NBA Chat With Bill Ingram 10/8/12

Catch up on the latest news, rumors and predictions with HOOPSWORLD’s Bill Ingram every Monday at 11:00 AM Eastern.

Bill covers the entire NBA and is based in Dallas, Texas. He has been an NBA analyst since 1998, when he and Steve Kyler founded HOOPSWORLD. He can be heard on radio stations across the country and his work has also appeared in USA Today.

You can follow Bill on Twitter by linking here: @TheRocketGuy.

  1. Abc

    Brian Scalabrine vs. Chuck Norris, 1 on 1, who wins?

    • Bill Ingram

      Good Morning, everyone, and welcome to the chat! Scal? Is that you again? I thought we agreed you were going to stop trying to be your own agent . . . :)

  2. Sweet Dee

    Looks like Markieff Morris will get a big opportunity to play in Phoenix this year with Channing Frye out for the season. How many minutes per game do you expect him to play this year? And do you think he will be able to live up to his 13th overall pick status of 2 years ago?

    • Bill Ingram

      Morris will definitely get a shot to play more minutes as a result of Frye’s absence. So will Michael Beasley, though, and maybe Ike Diogu, if he makes the squad. Morris is going to have to work to get those minutes just as hard as if Frye was there.

  3. Mac

    Some players struggle adjusting to the speed of the NBA coming over from Europe. What are your expectations on Alexi Shved this year? How many minutes to do think Adelman will play him this season and what is a reasonable expectation from T-Wolves fans?

    • Bill Ingram

      I’ve heard nothing but good things about Shved, especially after his showing in Olympic play. But you’re right – the NBA game is a different animal, so we have to be careful setting expectations too high. They play their first preseason game on Wednesday against the Pacers, and that will give us our first taste of what Shved might be this season. I see Shved as a back-up to Roy, and he could see major minutes if Roy can’t start or has a setback with the knees. Adelman prefers veterans, of course, but at 6’6″ Shved has a chance to make his mark on a team that is short on two-guard talent.

  4. Mac

    I am concerned at the quality of the Memphis Grizzlies bench: Josh Shelby, the oft-injured Jarred Bayless, Quincy Pondexter, I play no defense Mau Speights, and Hamed Haddidi is not the strongest second unit? How do you rank the Grizz bench and do you think this lack of depth will impact their standings.

    • Bill Ingram

      I am, too. When they let O.J. Mayo walk for nothing I was very, very concerned. Then the Mavs got him for a song. If the Grizzlies think Bayless is going to give them Mayo numbers they haven’t been watching any Blazers or Raptors basketball in recent years. I don’t think the rest of the backcourt reserves put together will make up for losing Mayo. That group you just mentioned is little better than a D-League team. Actually, I can think of some D-League teams that would wipe the court with Memphis’ second unit.

  5. Dennis

    The Toronto Raptors somehow managed to be ranked in the top 10 in defense under Dwayne Casey last year. With a full training camp and the additions of Jonas Valancious, Kyle Lowry, and Landry Fields do you think this rank can be improved? Preseason, where would you put Toronto defensively as a team?

    • Bill Ingram

      That’s just it . . .the Raptors are bigger, healthier, and in Lowry they have a great point defender. The only way they’re not better this year is if major injuries hit. This Raptors team looks very, very tough.

  6. Frank

    Many reports have said coach Keith Smart as bonded and gained the trust of DeMarcus Cousins . Never sure to believe the hype of such a volatile player. How do you think Smart will do this year with Sac. And how do you think the Cousins/Robinson tandem fair in year one?

    • Bill Ingram

      I know Keith very well, and I can tell you he absolutely has the trust of Cousins. That was his first priority when he took the job. Of course, having Cousins’ trust and getting him to play under control are two different things. I think there are some maturity issues that will hold back the Sonics this season … wait? Did I say Sonics? Are they still the Kings? Only maturity issues will hold them back, though. Once that lineup matures they are going to be a force to be reckoned with.

  7. Randy

    How worried are you about the John Wall stress fracture in his knee. Seems like a bad thing to have right before a grueling 82 game season. Would you steer clear of him in fantasy pools as you are concerned about this being a reoccurring injury during the year or do you believe he will come back to play at a high level for the rest of the season despite this minor set-back.

    • Bill Ingram

      I would steer clear in Fantasy play, for sure. You never know how something like that is going to heal midseason, when there is going to be a lot of stress on the stress fracture. It’s not a long-term thing, but it’s enough that I would look elsewhere if I were building a Fantasy lineup. I don’t think it’s the type of thing that will recur if they give it time to heal, which it sounds like they will.

  8. Ricky

    Damian Lillard looked like an absolute stud during Summer League. But this was against 2nd level talent/ back-up point guards. How do you think he will fair against all the starting points guards this year. And how many turnovers do you believe he will average this season playing all those minutes in Portland.

    • Bill Ingram

      Baptism by fire, right? He might just be Rookie Of The Year with all those minutes. I had the pleasure of watching him and talking to him a bit in Vegas and I think he’s the real deal. Plenty of players have put up monster numbers in Vegas and struggled in the NBA, but I don’t think Lillard is going to be one of those.

  9. Julian

    How do you believe Terry Stotts will fair in his first season with Portland. The Blazers are supposed to be in rebuilding mode, but with Aldridge, Batum, and the rookies they may surprise. How do you have them ranked in the Northwest and why?

    • Bill Ingram

      I actually ranked them fifth – see HOOPSWORLD’s 2012-13 PORTLAND PREVIEW HERE! They have a great deal of talent, but they’re a young team with a new coach and it’s likely to be a long season with close losses when all is said and done. I like Stotts a lot, and he was a big part of the Mavs’ championship. It will be interesting to see how he has grown as a coach now that he’s the head man again.

  10. Aussie pacer

    Hey bill love all the hoopsworld chats thanks for giving us your time.

    I’ve got a question for u with all shaq’s talk about Lopez and Bynum being better than Dwight (which I don’t agree with by the way) take Dwight out of the situation where do u see Roy Hibbert in the equation? I personally have him above Lopez chasing Bynum

    • Bill Ingram

      Yeah, keep in mind that Shaq doesn’t like Dwight. There’s no way he actually believes that Lopez is better. There is an argument to be made for Bynum, when healthy, but Lopez? Not unless he takes a couple of big steps forward – especially rebounding and defense. I would say Roy and Brook are in the same category. Roy is better in some areas, Brook is better in others. Neither is in a discussion with Dwight. Bynum is a harder call because he is so up and down. I’m looking forward to seeing if he can take over the Sixers like everyone is saying he will do. I don’t think that’s a given.

  11. Dennis

    Is Nikola Pekovic as good as advertised? He had great numbers at the end of last season, but this kinda came out of nowhere. How do you think he will do this year? What is a reasonable stat line expectation for a T-Wolves fan?

    • Bill Ingram

      Well, he made a quantum leap forward last season, and from what Kevin Love has been saying he’s even better right now. I don’t think 15 and 10 is unrealistic. Seems the Wolves found their starting center in a somewhat unlikely place.

  12. willy

    what do you think about the knicks this year? 2 or 3 seed?
    I think they’re better than the nets
    Felton v Dwill Kidd v CJ watson Prigioni v Taylor
    Shump v JJ JR v Marshon Ronnie v Stackhouse
    Melo v Crash Novak V Childress
    Stoud v Hump Sheed V telovic
    Chandler v Lopez Camby v Blatche
    They matchup really well but i think a lineup of Shump at the 1 and ronnie at the 2 and melo stoud and chandler just is flat out better than Brooklyn Thoughts? Thanks!

    • Bill Ingram

      I think you’re waaaay overestimating them. The home court seeds are almost certainly Miami, Indiana, Chicago and Boston. They might be better than the Nets, but I don’t think that’s a given. Since last year they got older and slower . . .that doesn’t often lead to a better record.

  13. Joseph

    First time reader here, gotta couple questions for ya:

    1. Puting championships and hardware aside, is Lebron in his prime (last year) a better all around basketball player than Kobe in his?

    3. Who do u have winning the regular season MVP? And finals MVP?

    • Bill Ingram

      Well, welcome to HOOPSWORLD/USA Today Sports! We’re glad you stopped by. The one area where Kobe has LeBron, who is obviously a physical freak as compared to Kobe, is that winning mentality. Kobe wants the pressure, he wants the big shot, and he handles it all extraordinarily well. LeBron is getting there, but he’s not there yet. Regular season MVP is either Durant or LeBron . . .depending on the politics. Finals MVP is Durant or one of the Lakers’ big three.

  14. T.J. Wilson

    What type of numbers you think Jeremy Lin will accumulate this season for the Rockets?….I say around 16ppg..7apg….Will him and Omer Asik make a decent tandem? I know the organization are going to continue to rework their roster so the Rockets can become a contender in the future, but Lin is up under alot of pressure to deliver. Also, When Kris Humphries became a free agent this past summer, How come teams weren’t lined up trying to sign him? He’s no star but the guy is a good role player..he averaged like 13pts…11rbs last season.

    • Bill Ingram

      I think you’re spot-on with Lin. He was a 14 and 6 player last season after the scouts had a look at him, and I think he might be slightly better, but not All-Star better. I’m going to have to see it to believe it with Asik. Not ready to go there at all. The Rockets are toast at center. As for Humphries, I’m sure it’s because GM’s wives watch that reality tv show he was on and said he was the most hated player in the NBA. Like all things reality TV, there was no truth to that, but you know, I’m sure that was it. :)

  15. Justin

    Joel Anthony and the first round pick from Phily for either mozgof or kanter. Can this happen?

    • Bill Ingram

      Doubtful. It’s a lateral move with Mozgov and there’s no way the Jazz are trading Kanter. That Philly first doesn’t look like much this season, either.

  16. AJ in Hawaii but from Cali

    Do you think MKG in Charlotte will be any better than Ariza? i think he’s a better slasher but obviously doesnt have the range. both play excellent D of course..

    • Bill Ingram

      Good comparison, actually . . .I think he’ll be a similar kind of player. Great defender, but not someone who is going to take over offensively. Charlotte is still missing their franchise cornerstone.

  17. Deven

    Royce White should man up and get on a plane and conquer his fears. Do you agree?

  18. Chris G

    Hi, Bill. Do you have predictions about players who might dazzle us in the preseason, leading their team’s fans to see a big role for them this season, who will never actually get off the bench when the real games start?

    • Bill Ingram

      Well, that’s what preseason is for . . .Darren Collison and Jared Sullinger sure had nice games for Dallas and Boston over the weekend. A good place to start.

  19. Bryan

    Are you a Mavs believer? collison,mayo,Kaman and brand seem like great additions along with a deep bench, Carlisle and most importantly Dirk

    • Bill Ingram

      As I told Mark Cuban, I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt. I think Dirk, Kaman and Brand are the second-best front court combo in the West behind the Lakers. Collison and Mayo have been dying to play together, and in Dallas, no less. The Mavs have a much deeper and younger team than last year. I don’t think they’re a first round casualty this time, but are they contenders? Maybe. Not ready to go there yet, but I can see the potential.

  20. Brian

    Hoopsworld reported today the Sacramento Kings are going to try Thomas Robinson at the SF spot. This seems like a mistake as one of his main strengths is crashing the boards, not staying on the perimeter. What do you think of this decision and how do you think it will turn out for Sac over the course of the year?

    • Bill Ingram

      As Yannis said in that article, I think it’s Keith Smart trying to put his best five players on the court, and Robinson is one of those. Is that how they start the season? Maybe not. We’ll see how it works in preseason. Clearly Smart liked what he saw with that lineup in training camp.

  21. Peter

    How do you think Joe Johnson will do this year without all the pressure? He was the focal point of the offense for Atlanta, but now can play off of one of the premier point guards in the league. And defenses will no longer be able to focus on him as much.

    • Bill Ingram

      Without all the pressure?? I think he went from the frying pan into the fire, to be honest. The expectations in Brooklyn are much higher than they were in Atlanta, and the media will kill him if he doesn’t play well. That’s going to be Deron’s team, but Johnson will be right there, too, taking the blame if the team falls short of expectations, which it almost certainly will, given that the expectation is a title.

  22. Anderson

    Yahoo Fantasy Basketball has Alexsey Shved ranked 447th overall. This is surprising with being a back-up SG to a guy with wonky knees. Question: What are some specific reasons he is ranked so low and how many minutes per game do you expect him to play. Do you believe he could be a fantasy steal for the last round or two?

    • Bill Ingram

      Yeah, like I said earlier, he’s an unknown. I would take him, to be honest. I think he’ll be good, and I think depending on Roy is risky. Predicting minutes is crazy at this point, but I’d take him.

  23. Jamison

    Indiana really seemed to like Miles Plumlee. What do you personally think of the player? And what type of contribution do you see him having in year one?

    • Bill Ingram

      He probably wouldn’t have been my pick. I don’t expect much in year one . . .but maybe Kevin Pritchard sees something we don’t.

  24. Bryan

    Hey Bill!
    With both Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson on expiring deals, who gets dealt before the seasons end? And what are some potential targets to get back?

    • Bill Ingram

      Jefferson has the more expensive deal, and to me Millsap is more of a winner. I would deal Jefferson if the team isn’t in the playoff picture. If they are, you let that group stay together and see what happens. Figure the rest out later.

  25. Zac

    What type of contribution do you expect from Royce White and Jeremy Lamb this season?

    • Bill Ingram

      I think we can look at Kevin Martin and see Lamb’s future. He’ll be starting at the two this time next year as a very efficient scorer who plays defense only accidentally. Royce White looks like a great talent . . .he could be the starter next year at this time, as well.

  26. Sweet Dee

    This may be a make or break type season for coach Ty Corbin. He now has had 1 ½ seasons with Utah as Jerry Sloan`s apprentice. What do you think of the job he is doing so far? And did you rank Utah as a playoff team this year with him as coach. Why or why not.

    • Bill Ingram

      Maybe, though let’s keep in mind that one of those seasons was ridiculous. No camp or preseason to speak of and little practice time. I would say his seat gets a lot hotter next year.

  27. Chris

    How do you think the Nets season ends?

    • Bill Ingram

      Second round loss to Miami, Indiana, Boston or Chicago.

  28. Dennis

    How much impact do you believe the 19 year old Andre Drummond will have in year one. Do you expect him to be the back-up center in Detroit. How many minutes do you think Lawrence Frank will play him and what is a reasonable stat line for Pistons fans to expect.

    • Bill Ingram

      I think he’ll play, alright. That’s a young team that is basically starting over after one year with Frank. There has been talk of him starting next to Monroe, which sounds interesting on paper . . .we’ll see how it looks when the ball goes up.

  29. Anderson

    Kirk Hinrich is asked to hold down the fort until Derrick Rose returns this year. But with averages of only 6.6 ppg, 2.8 apg in 26 minutes last year in Atlanta should have Bulls fans worried. Are people remembering Hinrich of a few years ago or do you expect him to be able to return to form and keep this team at 500 or better until Rose returns?

    • Bill Ingram

      I think Hinrich will be fine. He’s on a familiar team with players he knows and has depth around him, as well. The Bulls were pretty good without Rose last season and I think counting them out is a HUGE mistake.

  30. Frank

    A lot of Dion Waiters summer league struggles were attributed to poor conditioning. Seems like a convenient excuse. Would you be concerned as a Cavs fan? And will Waiters be able to fill the void left by Anthony Parker as staring SG.

    • Bill Ingram

      I thought the same thing. He better come out like a house afire if he’s going to prove that draft pick wasn’t wasted . . .

  31. Jamison

    Elton Brand declared during media day that he would be Dallas` enforcer this year, citing all the technical fouls he has had over the past few years. How do you think he will do filling this role and can he play center at times with Disco or would they be exposed too much defensively.

    • Bill Ingram

      Yeah, I was there when he said that. Kind of funny, actually. He played a lot of center in Philly, and he feels comfortable that he can do it in Dallas, as well. I don’t think he can hold Dwight or Bynum for very long, but this is not a big man’s league any more. In Caslisle’s scheme he can play 10-15 minutes at center I would imagine.

  32. Brian

    With question marks surrounding Andrew Bynum`s health may have lowered expectations in Philly, as they will not play with the vocal point of their offense/defense for any preseason games and possibly the start of the season. Do you think Philly will be able to rebound or will this slow start hurt their chances? Where do you now rank Philly this year in Atlantic Division?

    • Bill Ingram

      I think what’s more important is how many games Drew plays. If this is an indication of how the season is going to go, Philly’s in trouble. Hopefully he will get healthy and lead them to a deep playoff run . . .

  33. Tim

    name a starting 5 using players from the atlantic. Now the same with the central. which team would win?