NBA Chat With Anthony Macri 12/06/11

1. KNICKS FAn

   knicks should sign aaron grey to have a bakup starter in case ronni gets injured but i think most of minutes @ center and backup 4 should go to jerome jordan and josh harrelson is this possible?(i hear shawne williams lost weight to play the 3 instead of the 4)

   • Anthony Macri

     It’s a dreary Tuesday morning here in the DC area but there is no point in focusing on that! The NBA season is around the corner, and we start finding out what rosters will look like starting on Friday… can’t wait. It looks like there is a lot of speculation in today’s chat question queue, I’ll do my best to respond but remember, I’m not a rumor guy, more of straight analysis. BTW, for those asking, the high school team I am helping with this season (Paul VI in Fairfax) got off to a good start, winning a tournament championship – follow their season on twitter @PVIHoops or check out our tourney recap here: http://conta.cc/slChfC. Let’s get to your questions…

     I’m not sure I like Aaron Gray as a fit for the way the Knicks play. He might have a tough time catchup up to the rest of their athletes. I like maintaining what they have in terms of bodies and looking to add other pieces for additional athletic depth. I have heard good things about Shawne Williams’ progress this offseason – we were supposed to work with him a bit at the Pro Training Center a couple of years back but the timing didn’t work out. I think he is doing some stuff at IMG this offseason and hopefully he has himself ready to go.

2. Seth

   Robin Lopez and First Round Pick for Tony Douglas and Renaldo Balkman?

   • Anthony Macri

     Why would the Suns do that? I’m not a huge Robin Lopez fan but I can’t say that makes a lot of sense.

3. matt from Oz

   Hi Anthony,
   assuming the lakers do manage to pull the D12 deal, would they not possibly explore the option of then trading Pau??

   e.g. Trade Pau to the Hawks for Josh Smith and Kirk Hinrich/or Jeff Teague.

   would this scenario if come into the lakers thoughts at all?

   • Anthony Macri

     If the Lakers were able to land Dwight Howard, a veritable Smorgasbord of opportunities await them in terms of moves. It gives them a lot of flexibility to tinker with the roster, knowing they have the best center in the league and a top 3 two guard. I would think moving Pau for a more perimeter-oriented four man would definitely be a possibility – though I’m not sure Josh Smith is the right guy.

4. Darius Frink

   How’s it going Coach got a trade idea for you. I believe the Hawks should go after Howard, they have the best assets in my opinion for him. Joe Johnson, Al Horford, Marvin Williams, and a draft pick for Howard and Turkoglu.

   • Anthony Macri

     There are very few teams who would not benefit from having Dwight on their roster. The Hawks would definitely be better off having him than not, and if that means they could get away from the Joe Johnson contract, more power to them. Hate giving away Al Horford but I guess that is the price of doing business. It’s not a bad starting point.

5. Kevin in Tokyo

   Where is Nate Robinson going to end up? He’s short, but he’s built like a tank. Doesn’t he have a higher ceiling than JJ Barea? I think he could bloom as a scoring point, if he had a stable team with some good minutes.

   • Anthony Macri

     Tend to think Robinson might perform better with more minutes, but that doesn’t mean he should get them. Instead, he might help a team more as a change-of-pace guard who can score. I would tend to view him in that way rather than a long-term starter / mega-minutes guy.

6. Tbadfw

   If Okur is healthy he could be a valuable trade piece to contenders needing a center. Who would he be a good fit for? I vote Celtics

   • Anthony Macri

     There area host of teams he could help. Portland and Miami come to mind. Celtics are a fit as well, though I think they benefit more from a post-oriented presence.

7. Bhagdeep

   Hey Coach Macri,
   What do you think about a trade where raptors send amir johnson and james johnson to atlanta for Marvin Williams? Atlanta gets a big man and raptors clear up logjam at PF and get a starter for the SF position.

   • Anthony Macri

     Not terrible. I’d need to break this down a little more – how do you fit together Atlanta’s frontcourt rotation given this trade?

8. John

   Hey Coach,
   This rumor about Howard and Paul both going to the Lakers with Kobe can’t really happen right? The Lakers don’t have enough trade chips to get it done, they may get Howard with Bynum, Odom and picks but New Orleans can get a better deal for Paul than just Pau Gasol.Maybe one of them but not both…what do you think?

   • Anthony Macri

     It would be hard to believe they could get both, but remember how little the Lakers had to give up to get Pau Gasol just a few short years ago. I never put anything in the ‘never’ column, as it is too easy for crazy stuff to happen on a regular basis in the NBA.

9. Anthony

   If Baron Davis is healthy and in decent shape, I think Cleveland should start both he and Irving. I think this would make for a good transition into the next level for Irving, and that he should still get a good amount of PT as both a PG and a SG. It is not like Cleveland has much else on the wing anyway.

   • Anthony Macri

     I don’t mind the idea of them playing a ton together, though I’m not sure if I start both of them. I think you have to let the abbreviated preseason make that determination – can they fit well and do they complement one another?

10. B. Dove

    HoW do Chicago land d12? Is it a realistic possibility?

    • Anthony Macri

      Seems unlikely – not sure I’d want to give up everything they’d have to trade away to make it happen.

11. Diddy

    First time chatting with you Mr. Macri, hope all is well. Rudy Gay says he is 100% and feels like a revived man. Let’s be honest though, we all know shoulder injuries (especially when they need to be surgically repaired) are hard to overcome and often times are prone to re-injury (IE Jameer Nelson). In your mind, what is the likelihood Gay re-injures that shoulder on a shortened, more intense season?

    • Anthony Macri

      There are a number of joint injuries that are hard to permanently overcome – shoulders and ankles tend to stand out as longer term injuries depending on their nature and severity. I’m not sure the shortened season increases the risk more – and from what I’ve heard, Rudy is doing pretty well right now in terms of preparedness for the season – so we’ll have to see. I’d want him on my team.

12. Angelo

    If the sixers, with new ownership, are looking to make a bigger impact this season and shed longer term salary should they not offer Iguodala for Chris Paul?

    • Anthony Macri

      I like Jrue Holiday so I’m not sure offering from CP3 is the right way to make things work for this year. I think with their young core they can look to make other kinds of moves that make sense beyond just finding a talented player and fitting him in. Iguodala might be the most tradeable player, but that doesn’t mean he should be traded.

13. Efren23

    Who do you think has a better chance to get Chris Paul clippers or lakers and why?

    • Anthony Macri

      Tend to think Clippers – just have a feeling they know they are one piece away from being really good, and the Lakers might have the desire to make the move, but not sure they have the pieces for both Paul and Howard, and I tend to think Howard is more likely for them than Paul.

14. bj

    how about a kaman, minnesota pick, bledsoe, and aminu for chris paul?

    • Anthony Macri

      Perhaps. Screen and roll with Jordan or Griffin would be fun, wouldn’t it?

15. prodlp

    Morning Anthony! Do you really believe that there is a zero chance of the magic landing CP3? Realistically, when a tream looks to trade its superstar they never get the equal value in return. Losing a superstar = rebuilding. Isnt it best to just look for building a solid core and find ways through the lottery or free agency to land another star. With that being said doesnt orlando have nice core players in nelson, anderson, bass, and redick?

    • Anthony Macri

      That core is only good next to Dwight Howard. They are not as attractive with most centers in the league manning the middle. I don’t think the Magic can get CP3 – and while it sucks, Orlando fans might have to consider getting whatever they can in exchange for Dwight Howard.

16. Mark

    I recently did an analysis of my putting stroke and they instructor graphed the frequency of my stroke showing the relationship between the length and speed/aceleration my club head is moving. Could this kind of analysis be helpful to the shooting stroke? As an example I’ve always felt DeRozan shooting motion is to quick or flippy on longer 2′s and 3′s while his Ft’s and midrange shot looks slower and smoother. Thanks!

    • Anthony Macri

      We constantly talk about the need for shooting mechanics to be compact, efficient, and repeatable. There are a lot of variables that are involved in analyzing a shooting stroke, and I would be interested in seeing if something like this could work. However, the most prevalent difference for most guys (and I have not yet broken down Derozan’s motion) is that they do not properly load their lower body on deeper ranged shots. In other words, they tend to shoot with all upper body when it comes to shooting threes, instead of using their legs to transfer energy from the floor through to the ball. I’m not sure a computer program could measure that, but if it could, it would be a big help.

17. David

    Hi from France Anthony,
    Who should the warriors go after in free agency and by trades? Can they really land nene or Jordan?
    All rumors I heard, beside the crazy cp3 one, seem to only weaken the team!
    Thank and glad to have NBA back

    • Anthony Macri

      If they could move Ellis, I think it would be addition by subtraction. Who they get for him would then, almost definitely, be an upgrade.

18. craig

    If Grant Hill doesnt re sign with the Suns, does Nash asked to be traded? It seems the Suns are going to try to be players in the 2012 off season with cap space for 2 max players. Do you think they could sign Love and Westbrook and re-sign Nash?

    • Anthony Macri

      An interesting scenario. Would like to hear folks responses to this one in the comment section below. I’ll reply to that conversation with my own thoughts.

19. josh

    Hey coach. I’m very intrigued with derozan. What is his ceiling and who does he remind you of?

    • Anthony Macri

      Cedric Ceballos comes to mind. I like Ceballos back in the day, too, and I like Derozan now. Not sure he is a guy to build a team around, but rather a piece to build a team with.

20. Real Men Wear Sweater Vests

    I still believe CP3 lands on the west coast even if it isn’t with the Lakeshow. My question however is why are teams willing to trade for Bynum? He is not going to get any better then he is now, and I can’t see a team building around him with his injuries and ceiling hit (at least in my opinion).

    • Anthony Macri

      There simply aren’t many 7 footers with bulk that can move and get you 18 and 10 like Bynum can when he’s healthy and productive. Teams tend to go a little crazy for the few guys who can make those goals a reality.

21. Tj

    Noah Gibson deng brewer plus picks for Howard better then any deal stay young bulls take hedo and Duhun a q rich contract

    • Anthony Macri

      While that gives Chicago more star power, I’m not sure it makes them a better team. I don’t think it necessarily makes them any worse, either – so the question is whether you want to trade for the sake of trading when it does not look like it will impact your bottom line.

22. MaddSteve

    Larry is flying to Denver today to meet with Nene. He’s been my choice all along for the Pacers’s, given he would prefer to play the four and could also play the 5 along with Hansbrough. Is he worth overpaying though?

    • Anthony Macri

      I like him but it depends on how much you’d be paying. I think it is a bad move to overpay for the vast majority of players in the league, and I doubt Nene is in the echelon where overpaying makes a lot of sense.

23. Trevor

    With everybody thinking D12 will end up in LA would Lakers trade Pau/Odom/Bynum for Dwight/Hedo/Arenas if so this would make Orlandos rebuild much quicker as they would shed a ton of long term salary. Thoughts? Of course keeping D12 is #1 option. Also thoughts on Bob Vanderweide stepping down today any indication of future deals?

    • Anthony Macri

      I have the feeling things are going to be a LOT of fun come December 9th.

24. Bryan

    I feel like the Bulls need another person that can create their own shot more than they need a “shooter” someone wh relies on Rose to get their shot doesn’t help. Do you agree? Who available best fits that of a shot creater?

    • Anthony Macri

      I don’t know if they need a shot creator as much as a guy who is versatile enough to serve multiple functions (can handle the ball vs pressure and relieve Derrick Rose of that responsibility some of the time, can hit open shots that will be available, and can defend either guard position). That is why I’ve maintained guys like Courtney Lee and Aaron Afflalo are the right fit. I just don’t see a classic shot creator (like OJ Mayo) being a great fit in Chicago – they take too many mediocre shots to be effective.

25. Drew

    With adding Adelman and D Williams and Rubio along with a Leaner K Love plus Wes and Beaz what should we expect for results this season? Am I draming in thinking 8th seed is possible?

    • Anthony Macri

      I don’t think you are dreaming, because I think they have enough talent. However, a lot will depend on how Rubio responds. He has not been terribly good over the last 9 months or so, and so how he handles coming to the US will make a difference. Also, the Timberwolves were one of the worst defensive teams I’ve ever seen last year – so many bad habits. Adelman has a long way to go in terms of teaching them the right things. I do like their talent level, though.

26. Chris Mendoza

    What trades can Dallas do to remain competitive? Also, any chance Blake Griffin gets a co-star?

    • Anthony Macri

      Have to see what happens with Chandler. I think Corey Brewer (a guy we have worked with in the past) can help them in a lot of ways on the wing. Something tells me they will have enough pieces to be competitive.

      Blake Griffin will almost definitely get some help unless ownership decides to pull the plug on being competitive forever. It’s happened with the Clippers before – it could happen again.

27. Jazz fan....for now

    Utah has a plethora of Bigs. If they traded Millsap or Okur with Raja Bell to help salaries match, what Small forward do you think they could pick up? Iggy? Granger? Deng? They need a decent scorer, but more importantly a good defender.

    • Anthony Macri

      I think Utah can get better value for guys like Okur than you are listing here in terms of long-term assets. I think Okur could be the piece that puts a team over the top, and you want to get max value for a guy like that.

28. Chris Mendoza

    With all this Bynum trade talk. Does that mean the little broski crush that the Lakers GM and Bynum have is over?

    • Anthony Macri

      Think of it this way… if you had a schoolyard crush on the pertiest girl in your class, but then a supermodel came in and was available, that other crush wouldn’t look as good anymore, would she?

      Something tells me this Friday is going to be a lot of fun. In the meantime, look out for my Coach’s Notebook article coming out this Thursday and my Coaches Forum article for HoopSpeak.com coming out sometime this week as well! See you next week.