NBA Chat With Alex Kennedy 4/14/12

1. geoff

   how good can marcus thornton be? especially if he works hard at his defence.

   • Alex Kennedy

     What’s up everyone? Thanks for stopping by and submitting your questions. With the playoffs and offseason around the corner, there’s plenty to talk about. Let’s jump right in.

     I’m a big fan of Marcus Thornton. When he gets touches, he’s one of the better scorers in the league. He still has room for improvement on the defensive end and he could improve his efficiency, but he’s an extremely talented kid. He’ll continue to improve if put in the right situation. He’s only 24 years old and still has plenty of potential. I don’t think he’ll ever be an All-Star, but he can definitely be a top scorer and significant contributor in this league, similar to someone like Monta Ellis.

2. Trevor

   Why did it take so long to move Duhon to the 3rd pg? I know Ish doesnt know the Defense yet but Duhon is so bad I dont think it really mattered? Also what do you think of the Offseason for Orlando, any takers for JRich/Hedo/Duhon?

   • Alex Kennedy

     It takes time to earn minutes for Stan Van Gundy. While Ish Smith has more potential and the team looked better when he was on the floor, Van Gundy was more comfortable with Chris Duhon running the offense because he had a better grasp of the system. I agree that the change should have been made sooner, but that’s just how Van Gundy coaches. It’s the same reason that Von Wafer hasn’t played a ton of minutes this season. Van Gundy would rather go with the veteran who is familiar with his system than the more explosive player who is still trying to get acclimated.

     As far as offseason moves for Orlando, I don’t think they’ll be able to find a taker for Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu or Chris Duhon. None of those guys have much trade value right now. It’ll be an interesting summer. The Magic have to make a splashy move to appease Dwight Howard, but that’s easier said than done given their mediocre trade chips and salary cap situation.

3. Mutang

   The talk about awards this year is already starting, so I need to chime in: Jerry Sloan was ripped off many times over his years, never winning COY. But now, the Utah Jazz were picked to be a bottom feeder ala Charlotte. Instead, they very well may make it into the playoffs, and with what Corbin has done with his Junior Jazz players is awesome. Think a head coach in Utah will/should finally win COY??? No more ripping off the Jazz…..

   • Alex Kennedy

     Ty Corbin has done an excellent job in Utah. The Jazz have exceeded expectations and may be able to sneak into the playoffs. Entering this year, everyone saw Utah as an up-and-coming team that was stockpiling young talent for the future. Corbin was able to get a lot of the group and has them playing very well.

     With that said, my Coach of the Year vote goes to Tom Thibodeau. He has done an outstanding job in Chicago. Despite all of the injuries that the Bulls have faced this season, they still have the NBA’s best record. While that says something about the talent in Chicago, it also says a lot about the job Thibodeau has done. How many teams could remain elite after losing their best player? Look at how bad the Orlando Magic are struggling without Dwight Howard. Thibodeau lost the league’s MVP for a chunk of the season and still found a way to go 45-14.

4. Wilson

   Alex, if the Thunder don’t win a championship this season, do you think they’ll look to swap Harden for a high lottery pick to alleviate future cap concerns?

   He’s such a big part of what they do, but I think his scoring/passing will be easier and cheaper to replace than Ibaka and his excellent chemistry with Perk. What are your thoughts?

   • Alex Kennedy

     The Thunder will have to decide who is more important going forward: James Harden or Serge Ibaka. That’s a tough decision to make. The Thunder have done a great job structuring their contracts and Sam Presti is one of the best general managers in the league, but I think future cap concerns are inevitable, as you said. If it were me, I’d keep Ibaka. Big men are harder to find and he’s one of the best interior defenders in the league. Harden is an outstanding player and he’ll probably become a star if put in the right situation, but I’d keep Ibaka as of now.

5. Robert

   How big of an offer would a team have to make on Nicolas Batum that Portland would not match?

   • Alex Kennedy

     That’s a great question. With all of the cap space that Portland has to spend this summer, it would have to be a huge offer. They want to build around LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum going forward. They expect this rebuilding phase to be very short and Batum is definitely in their long-term plans. I think they’ll be able to re-sign him because I can’t see another team throwing all of their money at Batum.

6. Deven

   What is Stern’s dream NBA Finals?

   • Alex Kennedy

     Okalahoma City vs. Indiana. Before you say that I’m crazy, keep in mind that David Stern has a different dream Finals than the league’s partners. I’m sure the broadcasters and advertisers would love to see the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers square off. That series would be full of storylines and the entire country would be tuning in to the games. Stern, on the other hand, would love for two small-market teams to face off in the Finals. It would give hope to every owner and would prove that you don’t have to be in a top market to win a championship. While Stern wouldn’t be upset with Miami vs. Los Angeles, he has made it very clear that he would love for the NBA to have NFL-like parity. What better way than a Pacers-Thunder series, two organizations that have spent their money wisely and managed to become contenders in small markets?

7. BSaintM

   Hey Alex hope you had a good week,

   My question is a draft related question. The latest mock draft posted here on hoopsworld has Cleveland taking Sullinger at 4 while MKG goes later down the line. Why on earth would Cleveland take Sullinger at 4 when they desperately need wing help and MKG is available? Do you think that MKG is a better fit or am I just flat out wrong?

   • Alex Kennedy

     I would take Michael Kidd-Gilchrist ahead of Jared Sullinger if I was the Cleveland Cavaliers. I’m a big fan of MKG and I think he has star potential. I’m not sold on Sullinger either and I’d agree that he doesn’t fill a need quite like MKG would. Sullinger may be a fan favorite right away since he played at Ohio State, but the Cavs would be better suited going with Kidd-Gilchrist. Once the lottery is determined and players start working out for teams, I expect our draft board to undergo many changes.

8. Cain

   Is Paul George going through a sophomore slump right now? What sort of numbers do you see for him next year as I can’t see Indiana making many changes to roster?

   • Alex Kennedy

     His production has dropped off this month, but I wouldn’t be worried about him. At 21 years old, he’s still developing. At times this season, he has looked outstanding and at times he has looked average. That’s expected with a young player. I think over the next few years, he’ll start to realize his full potential. I’ve talked to him several times this season and he has big goals. He wants to be an All-Star and MVP candidate someday. It’s not just talk either, he works extremely hard during the offseason. He spent last summer training with Danny Granger and I think that has helped him a lot.

9. Prem I.

   Hey Alex my question is do you feel Fab Melo would be a good fit for the heat if he slips. He can rebound defend and has size just wanted to know your thoughts?

   • Alex Kennedy

     I think Fab Melo would be an excellent fit for Miami. The Heat won’t have much flexibility going forward. While they’ll have their mid-level exception to offer every offseason, it’s going to be tough for them to sign or trade for a solid center. Drafting someone like Melo could be their answer. He has a lot of potential and would make next to nothing on a late first-round rookie deal. He may not be ready to start right away, but he would be a smart investment. He has more upside than Dexter Pittman or Eddy Curry.

10. Will

    Is it true if Dwight doesn’t sign longterm before training camp this offseason the Magic will trade him?

    • Alex Kennedy

      We’ll see. I don’t think the Magic are there yet. There are a lot of things that will happen between now and then. The organization will have to decide what to do with Stan Van Gundy and Otis Smith. They’ll have to see what happens during the draft and free agency. They’ll have to weigh their trade options. Not to mention, they’ll have to continue to evaluate Howard’s health since a herniated disk can be a nagging injury. The Magic would love for Howard to show up at training camp and sign a long-term deal, but I don’t think any deadline is set in stone just yet.

11. Bernard

    What do you think Orlando does this offseason,cut salary or try to trade for a star to keep D12.

    • Alex Kennedy

      They’ll try to trade for a star. They tried to do it at the trade deadline, but they weren’t able to complete a deal. Howard’s decision to opt-in for next season gave the Magic an extension to make a splashy move. If they enter next season with the same roster, it won’t be for lack of trying to make a big move.

12. lugaw at tokwa

    This will be hard to say cause im a laker fan. But iw ish kobe takes a page on duncan’s book. The team and ball rotation is alot better the past few games. I wish when he comes back he relax the first three quarters and just do his thing in the 4th. Kinda like duncan letting tpark n ginob shine. Let bynum be the beast and the rest of his team diminate. He will be our closer at the end. Hope he gets the message.agree or not?

    • Alex Kennedy

      The Lakers have played well in Kobe Bryant’s absence. Other players have stepped up and carried the scoring load and they’ve managed to win games. When Bryant comes back, maybe he’ll realize that he doesn’t have to dominate games in order for the Lakers to be competitive. We’ll see if this stretch allows the other Lakers to gain confidence and gain Bryant’s trust.

13. Mark ryan

    Eric Gordon is really good and in no more than 2 years he should be the best shooting guard in the league with Kobe and Wade getting up there in age.

    What are your thoughts on Eric Gordon and what can his Potential Be assuming he can stay healthy.

    • Alex Kennedy

      If he can stay healthy, the sky is the limit for Eric Gordon. That’s a big if though. He’s a phenomenal scorer and he has tons of upside, but it’s tough to become the best shooting guard in the league when you’re sidelined with injuries. Hopefully he can bounce back next season and stay healthy. I think he’s one of the more underrated players in the league and could be a star down the road. At 23 years old, his potential is scary.

14. Chris

    Hi Alex. Is Thibodeau the leading contender for COY? Thursday’s epic win over the Heat (again, essentially w/o Rose) was masterful. A coach’s job is to maximize the talent he is given and Thibs has done that and then some.

    • Alex Kennedy

      Yes, yes, yes. I’d give him the award now. Gregg Popovich, Scott Brooks, Frank Vogel and others deserve credit, but I can’t see any of them winning the award over Tom Thibodeau.

15. Rocket4Life

    will my Houston Rockets make this years playoffs or are we done??? What will we do next year???

    • Alex Kennedy

      It’ll be interesting to see what happens in the Western Conference over the final few weeks of the season. It’s going to be a toss up between Houston, Denver, Phoenix and Utah. The Rockets have some tough games remaining on their schedule, including road match-ups against the Nuggets, Mavericks and Heat. They’re definitely still in the mix, but they’ll have to bring their A-game and take care of the winnable games on their schedule.

      Thanks for submitting your questions! If I missed you, send me a tweet (@AlexKennedyNBA). Have a great week!