NBA Chat With Bill Ingram – 1/9/2012

1. Jai Jai

   I’m a Laker loyalist, what can you see in regards to moving Bynum for Howard or Gasol for K. Love. Do the Lakers just wait for next season to maybe acquire D. Will???

   • Bill Ingram

     Good Morning, everyone, and welcome to the chat! The Lakers look pretty darned good right now with Bynum actually healthy and Kobe turning the clock back. If Bynum can stay healthy and play this well perhaps the Magic revisit that trade offer before the deadline. The thing is, Orlando is also playing well and both sides appear to be happy at the moment. As for Deron, if he leaves NJ I strongly suspect it will be for Dallas. His home town Mavs are going to have a LOAD of cap space next summer and he’s their number one target.

2. JaMoomba

   I think the Lakers are making a mistake in not giving Arenas a shot. They’re perimeter offense is lacking and they need a pg. Arenas was at one point a top 10-15 player in the league and he’d be a low risk/high reward situation. By all accounts he’s healthy. He had a decent stretch with the Magic last year. He’s probably extremely motivated, by pride or money, to get back on the court and be the player he once was; and he’s an LA native. So why haven’t the Lakers or any other contenders given Gilbert serious consideration?

   • Bill Ingram

     I’ve been asked that a few times in recent weeks – why don’t the Lakers bring in Arenas. Honestly, I can’t imagine why a team with Ron Artest already in uniform would want to tempt fate by adding Arenas. Granted, both have been on their best behavior of late, but I just have a hard time seeing the two of them getting through a whole season without something very distracting happening. The Lakers hate distractions.

3. Matt (UK)

   If you were Masai Ujiri which teams would you trade complete rosters with for this season? I am loving the depth the Nuggets have for this hectic, shortened season and would only pick about six to eight teams above what the Nugg’s have.

   • Bill Ingram

     If I’m Ujiri I re-sign Wilson Chandler as soon as the CBA season is over and I don’t touch a thing. He has great depth at every position and the chemistry is really good, too. I think you’re asking me which teams might be deeper, and there aren’t many. Dallas is deep, but also older. Miami looks great with Haslem, Cole and Battier in the mix – Mike Miller coming back eventually, too. Denver is right there in terms of depth, they just need a couple of guys like Lawson and Gallo to emerge as legit stars. I think they’re a top four team this season. Home court, baby!

4. Chris G

   I’m getting real tired of the analysts who “hate” that fans vote in the All Star starters. It’s a game for fans. Why shouldn’t fans pick who they want to see? It’s like analysts feel the All Star Game should be treated like the Oscars,when it’s actually much more like the MTV Movie Awards. Being a starter rewards box office and popularity. Am I off base here?

   • Bill Ingram

     Yeah, I never quite understand that. All-Star is all about the fans. There is also a respect level around the game, some players who are overlooked by fans, but that’s why the coaches pick the reserves. I don’t see anything wrong with the system the way it is. I don’t think the fans should pick them all, but they should continue to pick the starters.

5. shad

   If the Jazz make the playoffs, is Tye Corbin coach of the year?

   • Bill Ingram

     The Jazz are actually the hottest team in the West right now with four straight wins. The thing is, they have been getting the all-injured teams. They played Milwaukee without Bogut or Dunleavy, the Hornets without a bunch of guys, the Warriors without Curry and the Grizzlies without Randolph or Arthur. Let’s see how they look after they play the Lakers, Dallas twice, Denver, the Clippers and even the Timberwolves – they’ll be tested often between now and the end of January. But yes, if they are a playoff team I think Corbin is in the C.O.Y. discussion. Adelman may have that locked up, though.

6. The JOkeShow

   Should the jazz trade raja, move howard to the 3 and hayward to the 2? Is hayward a more 3 or 2?

   • Bill Ingram

     I don’t see Gordon as a two, no, and I don’t think they should trade Raja because he is one of the primary veteran voices on the team. He brings a lot more to the team than just his stats.

7. Dennis

   Who am I? Everyone said I had no jumpshot. Everyone said my best days were in a game when I was 18 years old. Everyone wrote about how the GM who drafted me should be fired. Who came to the league and lit this piece up?

   • Bill Ingram

     Not being one to watch high school basketball, I have no idea . . .when you say no jumpshot I immediately think Jason Kidd, but I think everyone always expected him to be good in other ways. Gonna have to give me another hint or two.

8. Frank

   Hi Bill,
   Assume the KINGS have decided to move TYREKE to the wing and are willing to trade SALMONS for a REAL PG. If Mo WILLIAMS, Luke RIDENAUER, Jose CALDERON & Kirk HEINRICH were all available…A)How wd you rank the 4 PGs? & B) Which trading team would be most likely to take SALMONS in trade for their PG? Thanks.

   • Bill Ingram

     Hey Frank! Still sitting on your email . . .will respond soon. Been a busy week with so many Dallas home games. – I would have to go with the Timberwolves, as they are seeking a true shooting guard and they obviously have their starting point guard of the future. To rank them? I’d go: Mo Williams, Hinrich, Calderon and then Ridnour. That’s taking into account some of the intangibles they bring as well as their stats.

9. Emir Trepic

   Hello Bill, please tell me if you see any light at the end of Rockets (Morey’s) tunnel? What would you do if you tomorrow take Daryl’s place?

   • Bill Ingram

     The Rockets are such a mess right now that it’s hard to see a quick fix. To start with, I would hire a GM who has proven he can make something of a difficult roster. Kevin Pritchard or David Morway would be my choice, assuming you could lure David away from Indiana. It’s time to package all those “assets” together and get a true starting center. I would reach out to the Hornets and get Kaman for this season. His contract expires at the end of the year, either giving the Rockets plenty of cap space, or giving them something to offer Orlando when it comes time to talk about Dwight. When I meet with Dwight I take Hakeem Olajuwon to the meeting. Let Dwight’s friend and mentor sell him on the proud (albeit ancient) history of the Rockets. Give me Dwight, Scola, Martin and Lowry as my core group and I’m ready to get back into the playoff picture. I also fire Kevin McHale and bring Jeff Van Gundy back as head coach. A few notes off the top of my head . . .

10. Lewis1201

    Y don’t they fire Otis? He is the type of GM that wants to be Dwight but he was never good enough so he acts like he is above catering to his star!!!! Don’t understand it at all he acts like he doesn’t care if Dwight leaves or not….. U don’t see Kobe, Wade or Derk being treated the way Dwight is…. Is he even respected among NBA GM’s it doesn’t seem like it???

    • Bill Ingram

      I thought they should have fired him after he let Hedo go and traded for Vince Carter. That was the beginning of the end for the Magic . . .and he’s only done more damage since then.

11. AJ

    Only taking in to account performance so far this year (not name recognition), who would you select to be the starters and reserves for the Western Conference All-Star team?

    • Bill Ingram

      Andrew Bogut, LaMarcus Aldridge, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Kevin Durant are my starters. Kevin Love, James Harden, Blake Griffin, Kyle Lowry, Gallinari, Ty Lawson and . . .drum roll . . .Marcus Thornton!

12. jullia

    wat if the hornets get 2 top 5 picks in the loaded 2012 draft..who wil be d best 2 picks and why?thanks

    • Bill Ingram

      I don’t see New Orleans being that bad once everyone gets healthy, so one of their first round picks is likely to be somewhere around 10 or lower. Of course, they might not get healthy, too. The Minny pick is not guaranteed to be bad, either. Still, let’s say they get 2 top 5 picks. They probably go Sullinger, a real beast at power forward, and Barnes, the best small forward in the class. They would fit well with Okafor, Jack, and Belinelli.

13. Juan Pablo

    Starters:Rubio-Mayo(Trade)-Williams-Love-A Davis (Trade to Draft or straight trade)Bench: Barea-Lee-Webster-Randolph-Meyers(draft)
    Is it impossible to have this team the next year? If possible, it´s championship quality (just playoff experience away)? If impossible who would you target as SG and C?
    Thanks!
    Regards from Argentina!

    • Bill Ingram

      Hello Argentina! That’s certainly a nice team on paper! The Grizzlies have felt out the market on Mayo more than a few times, but have yet to pull the trigger since the 3-way with Indy and New Orleans fell through. He would be a nice fit, especially with Adelman there. Someone earlier suggested Salmons, and he wouldn’t be a bad fit either.

14. Ludwig Hasbauer

    What do you think about Smart as the new headcoach of my Kings? Will they go after Jerry Sloan in the summer, or how can Smart convince the Maloofs/Petrie?

    • Bill Ingram

      I have always liked Keith Smart, and he’s such a players’ coach that he will likely have Cousins on the right page going forward. I don’t think Sloan is the right personality for that task . . .he and Cousins would be at odds immediately. I think Smart is the better long-term choice.

15. Ludwig Hasbauer

    I think Cousins has improved alot already, but how long will he need until he avoids foul trouble? He barely gets over 25 mins/game…

    • Bill Ingram

      The plight of many modern big men. The speed of the game is such that they have to learn to react more quickly than ever before. He’ll get there . . .but it might take him longer than some others just because he’s not exactly a student of the game.

16. Jim

    Who is the most polite player you have met?

    • Bill Ingram

      Wow . . .there are so many . . .most players are pretty polite. I’ll go with DJ Augustin.

17. butch

    ugly time for a rocket fan, do you think it’s time for a trade o just let this season slips? if do you think so, any possible names?
    bye

    • Bill Ingram

      Given the state of the team it isn’t a bad idea to think about trading Scola, Martin and maybe Lowry to playoff teams and go ahead and admit defeat. The sad thing is they are also one significant piece away from being a pretty good team. But given the coach they have and the lack of success from their front office, these are hard times, indeed.

18. Brian

    Bill,

    Any chance the Wolves could get Mayo, Harden, or DeRozen? What would we have to give up?

    Thanks!

    • Bill Ingram

      No chance they get DeRozan or Harden, I can tell you that for sure. I’ve spoken to both GM’s – OKC and TOR – and they love those players. See my earlier comments on Mayo . . .the Wolves do have extra front court talent, which might inspire Memphis to get a deal done.

19. Jiggy

    Is Derick Williams from Minny a SF or PF and can he guard SF around the NBA?

    • Bill Ingram

      He’d have to slim down a bit to guard small forward effectively, I think, but his love for the 3-point shot does make him something of a tweener . . .

20. Jiggy

    I think Wiz def need some true veteran leadership to mold these young players…what are some of their options?

    • Bill Ingram

      Honestly, as much as I like Flip Saunders as a coach, I think the problem starts on the bench. He is great with a veteran team like Detroit was, but I’m not impressed with his handling of a very young team. They have a great vet in Rashard Lewis, but I think they need a change in coaching.

21. MagicJoe

    Do you feel that there is any truth to the report that howard is rethinking his trade request, and is 80% sure he will return to Orlando according to multiple sources?

    • Bill Ingram

      Given that Howard’s response to any question about that is to take the 5th, I don’t put much credence in the report. Dwight Howard will be somewhere else next season barring some miraculous team-changing trade.

22. MagicJoe

    How soon will Otis Smith be shown the door if Howard stays in your opinion?

    • Bill Ingram

      I think Otis will be the next one out the door behind Dwight…

23. MagicJoe

    Is therir any truth that the Magic are trying to trade for D – Will? Do you see a trade possibly happening before the deadline to try to keep Howard?

    • Bill Ingram

      Absolutely! They have been trying to get Deron for some time. Problem is, the Nets want Dwight, which defeats the purpose. If you’re the Nets, would you give up Deron for everyone else on the Magic roster beyond Dwight? Nope, neither would I.

24. pocket rockets

    How do you think the rockets are doing so far this season? I know what the record shows but that last OKC game was close but almost every other loss has been a blow out. What’s their move for the rest of the season in your opinion?

    • Bill Ingram

      The record doesn’t lie. They are awful. McHale is complaining about defensive effort, but with Battier and Hayes gone so is the D. They only won that San Antonio game because Pop wasn’t in it to win it after back-to-backs. I don’t know if they’ll be bad enough to get Andre Drummond on the draft, but that might be the best-case scenario since Morey can’t convince a good free agent to come to town.

25. MagicJoe

    Bill at what point, or should Dwight be honest with fans about his true reason for leaving the Magic? Which is obviously more than winning titles in my opinion.

    • Bill Ingram

      The winning titles reason is enough . . .if Orlando had a championship team around Dwight he would stay. I know Dwight well enough to say that with full confidence.

26. Jaimeson

    NEW RULE! Lose pts if ya airball a 3, except last secs of qtr. Don’t stop clock so keeps the flow. Think twice b4 ya launch, especially poor 3 pt shooters. Shot clocks low…. tough! Too many people just chuckin em up there. Post guys stay in the post!

    • Bill Ingram

      LOL . . .it’s been a pretty rough year from downtown, even without those crazy shots. The schedule is taking a negative toll on shooting percentages.

27. Dushko

    Who would you rather take, now and in 4 years time ?
    Rubio and Williams or Irving and Thompson

    J-Harden looks like the new Manu to me !
    Cheers and HNY

    • Bill Ingram

      Harden’s been great . . .Manu without the injuries? … Hard to go wrong with either of those combos, I think, but I’ll take Rubio and Williams because of how well they’re playing right now. Rubio is certainly proving his doubters wrong!

28. Dallas

    Thoughts on the Raptors so far? Is Bargani playing well enough to warrant a being a coaches selection for the All Star Team?

    • Bill Ingram

      Bargs has been fantastic . . .even playing defense for the first time. Record has a lot to do with which teams get picks, but with so many teams being so up and down due to the schedule Bargs might just stand out as someone the coaches pick.

29. Jiggy

    Why is Jameer Nelson degressing so fast…he used to be a second best player on that team now he is nowhere to be found?ORL needs a new pg and there is no one to be found.

    • Bill Ingram

      That’s a huge problem for the Magic, you’re right. He’s only 30, but he’s playing like his career is almost over. If he were playing like he did during the title run the Magic would be a much better team, and they haven’t been all that bad so far.

30. jake

    Can Portland make a move to get a center if they do that I think will be hard to beat.

    • Bill Ingram

      So many teams need centers that it’s easier said than done. Still, the Blazers are 6-2, as good as any team in the West. You’re always waiting for Camby’s next injury, of course, but they could do a lot worse than play Aldridge at the five a little more.

31. Rocco

    Hi Bill. When do u think the NBA will expand the league to more cities?

    • Bill Ingram

      Wow . . .honestly, I think the league could do with a few LESS teams . . .the talent pool is so diluted that many teams are already irrelevant. Before they expand again they had better ramp up the D-League or do something to produce some superstar basketball players to lead those franchises.

32. Lior

    If I recall correctly, we traded our 2012 1st round pick to NJ for TWill. Is it protected? If we have a bust season at least get something out of it.

    • Bill Ingram

      Yes, that pick is lottery-protected. Looks like they’ll be keeping it, the way things are going.

33. Billy M

    Lowry’s unfortunate foot problem and lawsuit is just a coincidence that they were announced/happened in the same week right?

    • Bill Ingram

      I wouldn’t read too much into that lawsuit. The foot is a real injury . . .Lowry doesn’t sit out unless he absolutely can’t go, and he expects to be back in the lineup in Charlotte.

34. Jonathan

    Hey Bill, what’s going on with Budinger? He did great towards the end of last season and seem to have taken a step back. Twill eating into his time?

    • Bill Ingram

      Mostly what’s going on is McHale loves to play rookie Chandler Parsons . . .who looks rough when he isn’t playing in garbage time. When Chase has had significant minutes he has given the Rockets double-figure scoring and better than 50% shooting. I have no idea why Parsons is wandering around shooting air balls when Chase is on the bench.

35. Juan Pablo

    Who says no?
    Clippers get: Beasley-Darko-future 2st pick
    Minne get: DeAndre Jordan- a future 1st pick
    A way to make it work?

    • Bill Ingram

      As high as the Clippers are on Jordan, I don’t see them trading him.

36. Brooks

    What about this Paul George kid? All I hear about is his potential.

    • Bill Ingram

      He looks great . . .no question about it. He had a strong showing in the playoffs and had been improved across the board so far this season. That’s it for me, everyone! As always, thanks for spending some of your Monday with us here at HOOPSWORLD. Our next chat is with Stephen Brotherston this afternoon – drop your questions in now!