are your thoughts on the Bucks aquiring JJ Redick? Since he’s going to be an UFA, do you consider him just a rental or could you see him re-signing with the Bucks?

   • Alex Kennedy

     I’m a huge fan of Redick. I watched nearly every game that he played in Orlando and he has improved so much over the years. He has developed into a very good scorer, underrated facilitator and intense defender. He’s also an excellent leader, which the Bucks could use in their locker room. I thought it was a great addition for Milwaukee and the perfect way to bolster their roster for a postseason run. I’m sure he’ll consider re-signing with the Bucks, but I know there will be a lot of teams pursuing Redick this summer. He has a lot of fans around the league. The Bucks were certainly have some competition from other executives as they try to re-sign him.

7. John

   Motiejunas is starting for the first time for the Rockets tonight. How well is he prepared for that role in the NBA?

   • Alex Kennedy

     I’m excited to see how he plays. He’s still raw, but he has shown glimpses of brilliance when given an opportunity to play. I’ve seen him play against D-League and Summer League competition and I’ve been impressed. We’ll see what he can do tonight. If he can develop into a rotation player and start to realize his potential, the Rockets will have yet another young stud who can either become a contributor or trade chip for Daryl Morey.

8. Ray

   Do you think Beal and Waiters will be two of the new young star SG’s in a year or two?

   • Alex Kennedy

     It’s definitely possible. They are excellent scorers and they have a ton of upside. If you look around the NBA, there aren’t many up-and-coming star shooting guards outside of James Harden. Most of the top shooting guards in the league are older and the younger guys who have experienced success still have a lot of question marks surrounding them (such as Eric Gordon). Bradley Beal, Dion Waiters, etc. could become stars and part of that next wave of great two-guards.

9. Caitlin

   What do you think would theoretically be the best strategy for the Celtics to take moving forward? I have heard some analysts say the only way to rebuild into contender status is through the lottery. I am of the opinion that it would be better to utilize the cap space when KG and Pierce decide to retire and sign free agents around one of the league’s top 3 pgs, Rondo. If the Celtics could potentially sign Smith over the summer, this seems like a better “rebuild” than spending years in the lottery. What are your thoughts?

   • Alex Kennedy

     Rebuilding through the lottery is the best option for a team that doesn’t have much going for it. If you’re a blank slate, the lottery is your friend. After LeBron James left Cleveland or Dwight Howard left Orlando, these teams were left with young players and that’s about it. The lottery was the best way for them to turn things around because they weren’t going to attract free agents or have the assets to trade for good players.

     The Celtics don’t find themselves in that position. Even after Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are gone, they’ll still have an All-Star in Rajon Rondo, who many players would love to play with. Players will always want to play alongside the guy who leads the league in assists and has the potential to get them easy baskets. I’m with you. Boston doesn’t need to start from scratch and go through the lengthy lottery rebuild. Adding prospects may be part of the plan, but signing free agents and trading for talented players to put alongside Rondo should also be a priority for Danny Ainge.

10. May

    Some have recently speculated that the Thunder would have been better this year if they had extended Harden instead of Westbrook. I have also read that many think the team would have been better if the Thunder would have pulled the trigger on a rumored deal that would have swapped Westbrook and Rondo. In your opinion, which line-up would be more successful in a finals series? 1) Rondo, Harden, Durant, Ibaka, and Perkins, or 2) Westbrook, Sefolosha/Martin, Durant, Ibaka, and Perkins?

    • Alex Kennedy

      I trust the moves that the Thunder has made. Sam Presti has done a phenomenal job and the fact that they have had so many of their draft picks become stars is a testament to their talent evaluators. They saw Russell Westbrook and James Harden on a daily basis so I think they knew what they were doing. If Westbrook were traded and had his own team, he’d likely be lighting up the league right now too. It’s unfortunate that OKC had to break the team up for financial reasons, but I trust the moves that Presti has made.

11. Alex Greene

    Hey Alex, Great name by the way, i’m sure you saw the Doug Collins presser…what does philly do? player wise? coaching wise? and yes as a fan im so so sick of hearing the name BYNUM.

    thanks,
    Alex

    • Alex Kennedy

      I think Doug Collins is a very good coach so I wouldn’t fire him. The big question, in my opinion, is how will Philadelphia respond? Collins is clearly trying to motivate his team. Let’s see if they elevate their games.

      Even if Philly doesn’t respond, I keep these pieces intact for next year. This has been an extremely difficult season for Philly due to Andrew Bynum’s injury. I would try to re-sign him this summer and then see what this team can do at full strength.

12. Ben Winks

    Hypothetically, after the 2013-2014 season, if LeBron returns to the Cavs to join Kyrie, Dion, Tyler Zeller, Tristan Thompson… Is this going to be the best roster in the East? They’d be an automatic contender, yes?

    • Alex Kennedy

      Any team with LeBron James is an automatic contender. Whether or not they’ll be the best team in the East depends on how much improvement Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson make between now and then. They would certainly be scary though and there are plenty of people around the NBA who believe James will return to Cleveland. It’s not just media speculation, it’s something that may actually happen. We’ll see.

13. Sam Strayer

    In the next 4-5 years, do the Chicago Bulls have a legitimate chance of winning it all?

    • Alex Kennedy

      Yes. Tom Thibodeau is an amazing coach, Derrick Rose is a special superstar and their supporting cast of Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, etc. have become very good. They have had a ton of injuries, but if this team can get healthy and stay healthy, they’re a perennial contender.

14. Richard Barrett

    Why do you think people continue to write off the Spurs? I know they’re old but they have so much experience and are stronger than last year. With Coach Pop they have the best coach in the NBA.

    • Alex Kennedy

      The Spurs don’t care if people talk about them or give them recognition. They are just fine with flying under the radar. That’s one reason that you don’t hear a lot about the Spurs. It’s also because they can sometimes be difficult with the media. With that said, I don’t think anyone writes them off. Every year, it’s a sure thing that they’ll be in the mix in the Western Conference.

15. Jesse Matthew

    With Knicks PF Rasheed Wallace being out for the next 8 weeks, do you see NY making a move to solidify their team? (Hakeem Warrick or a PG)

    • Alex Kennedy

      Maybe. They signed Kenyon Martin because they knew that Rasheed Wallace wouldn’t be limited, like he was doing earlier in the season. Now that Wallace is sidelined for two more months, if Martin isn’t enough, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them look at Lou Amundson or Hakim Warrick.

16. Mike

    Who do you think in the draft will help the bobcats the most? while the best players seem to be wing players, the bobcats really need downlow help. Will any player in this draft help the losing stop?

    • Alex Kennedy

      I’m not sure if one player is enough to stop the losing. The Bobcats have a lot of issues. Still, I’d target Ben McLemore.

17. Sean

    Do you think the Rockets will flip Thomas Robinson in the offseason for a bigger name?

    • Alex Kennedy

      It depends who else is out there. If they can land Josh Smith, then Thomas Robinson isn’t their guy and they may look to move him. However, they like Robinson a lot so it would have to be a big acquisition for them to just give up on him.

18. stepxxxxz

    i wish someone could explain the logic behind utah keeping all of their expiring contracts. So as not to disrupt the great chemistry that is going to get you an 8 seed….MAYBE. Why not build for the future. Now those guys may walk for nothing.

    • Alex Kennedy

      I agree with you. I understand that they want to give their young guys playoff experience, but if they lose Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson and Mo Williams for nothing, then it was a huge mistake. They could’ve cashed in those assets for more young players or draft picks that would help the team going forward. I don’t really understand what they’re doing. In the long run, it could really come back to hurt Utah’s future.

19. Sebastian

    Even if lakers might not able to squeeze into the playoff, what do you think dwight howard will do offseason?

    • Alex Kennedy

      I think Dwight Howard will stay. He’s unhappy, but is he so unhappy that he would leave $30 million and an extra year of security on the table? I don’t think so. The Lakers are confident that he’ll stay because they can offer the most money and the chance to play in the largest market. Howard has never shown interest in playing for the Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks or Houston Rockets, and I can’t see him bolting for one of those teams now. There are a ton of things that have to change in Los Angeles and this season has been a nightmare, but I think he’ll sign a long-term deal.

      Thanks for all of the questions. Have a great week and I’ll be back next Wednesday!