NBA Chat With Anthony Macri 3/13/12

Coach Anthony Macri is Director of Business Development and a Player Development Consultant for the Pro Training Center. Anthony works closely with NBA trainer David Thorpe, and writes the weekly Coach’s Notebook column for HOOPSWORLD. Coach Macri gets started at his new time of 11am EST every Tuesday.

  1. Aristotle

    Hey Coach,
    If you were Pat Riley and Otis Smith said to you LeBron for Dwight, what do you do?

    Also, 2 debates going with my mates:
    1. Shaq & Kobe or Kareem & Magic as the better duo.
    2. Reign Man or Blake Show as the better dunker?

    I’m with Kareem & Magic, and Kemp as the better dunker.

    • Anthony Macri

      Happy Tuesday everybody! Gorgeous day in the DC area, and a wonderful day for the “First Four” or whatever the hell they call it. I’m excited because my alma mater (Loyola-MD) finally made the tournament – upset city against Ohio State baby! Ok, now that my delusion is over, let’s get to your questions…

      I can already tell we have a hard set of questions from just #1. Make sure you also get some NCAA questions up! I would tell Otis that is no deal. I don’t want to have to play against LeBron. If I’m trading him anywhere (and I can’t imagine doing it), it’d be to the West, not in the same state!

      Kareem and Magic because they were able to put aside any personal strife and make it work. If Kobe and Shaq got along that way, the conversation would be over. Those two guys are the most unstoppable pick-and-roll duo in NBA history, but they just didn’t like each other. I am still going with Shawn Kemp for now – in his prime, he did things that were just outrageous. I would love to see someone put together a top 10 of both guys and we can compare and contrast. Of course, Blake can overtake Shawn with longevity…

  2. Aristotle

    Hey Coach,

    Do you think D’Antoni wanted Melo on his team with the system he runs or was Melo brought in cause this All-Star screamed out “I want NY”? Seems with what Lin has shown that CP3 should’ve been brought in and not Melo. Also do you see Melo being traded?

    • Anthony Macri

      I think the Knicks big mistake was trading half their team to get Melo. If Melo had come in as a piece among the rest of those guys, things would have been different. However, because he was so relied on as the savior halfway through the year, his role is inflated beyond proportions. I’m not sure I see him being traded because I think Mike D’Antoni will be out and a new coach will be given a shot at working with that roster before they re-tool it again.

  3. JP

    Hi coach, how are you?
    Can you please tell me who says no in this trade?
    Minne: Morrow-Petro-Farmar-1st round pick
    Nets: Beasley-Randolph-Tolliver (all expiring contracts)
    If someone says no, what about Beasley and Randolph for Farmar-Petro and the first pick?
    Minne gets a top 5 pick to select the much needed SG.
    If you have the pick #5 and both Beal and Lamb are still in the table, which one would you take and why?

    • Anthony Macri

      I am going to avoid the ‘who says no’ thing because so much more goes into it than just bodies, and real trade analysis takes a lot more work than just a chat. However I will say I like the deal for the Nets more than I do for Minnesota on the face of it. I have to watch both Beal and Lamb in tournament play to make a decision on them – I haven’t seen them as much to study their games this season.

  4. Howie Abrams

    What are the Wolves going to do at the trade deadline? Is beasley on the move? Do we still have a shot at getting crawford even though we seemingly cant give up ridnour? Who else are we looking at?

    • Anthony Macri

      I get the feeling this might be a quiet trade deadline. Teams are not in a rush to dump guys right now because they feel they can amnesty them if necessary. If anyone is dealt by Minnesota, it will be Beasley, I would think – but no guarantees, especially now with Rubio out.

  5. Jason

    Hey Coach,
    What do you think about a trade between raptors and bucks where toronto sends Calderon, James Johnson, Ed Davis, and a 2013 unprotected first round pick for Brandon Jennings and Stepehen Jackson? Bucks get a tradable calderon, young pieces in johnson and davis plus a pick while shipping out jackson’s attitude and jennings who has expressed that milwaukee mau not be where he wants to be long term. Toronto gets their PG of the future and if they land a SF in this years draft (like barnes or MKG) they have a solid young starting 5 in jennings, demar, draft pick, andrea, and jonas. What do you think?

    • Anthony Macri

      If he doesn’t like Milwaukee what makes you think he’d like Toronto?

  6. Drew

    Now that Rubio is hurt it would appear that Luke is staying. So then what SG can Wolves get with only looking to trade Beaz, Randolph, Miller,Tolliver, Ellington? What about Morrow and Petro for Randolph and either Miller or Tollier plus a Pick if needed? Or could those players again plus a pick get KMartin or CLee? Thanks!

    • Anthony Macri

      I think targeting the Rockets is a good idea but I’m not sure what it could take to land one of those guys. Kevin should be a target for a lot of teams, whether he will get moved or not.

  7. Trock

    Are lakers using a PR strategic to boost gasol’s value?

    • Anthony Macri

      I’m not sure what this means… Gasol is pretty valuable to me. Top 5 PF when he is healthy and involved? Even at 31, he is a young 31 (not as much pounding because of the way he plays).

  8. Patrick W.

    Why not trade Carmelo to NJ for their 1st round pick (throw in filler to make salaries work). Knicks could get a young stud SF/SG in this deep draft and get rid of the ball stopper!

    • Anthony Macri

      This sounds silly – but would the Nets take Melo? It’s the 6th pick, so they might be able to snag someone like Barnes, Beal, or Lamb.

  9. Chris

    Hi coach,

    Can you tell me what’s the lakers waiting for about the felton trade? And what about B-easy? These 2 guys would make the lakers better while giving up nothing (or not too much).

    • Anthony Macri

      Everyone is waiting for everyone else to start the trade dominos. Soon, the deadline will pass and no one will be able to trade anyone. Does Beasley really make them better? How? Another guy who chucks up shots out of isolations?

  10. Curtis from Bangledore

    Why cant I stop staring at New Mexico State over Indiana? The Aggies are super athletic and can dominate the offensive boards. Wendell McKines is a stud, but who stops Zeller on Indiana?

    • Anthony Macri

      Indiana was pretty inconsistent all year. Those kind of teams are hard to predict come tournament time. Do they play as well as they did in their big wins or as poorly as they did in their bad losses? My guess is Indiana gets by New Mexico State but I think they struggle to advance past the Sweet 16.

  11. like a bull

    do d12 really want to win why reject a trade to bulls? your going to put your self in a great situation. Rose dont care about being a star he wants to win. can you say the same about d12?

    • Anthony Macri

      I’m not sure what anyone’s reasons are for not being in Chicago. Great city and I think they love their basketball team as much as any other city in the league. Sometimes there are other factors.

  12. like a bull

    then if the d12/turk for deng/boozer/asik does go down big if. would you flip noah for some good pieces to fill out roster
    or do noah for josh smith. hawks would love al and noah together.

    • Anthony Macri

      I think that would be an interesting scenario – would love to see it because it shakes the NBA to the core.

  13. RAM

    If the Raps were to win the first pick in the draft would you trade it to NO for Gordon and their pick? (Would they take it if they were #4 in the draft?)

  14. jack

    any laker trade brewing?

    • Anthony Macri

      I am not a rumors guy – have not heard anything. They should trade their offensive scheme for one that works better, though.

      Send in more questions folks – surprised there aren’t a lot of NCAA Tourney Qs on board!!!

  15. charliechu

    in your opinion who will grab the 8th seed in the east?

    • Anthony Macri

      I tend to think Milwaukee is able to hold onto it. Just don’t like the vibe in NY right now.

  16. Brendan

    Are there any players you see having a big rise in draft stock during the tourney?

    • Anthony Macri

      Will Barton at Memphis could experience a pretty big rise. Mason Plumlee at Duke might get a nice bump. If Iona can make a run, expect folks to start talking about Scott Machado positively again. Henry Sims (Georgetown) has impressed me in the times I have seen him. He has improved so much since high school it is hard not to think he has only scratched the surface.

  17. MAC

    coach…

    For some reason I can’t get into college bball anymore… maybe because the good ones never stay more then a yr or 2. Miss the days when the good one’s as seniors went up agains other good seniors… on to my question

    Jim Clemmons – Why hasn’t he gotten a shot at Head Coaching gig? He’s been under Phil for so long I know he’d make a nice head coach? Doesn’t seem like his name ever comes up

    • Anthony Macri

      Some guys don’t want to be head coaches. As for college basketball, I follow the coaches more than the players. I like to see how they fit their current crop into the respective systems.

  18. Rocky

    Im a huge fan of Baylor’s squad. They are one of the most athletic teams in the nation but when it comes to mental toughness they lack there. Is this on the coach or players execution which is pitiful coming out of halftime?

    • Anthony Macri

      A little bit of both. Coaches are responsible for putting players in a position to be successful, and players are responsible for executing what they are asked to do. I think holding your team accountable for poor previous performance is important. I remember I think Paul Hewitt once said at a coaching clinic that you’d be surprised how tied legs and butt are to the brain. If guys have to run as a penalty or have to sit because they don’t perform, things magically change about their attitudes.

  19. Taylor

    The clippers look like they need to add a shooting guard. Do you see them making a trade to get one?

    • Anthony Macri

      I think most teams stand pat this trade deadline and address things in the offseason.

  20. Chris

    Hi,do you know what about arenas and sheed?

    • Anthony Macri

      … I think I am missing the point of this question.

      Great spot to stop everybody! Enjoy the NCAA first weekend and the continuing NBA action. The team I coach (Paul VI in Fairfax, VA) is in one more tournament (Alhambra Catholic Invitational) and the City Title Game – we finish up a week from today. Hoping for a successful end of the year. See you all next time!