NBA Chat with Bill Ingram 01/28/12

1. Deven

   If Rondo does indeed have a torn ACL, does that mean the Celtics season is over?

   • Bill Ingram

     Good Morning, everyone, and welcome to the chat! His ACL is torn, and while I think the Celtics’ season may have been over before that happened, it doesn’t bode well for them going forward. They are deep at guard, so expect Avery Bradley to get the lion’s share of his minutes. Boston was already toast . . .now they just need to butter the bread on the trade market and look to the future.

2. Wil

   Hi Bill, great to hear that White is back on track. Are we through the issues (or are there still unresolved issues) and any chance of seeing White log some NBA minutes this year?

   • Bill Ingram

     I don’t think this is a situation where we’ll ever not be dealing with Royce’s anxiety disorder in one way or another. It is great to see that he has rejoined the team and accepted an assignment to Rio Grand Valley. That’s the path to minutes with the Rockets . . .it will depend on how well he plays, as with any other player.

3. BSaintM

   Hi Bill how was your weekend?

   I was wondering with the injury to Rondo and him likely being gone for the year do you think Ainge finally trades KG and Pierce? I think he should not only because they aren’t going to contend but also because those guys should end their careers playing for titles and not wasting time on a rebuilding team.

   • Bill Ingram

     I don’t think they trade KG, but Pierce seems a likely trade piece as they look to get younger and add draft picks.

4. dave

   Bill, with Rondo’s injury, I’m going to get what I asked for since I thought that a Rondo trade could bring something great to the C’s and allow a more defensive starting unit with Bradley and Lee paired. It worked against Miami (great game), but how do you see the C’s going forward? Speaking of forward(s), Doc finally replaced Bass with Sullinger. Now it’s time for Green/Pierce, who needs to come off the bench (or even be traded). I’m a Pierce supporter, but I also saw Bird and Dennis Johnson get old. That time’s here for Pierce, another great Celtic. Do you agree?

   • Bill Ingram

     The interesting thing about Boston’s situation is that even though they are by no means contenders, there may not be a ninth team in the East good enough to catch them and knock them out of the playoffs. The East is that bad. You’re right about the defensive situation, and Bradley is certainly a player with star potential. If he has an outstanding second half of the season and leads Boston to some kind of significant run, that could be the impetus to trade Rondo when he gets healthy. Rondo is a heck of a player, but your point guard needs to be a great communicator, too, in my opinion, and Rondo is not that.

5. CH

   Gay & Rondo -> LAL, Gasol & Nash -> BOS, Pierce -> MEM
   BOS can salvage the season, MEM can contend this year and cut Pierce next year if they want to save money, LAL can scrap this season/build for Dwight/experiment playing Kobe at PG full-time (Kobe, Jodie, Metta, Rudy, Dwight lineup?)

   • Bill Ingram

     Grizzlies are not looking to move Gay any more, according to sources. I also have a hard time seeing the Lakers help Boston in any way . . .or vice versa.

6. LA in LA

   Kobe’s new nickname is Kobe Johnson. Dwight said he wants to be called Dwight Worthy.
   Here is the rest of the roster:
   Kareem Abdul Gasol
   Metta World Cooper
   Steve Scott
   Jordan Rambis
   and finally, Eazy Green. (Earl Clark’s nick name is Eazy)

   Great right?

   • Bill Ingram

     At 19-25 I have a hard time even thinking about this Lakers team in comparison to THAT Lakers team.

7. Rasho Oberto

   Now that Rondo is out for this season and part of next…I think the Celts should try to look more toward rebuilding and trade Pierce for Gay. It would give the Grizz a better finisher and relieve cap room down the road. Thoughts?

   • Bill Ingram

     I think trading Pierce for younger players/picks made sense before the Rondo injury. The Grizzlies tell is Gay is not being shopped any more. They got under the luxury tax threshold with that deal with the Cavaliers.

8. Peter

   Hey Bill! With the trade deadline coming up, which team will make the biggest move? I think Toronto will be extremely active on deadline day. They got the pieces to make a blockbuster. Also, the rockets, I believe, is only one piece away from being a threat in the West. However, they don’t have that much players to send out. And by the way, what happened to Coach Macri? I got some Xs and Os questions for him.

   • Bill Ingram

     I know the Raptors would love to move Bargnani, and perhaps by packaging him with Lowry they can find a taker. Hard to see them moving Bargs without sweetening the deal. Houston has lots of pieces, too, but they tend to overvalue their players, so I’m not sure they get a huge deal done. They are waiting for another situation like Harden, where a team is looking to unload someone quickly.

9. Rasho Oberto

   Why don’t any NBA coaches try to get better jobs in the offseason? Not sure if I ever heard of a coach leaving one team to coach another. Like the Mavs coach realizing his team was going to suck for the next two years and trying to get a job with better winning potential right away like the Nets or Lakers job…Thoughts?

   • Bill Ingram

     It doesn’t work that way. A team can fire a coach mid-contract and he can go coach another team, but if a coach quits he can’t coach elsewhere until his contract expires.

10. Aristotle

    Heya Bill,

    No one talks about Matrix anymore. Would he be someone other teams would be interested in trading for? What could he bring back to the Mavs?

    • Bill Ingram

      I would be shocked to see Trix traded. He is Carlisle’s guy. He’s also been the Mavs’ best player this season . . .logged his 1000th game last night and still going strong.

11. Roon

    Is there any chatter at all surrounding Charlotte’s Gerald Henderson? He is a solid player and I think that he would provide a solid punch off the bench for a team that needs an extra push. I could see the Blazers, Celtics, and Warriors being interested in him. Bill, I could even see your Rockets being interested and the Cats could certainly use one of those many PFs that Houston has. What do you think?

    • Bill Ingram

      I think to get Henderson you’d have to take Biyombo, who has had trouble fitting in with Dunlap’s system. The Cats aren’t going to trade Henderson unless there is some other benefit to the move.

12. Aristotle

    Heya Bill

    With Rondo out for the season does Irving of Holiday step in to the starting line-up and who does he get replaced with? Another guard or someone like Lopez or Smith?

    • Bill Ingram

      Jrue Holiday should start . . .he’s having a phenomenal season . . .

13. Travis

    Any chance Gilbert Arenas finds his way back into the NBA? He’s had some success recently in China, a 37 point game and a game winner. Obviously the game’s different over there, but I’d love to see him in the league again.

    • Bill Ingram

      I don’t think so. He has joined the ranks of players who can still play well enough to make it in a lesser league, but can’t get it done on the NBA level any more.

14. Frank

    Hi Bill,
    Two questions: 1)Which is most likely ending of Kings saga a) To Seattle, b) stay in SAC, or c)An NBA feel good story (& good P.R)…Kings stay and SEATTLE gets an expansion team?
    2) ASSUME Laker/ATL trade: Gasol,Blake & Meeks for Hofford,Dev.Harris,& Korver. Who says “no”? Thanks.

    • Bill Ingram

      Hey Frank! First of all, god save us from any more expansion. There just isn’t enough elite talent to sustain it. Frankly, we have too many teams now. They need to cut the league down to, say, 25 teams and make the whole thing more competitive. I know the Hawks want Gasol, but they really don’t want to give up Horford to get him. If they were willing to do that the deal would probably already be done.

15. John Doe

    Keep up with the good work on hoopsworld tv, i really enjoy the insights from you guys.

    Is it time for the celtics to trade pierce and kg now that rondo is out? If not then who can help the celtics stay relevant in the playoff picture?

    • Bill Ingram

      Thanks! I don’t think they can stay relevant . . .time to rebuild . . .

16. pilipinas

    hey greats chats as always……im a guy frm the philippines…….question is a big indy fan..p.george now an all star right?so he still has 2 yrs left and david west is a free agent..so what will happen to indys salary cap??can they sign d west ang psycho t and after a year p.george with grangers hibbert and hills salary ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP THIS CORE RIGHT??they wont do tax right??help me mr.ingram???….thanks a lot

    • Bill Ingram

      The rise of George makes Granger expendable, but his knee makes him hard to trade. I have a hard time seeing how they can keep David West, honestly, based on the fact that he will draw a lot of interest around the NBA and the Pacers are not a team that can pay luxury tax. It’s going to be imperative that they develop his replacement – maybe Hansbrough – quickly, the way they have George.

17. Tasia

    Looking at the Lakers, rockets, and blazers schedule the Lakers could be the 8th seed by all star break crazy do you see it happening? I hope so I’m tired of hearing about all the drama.

    Who do you think the Hansen group goes after if they lose the kings bid.

    • Bill Ingram

      I don’t think they lose the Kings bid. I’m not someone who has counted out the Lakers or even the Mavericks just because they’ve been terrible early on. The West is weaker this year, which is why teams like Portland and Houston have been in the playoff picture early on. If the Lakers and Mavs can get hot now – and both are showing signs – they can knock someone else out of the picture easily enough. But they’ve got to sustain a run and not win three, lose three, that sort of thing. It’s time to win now before the hole gets any deeper.

18. Costas

    Do you think Thunder should make a move for Center that can score? Their post presence is very very limited with Perkins. When RB is off, Thunder have a very big big problem to win games. They need some help from the post and the ideal case would be to sign Koufos or Hawes. A 1st round pick should be sufficient I think. Your thoughts?

    • Bill Ingram

      I don’t think they do that . . .scoring is not an issue at all. They need defense down low and Perkins brings that.

19. justin

    Where our the Jazz rumors? There good enough for the playoffs. Just not good enough to win a championship. They need to add a pg and let Kanter/Favors get some minutes.

    • Bill Ingram

      The predominant rumor has been that they will move Paul Millsap . . .they’re just waiting, like most teams are, to see who is really available come deadline time.

20. Jorge Martinez

    1-Mavs trade OJ Mayo, danhtay jones and roddy b for gerald henderson and Ramon Sessions?
    2-Mavs trade mayo, jones and wright to utah, utah sends milsap to the cats and the cats send sessions, henderson and mullens or biyombo to the mavs? What do you think?

    • Bill Ingram

      I’d really be surprised if the Mavs traded Mayo . . .they talk about him as someone who will be in Dallas long-term, well beyond this season.

21. Justin

    Will Jazz get the upgrade at P.G thats so badly needed before trade deadling? I think Lowery could be a perfect fit?

    • Bill Ingram

      I agree…and Bargs could bring back the Okur factor at center, right?

22. Jorge Martinez

    Just saw kaman isnt happy with his minutes. mavs trade kaman, mayo, jones and crowder to hawks for Jsmoove and pachulia, who says no?

    • Bill Ingram

      I don’t see Dallas trading Mayo, but Kaman has played himself into the very back of Carlisle’s dog house. Still, acquiring Smith when they have Dirk at the four doesn’t seem likely for Dallas.

23. edgar

    are the rox getting their pf? …..any rumors?names?thanks….have a good day

    • Bill Ingram

      Well, they have six or seven depending on how you label guys, right? They love Paul Millsap, but they don’t know if using their cap space to re-sign him next summer is the smart thing to do. He’s not likely to be THE missing piece that makes them contenders, and that’s what Houston is waiting for.

24. dub

    Word is the Celts may try to get Lowry from the raps. Would a kyle+bargs for Green+Sullinger deal work?

    • Bill Ingram

      There’s no question Boston is interested, but the Raptors are going to want more than Green and Sullinger . . .

25. da wink

    Will the Rox make a move before the All Star break? Seems there would be an excess of players once freaky Royce would be reinstated..

    • Bill Ingram

      The Rockets will have to waive someone . . .or make a minor trade. Either is very possible.

26. dub

    I read an article last week saying Durant wanted to play for the raptors comming into the NBA. Could you imagine the impact he’d have had on basketball in Canada? Other than Wiggins, will there ever be an athlete that comes to the NBA trying to get Canada’s first NBA championship?

    • Bill Ingram

      That kind of player doesn’t come along very often . . .there are maybe five in the NBA currently? The Raptors will eventually find one of their own, but they don’t have him right now, for sure.

27. mandon

    hey bill with the rondo injury would u make a trade at the dealine or just stay back and rebuild in the off season and how likely is the kings to become the sonics!!! if not is there a replacement team that can thanx for your time

    • Bill Ingram

      If the Board of Governors approves the sale, the Sonics are all but back. You have to be smart about moves. You wait and see who is available and at what price. It might be that blowing the team up now is the best move, but you don’t do it just to do it. If the right offer doesn’t come along, you wait until summer.

28. Chris

    Should the Rockets go after Jamison of the Lakers to help fill the PF gap they have? He’s just wasting away on the Lakers bench.

    • Bill Ingram

      I like Jamison a lot, but is he an upgrade over the seven PF’s the Rockets already have? That’s a bunt move . . .the Rockets need a homerun.

29. JR

    Dwight is a lot closer to being a rocket now than he was a year ago right? Is that saying much.

    • Bill Ingram

      Dan Fegan is not letting Dwight Howard sign in Houston.

30. jazz

    Grizzlies get chandler amf brewer from denver for gay. Good trade? Why or why not? Thanks

    • Bill Ingram

      Good for Memphis because it adds depth. Bad for Denver because Rudy Gay isn’t that much better than what they have now and he’s MUCH more expensive.

31. Chris

    Do you think the Bulls will still amnesty Boozer this offseason? If they do, with the cap space the Rockets have this offseason, they could put a bid in for him of say $2-3 million, and fill that PF slot on the cheap. They could use the rest of their space to get some much needed depth.

    • Bill Ingram

      Not the way he’s playing . . .borderline All-Star season from Boozer.

32. Django

    When do you expect the first trades to happen ? All on the last day before deadline ?

    • Bill Ingram

      That wouldn’t surprise me at all . . .

33. Jake Smith

    When will the Magic trade JJ?

    • Bill Ingram

      Only if they get a great offer for him. He’s not part of a fire sale.

34. Steve

    Hey Bill, With Rondo out of the All-Star game, do you think Brandon Jennings has a shot at getting that replacement spot?

    • Bill Ingram

      Possible . . .Jennings is having a good season for Milwaukee.

35. alexander

    D12 for LBJ , who says no

    • Bill Ingram

      Miami. Immediately and resoundingly.

36. Matt

    Great chat Bill.

    I am happy to see Mamba finally turning into a facilitator and play more efficiently. Less is more.
    Do you think he can stay with this plan, or his ego will get to him?

    • Bill Ingram

      Alright, last question, everyone.Facilitator is Kobe’s best role, for sure. It’s not about ego for Kobe, it’s about winning. He wants two more rings, and he carries that chip on his shoulder. It’s not ego for ego’s sake . . .it’s ego as fuel for winning championships. Thanks for spending some of your Monday with us here at HOOPSWORLD! Have a great week!