NBA Chat With Anthony Macri 7/31/12

1. LA in LA

   How does the Lakers hiring Eddie Jordan and his Princeton offense affect Nash? Is that like the triangle at all where you don’t need a traditional PG?
   Is there a lot of PnR that gets used, because Nash is at his best when using PnR I hear…

   • Anthony Macri

     Happy Tuesday everybody! Olympics have started, and the free agency rumblings continue. Looks like I have a few questions in my queue, but if you have one of your own, now’s a good time to drop it off. Let’s get to it!

     The Princeton style of offense has another name that actually makes sense: it’s called “playing basketball.” Basically, it involves moving to open areas, prepared to shoot when open. If denied, go backdoor. There are a fair number of opportunities for versatile big men (like Pau Gasol) to handle and pass from the top of the key. There typically is not a ton of ball screening, but you can add wrinkles into anything you’d like to make it more ball screen heavy. If it increases their ball and player movement from last year, it would be a huge upgrade whether Nash is on the team or not.

2. adobo with white rice

   Wsup coach? Just waitin for your scouting reports about filipino future nba players? Is it still too early to get one to the US? Lastly please explain how nash and the princeton offense would mesh good together?!!

   • Anthony Macri

     It isn’t so much that it’s too early for a Filipino NBA player – the PBA has been around longer than any other pro basketball league in the world aside from the NBA – but physical limitations make it hard. Most Filipinos are destined to play the forward position if they reach 6’4 or so – not exactly ideal size for an NBA player. They will need a perfect storm of attributes to come together – it could happen, but it is hard to see it right now.
     Nash fits a lot of offenses because he can shoot and if you close out too aggressively, his probing tendencies and ability to make decisions in the mid-range area will cripple a lot of defenses.

3. Naj

   When is the deadline in signing free agents? Can the team sign a player even the season starts already?

   • Anthony Macri

     You can sign players throughout the season. There are rules as to when a player has to be on a postseason roster, but we have a long way to go to get there.

4. tapsilog

   coach would’nt a amare for kg trade make sense?or how about a rondo and pierce for melo and kidd trade? Lastly do.u see tparker or manu traded soon , the spurs need to shake things up. Yea they are good in the regular season but they are just the west version of the atlanta hawks, middle of the pack type of team! I just wish they gamble on signing arenas, barbosa and j.oneal. thanks for d time!!

   • Anthony Macri

     Amare for KG? Not sure if the Celtics could do that move in good conscience. I don’t think the Celtics would see a Rondo/Pierce for Melo/Kidd deal as a good one for themselves. I wouldn’t go too far on the Spurs shakeup. Every time I’ve said they are done, they come back even harder the following year. No point in giving up on them now.

5. pinapaitan

   I grew up watching pinoy basketball and i believe theres alot of good coaches over there,anyone u met? Have u heard of a guy named tim cone? Lastly shane battier as a duke look like the next grant hill scoring wise, did his fellow rookie pau gasol the guy to be blamed why he didnt became a good offensive player, gasol took the offensive role on that griz team. Your take??

   • Anthony Macri

     I have heard of Tim Cone but not met him – he’s the Triangle Offense guru, right?Shane was never the smooth scorer that Grant always was. He was always a bit stiff and uncreative (but effective) offensively. I don’t think it hurt him to take on the role he has at the NBA level.

6. burger and cakes

   Put on your gm hat, do u still sign players for the lakers or are u happy with the roster?

   • Anthony Macri

     How much room do they have for maneuvers. If I’m them, I know that MWP is not an answer, he is a temporary solution at best. Free Agency may not be the way to help solve that problem – I think we may see the Lakers involved in some exchanges, however.

7. michael

   Do you see the jazz as a 4-5 seed this year with the additions this offseason.Also with favors as a stater have you heard of the jazz trading jefferson or millsap?

   • Anthony Macri

     Not a rumors guy so I’m not sure on trade status. I think it will be hard for the Jazz to break the Top 4 (OKC, SAS, LAL, and LAC seem likely to me) though #5 is possible.

8. dunkan

   I remember kobe had a blake griffin type of facial dunks way back, he even did it to d12. How come a bigger and stronge lebron james dont have much of facial dunk highlights!? I bet dwade got more than lebron, do u think lbj is allergic to contact?

   • Anthony Macri

     I think LeBron initiates as much if not more contact than anyone in the league. His halfcourt burst is probably not as good as Kobe or Wade, which is what allows them to get to the rim against defenders with more ease. LeBron takes more of a battering ram approach.

9. Chad

   Greetings Tony!

   So the current Team USA couldn’t beat the “Dream Team”. How about the use the time machine I keep in my closet, go back to 2004, and “borrow” the following players: Shaq, Sheed, KG, Duncan, Pierce, Artest, LeBron, Ray Allen, Kobe, Bowen, Billups, and Kidd.

   How do you think THAT squad would do against the “Dream Team”?

   • Anthony Macri

     I don’t buy into this “couldn’t beat them” stuff. The current Team USA could and would certainly beat the 92 version. If they played 100 times, my guess is the Dream Team would win about 60 of the matchups. There would be some great games in there. As for the squad you’ve assembled, that would be an interesting unit. I’d probably dump Bowen but I think you could have a Dwyane Wade on that group, right?

10. orlando beach

    Would u rather have steve blake or chris duhon as your pg?

    • Anthony Macri

      Can I get a “what’s behind Door C” ??? No? Damn.

      The copout answer is “it depends on my roster” – do I want a guy who can hit shots and manage a game (Blake) or a defender/penetrator (Duhon)? My tendency is to go Duhon if the roster does not dictate that I focus on one over the other to meet team needs.

11. Kobe

    hey man! can I and Tmac be on the same team?
    I like seeing him on a Laker uniform he could be a backup for me or for MWP maybe a starter at SF if he can stay healthy, right?
    Could we still sign him in vet min?

    • Anthony Macri

      Not sure if he’d take the vet minimum, but I do like him more than MWP, and it makes it easier to see a path for his success when he is receiving passes from Nash and Kobe demands as much attention as he does.

12. Golden Refugee

    With the signings of Rush and Landry, the Warriors are looking very good on paper. Of course a lot hinges on the health of Curry and Bogut, but with their depth and versatility, am I crazy to think they can make playoffs and maybe even make noise? Legit bigs, great depth, and players and all positions.

    • Anthony Macri

      I do like them to make the Playoffs this year, though you are right to point to health as a major factor (as it is for many teams). As for making some noise, I don’t see them as able to test OKC or LAL, but SAS is possible and certainly LAC.

13. B. Carroll

    Do you think that NBA personnel should be more active in pursuing coaches and management staff from outside of America? Given the talent of players that hav come into the league from outside America within the last 20 years I find it very surprising that America’s most progressive major sports league has shunned international influence coaching and managerial positions.

    • Anthony Macri

      I think being open to the idea is important, but I think most teams (mistakenly) assume that American players would only follow an American coach. Players just want good coaches – I don’t think they are too concerned about nationality. The truth of the matter is that the team that eventually “breaks ranks” and selects an international coach will probably have to deal with a lot of fan backlash – easy scapegoat!

14. Jon

    Hi Coach

    I think the Spurs have done a good job keeping the 2011-2012 squad but I feel some minor adjustments are necessary following the moves by the Lakers and maturing Thunder. How do you see Varejao for Blair and Stephen Jackson? maybe throw in James Anderson as well.

    • Anthony Macri

      What value does that give Cleveland? I tend to think they can get a more attractive package for Vareajao than what you were offering.

15. theprune777

    Argentina or France?

    • Anthony Macri

      Tend to think Argentina will come out on top during that performance later today. I like their roster and I think their experience playing together will be the difference.

16. Darren

    Derek Fisher doesn’t appear to be receiving much interest as a free agent. Do you think he would be interested in retiring and joining the Lakers as an assistant coach? They had two coaches quit this summer so there is a place for him if the Lakers would have him. He’d be a great influence on the younger players and Kobe would be happy to have him back with the organization. Your thoughts?

    • Anthony Macri

      I would not be surprised at all to see him back in Purple and Gold on the bench. Fisher’s best days are certainly way behind him in terms of on-field performance, but you are right to point toward his ability to influence younger, sill developing players. It seems like now is as good a time as any for him to give up shorts and a jersey for khakis and a button down.

17. Anthony

    Do u think the bucks can make the playoffs?? And what in the world is john Hammond doing with 5 pfs and no pure sf or sg that can hit the 3??

    • Anthony Macri

      They are certainly knocking on the door, but so are the Nets, and maybe the Raptors. I would guess that Philly and Orlando both look like they may not make the postseason, which gives enough spots to fill for the major contenders.

      Could certainly use another question or two, folks! Drop them off now or forever hold your peace…

18. Jim

    Care to give a gut call on where Dwight ends up or when?

    • Anthony Macri

      I have absolutely no basis for making this call except that I think Mark Cuban likes to win games, so I’ll say Dallas. As for a more specific timetable, I don’t think that’s possible.

      That about does it for me… enjoy the Olympics and be back for another weekly chat next week! See you next time…