NBA Chat With Bill Ingram 4/9/12

1. Nathan

   Hey Bill, fan from Australia here. Just wanted to check with the race from lower seedings in the East so tight, how do these teams get ranked if all on the same win-lose: New York, Philly and Milwaukee?
   Do the Celtics jump the Pacers in the last lot of games and take #3 seeding? Or do they match-up better with the Bulls in the second round?

   • Bill Ingram

     Good Morning (or should I say “G’day!”) everyone, and welcome to the chat! Nathan, that’s a great question. The Sixers seem to have flamed out, and might even miss the playoffs. Hard to imagine Doug Collins surviving that turn of events, as great as he’s been for the team. New York seems to be benefiting from Woodson’s leadership as well as Stoudemire’s absence, which has freed up Melo to take more shots. Hard to see the Celtics overtaking the Pacers, but then Indiana isn’t exactly consistent, either. Just when you think they might be contenders they lose to New Jersey. The way Boston is playing, I don’t think anyone wants them in the first round. As for seedings? Those teams are just too inconsistent to make a reasoned call . . .but Milwaukee just might send Philly home early.

2. Mike

   What type of contract offers do you think Dragic will get? What’s the status on Kevin Martin?

   • Bill Ingram

     Kevin is due back any day . . .though the Rockets appear to be better off with Courtney Lee starting at the two. Dragic has shown that he can be a starter and lead his team to big wins, even when his team lacks a true superstar. I don’t know if the Rockets will be willing to spend what it will take to keep him in town. I wouldn’t be surprised if he got an offer starting in the 5-7 million per season range . . .

3. Will

   Any idea who you think the Magic target this offseason in a trade to keep Dwight.

   • Bill Ingram

     They don’t have many pieces to offer in trade . . .my bet is they wait until 2013 and go after Josh Smith and Monta Ellis, who will both be free agents that summer.

4. Will

   Any chance Courtney Lee signs with Magic,he still lives in Orlando in the offseason?

   • Bill Ingram

     The Magic can sign him to an offer sheet, but the Rockets are extremely likely to match any offer for Lee. I believe they will look to move Martin, who will make nearly $12.5 million next season, in favor of keeping Lee and going after a starting center – Camby expires and Dalembert can opt out.

5. Frank

   Hi Bill,
   Enjoying your stuff as always. Couple of questions…1)Who, Tyreke or Terence W., do you think has better NBA skills. And 2) Can you shed some light on what the Hell the Maloofs are up to? Big buzz here is that they may be trying to ooze out of town…or prepping to do an “Al Davis” to the NBA. What’s Stern going to do? Thoughts? Thanks.

   • Bill Ingram

     Thanks! Haven’t had as much time to blog since the season started, but working with inner city Dallas schools on a volunteer basis is giving me plenty of fodder for future blogs. To your questions: 1) T-Will had a better game last night, for sure, but I think Evans is more likely to be a consistent contributor. Clearly Evans is not the franchise player he was believed to be early on. 2) The Maloofs would love to sell the team, I’m sure. They are losing their shirts in Vegas (don’t we all feel sympathy for them?) and need to shed losing enterprises. Right now the Kings are a losing enterprise. I think the Kings can be successful in Sacramento with the right owner and good management . . .right now they have neither.

6. philip fletcher

   Bill,
   How complete is this Spurs team?

   • Bill Ingram

     The additions of Jax and Diaw were fabulous . . .speaking of GREAT management and ownership, the Spurs have the best. If they’re all healthy – and Pop is doing everything he can to make sure they will be – they just might come out of the West.

7. Deven

   Hey Bill. Love these chats! How does two all stars in Luol Deng and Derrick Rose, the reigning MVP, miss FTs late down the stretch, especially in the final seconds of the 4th Q yesterday against the Knicks?

   • Bill Ingram

     It’s the human factor . . .Rose was probably feeling it in his legs, which is where free throw shooting begins . . .but rest assured he’ll be ready come playoff time.

8. Deven

   Should D-Wade sit the rest of the regular season? I think the Heat play better without him, especially when Lebron has big games and sometimes Chris Bosh. What are your thoughts?

   • Bill Ingram

     If the Heat are going to win a championship they’re going to need Wade to deliver it. Bosh has good games and bad games, LeBron is amazing for 3.5 quarters, but if the game is close and you’ve got to have a big play, Wade is the man. If he’s not there they don’t make it back to the Finals.

9. Deven

   Fact or Fiction: Philly will miss the playoffs and the Bucks will take their place.

   • Bill Ingram

     It’s completely in Philly’s hands. They have seven games left against non-playoff teams – counting the Milwaukee game – and they don’t see any contenders the rest of the way. They SHOULD make the playoffs, but then they’ve lost to both Washington and Toronto recently . . .not exactly heating up at the right time.

10. calvinzero

    In your personal opinion, who are the possible bitter rivals in the first round of the upcoming NBA Playoffs? I’m so excited. I can’t wait..

    • Bill Ingram

      You know, we don’t really have those “bitter” rivalries like we used to have, do we? The closest thing in the West would be Lakers/Clippers or Lakers/Mavs, and we might just see the LA civil war in the first round. Dallas might not even make the playoffs. In the East I would love to see NY and Miami in the first round, and the Heat and Bulls are obviously starting a rivalry. Not much bad blood right now as the younger generation of players have yet to establish those hated rivalries. It’s a kinder, gentler NBA in so many ways . . .

11. Mark ryan

    What are the Chances Jason Terry doesnt re sign with the Mavs this summer?

    If they cant Re-sign him will they try and go after Dion Waiters in the Draft to replace him? he seems to be a perfect fit.

    • Bill Ingram

      The Mavs have their sights set on Deron Williams, and are unlikely to pay Jet what he will command in the open market. He’s going to get one of those contracts that overpays him at the back end based on how good he has been for Dallas and his championship ring. I hate to say it, as Jet is the heart of the Mavs, but his last few games as a Maverick seem to be playing out.

12. eric allen

    Who do you see being the Best Shooting Guard in the NBA after Wade and Kobe are done playing at a high level in a few years and WHY?

    I think it will be Eric Gordon

    HM: Paul George, Demar Derozan, Marshon Brooks, James Harden, Austin Rivers.

    • Bill Ingram

      OJ Mayo should be on your list . . .Gordon is probably my top pick, yes. Not sure Paul George is a 2 long-term. The Pacers hope so, but we’ll see.

13. Dan

    Who can the lakers get in the offseason to make them a better ball club?

    • Bill Ingram

      Considering they have over $83 million in committed salary already, they don’t have many options. Finding a way to clear space to keep Sessions long-term would seem to be their best path to sustained improvement. The luxury tax gets increasingly painful each season under the new CBA, so don’t be surprised if the Lakers look to shed some dollars, as well.

14. Kerrsed

    If the Suns in the Offseason sign Free-agents Allen/Jamison/Camby/Hill to some 2year $5M per contracts (and re-sign Redd to a 2 year $3M per deal), do you think that would be enough for the Suns to compete for a title and impress Nash enough to stay for a few years? Add on to that Frye/Dudley for Iggy/2nd round pick, that would give the Suns:

    Nash/Allen/Iggy/Jamison/Gortat and a bench of Telfair/Redd/Hill/Morris/Camby.

    Dont tell me that that idea isnt great!

    • Bill Ingram

      Allen and Camby are interesting names, though I don’t know if they have enough left in the tank to really make the Suns contenders. Mayo would be better than Allen, though he would be much more expensive. Redd has been great, and is likely to stay given that the Suns’ training staff has been so key for him. At the very least, the Suns can be a playoff team. Champs? That might be a stretch. Also, Philly isn’t ready to deal Iggy.

15. Marvin

    With Marcus Thornton easily the kings starting sg, surely Evans will have to traded? Especially if kings can draft a sf. Could the kings get a starting pf for Evans? Who?

    • Bill Ingram

      We’ve been told the Kings were looking to move Evans at the deadline, so yes, I think they will continue to explore that. Thornton has been surprisingly good! Can they get a starting small forward for him? Hmmm. League-wide perception of Reke isn’t much better than Sacramento-wide perception . . .that’s not easy to see.

16. Miles

    Thomas, thornton and cousins takes the starting pg, sg and c for sac kings.. Who would fit best with kings….. Kidd-gilchrist, barnes, Robinson or Drummond?

    • Bill Ingram

      My first concern, honestly, would be maturity … you want someone who will lead Cousins and not follow him. After that, you look at the need at 3. I’d go Kidd-Gilchrist first, Barnes second.

17. Joe Shafer

    If both healthy, who do you start if the Rockets make the play offs, Lowry or Dragic?

    • Bill Ingram

      Don’t mess with what’s working….you start Dragic as long as the wins keep piling up. Work Kyle back slowly so he’s ready when you need him.

18. Jazzaholic

    The complicated battle for #8 is close
    #7-#8 Dallas (owns tie-breaker), Denver (Jazz have tie-breaker) = 26 loses.

    ****************************************************************************

    #9- Phoenix (owns tie-breaker) = 27 loses.

    #10 – Jazz = 28 loses.

    Who sneaks in, loses out?

    Do the Jazz get a playoff spot or a #12 lotto pick?

    If so, who does Kevin pick?

    • Bill Ingram

      He’s made it clear that winning comes first…and with Dallas losing Odom I think Utah has a real shot at postseason play.

19. Randy

    A draft question – the Jazz have G.S. 1st round pick top 7 protected. If G.S. ends up in the 8th or 9th spot the Jazz get the pick but what if G.S. gets lucky and gets in the top 3 with the lottery who then gets the pick Jazz or G.S.

    • Bill Ingram

      Top 7 protected means the Warriors keep it if it’s in the top 7. The pick gets deferred to next season.

20. Wil

    Hi Bill, I have supported Dallas’s decision about working to clear cap for next year, but what were they thinking with Odom? Why didn’t they work out a buy-out before March 23rd! By separating now it is the worst option (no player and no cap relief).

    • Bill Ingram

      I think it was clear to all of us that Odom wasn’t going to be a factor, but the bottom line is the Mavs didn’t want to pay him to go play for the Clippers or Heat, or whatever. They also didn’t have any other option, really, but to hope Lamar would snap out of his funk. How else could they hope to be a force in the playoffs? Now they will be lucky if they even MAKE the playoffs. Bad decision all the way around.

21. Lior

    If the Rockets can’t afford to keep both Dragic and Lowry who do you think they’ll keep? The underlying assumption is that they can easily find a trade for Lowry if they needed to.

    • Bill Ingram

      They will keep Kyle. Bank on that. The organization is very committed to Kyle and they believe he can be an All-Star in the near future. They would love to keep both, but if they have to choose it will most likely be Kyle.

22. Chris H

    Where do you think the rockets end up in the standings? Thoughts on the job Mchale is doing with that team?

    • Bill Ingram

      Have to give credit where it’s due. McHale may be light on details and fly by the seat of his pants much of the time, but it’s working. The Rockets are closing in on the fifth seed, and if Memphis or the Clippers so much as blink Houston is ready to move up.

23. Lior

    What is Martin’s trade value? Can the Rockets trade him without having to take any bad contracts back?

    • Bill Ingram

      I think they’ll explore it, and they are known for not taking back bad contracts, so if teams want to deal for Martin they will have to make an equitable offer. Martin wouldn’t mind leaving and Lee is a less expensive, better player. Seems like a parting of the ways is in order. I fully expect him to be shopped this summer.

24. Steve

    If the Bucks make the playoffs, will Scott Skiles be back next season? What free agent center should the Bucks target this summer?

    • Bill Ingram

      I would think so, especially given how many changes have been made, not all of them good, and Skiles’ ability to keep the team in the playoff chase.

25. Ap

    What do you think of Al Jefferson fitting next to Marcin Gortat if the Suns can somehow get him?

    • Bill Ingram

      Jefferson is a lot like Amar’e, actually . . .can give you mad stats – especially with Nash – though doesn’t kill it defensively. That could be a great move for the Suns. The Jazz have talked to teams about Jefferson and clearly have his replacement ready. Maybe the Suns could make that happen . . .

26. james

    Ed Davis and Jose Calderon for Tyreke Evans?

    • Bill Ingram

      I don’t think so. Dwane Casey is really high on Calderon. He asked the Raptors to stop shopping him, and he’s having a solid year – 7 double-figure assist games in his last 10. I’d be surprised if they traded him.

27. Lior

    Who would the Rockets rather face in the 1st round of the playoffs (OKC, Spurs, LAC, LAL)?

    • Bill Ingram

      Alright, last question, everyone! I don’t think anyone wants to face the Spurs – Houston included. That also looks increasingly unlikely. The Clippers are vulnerable, and the Rockets have had success against the Lakers of late – especially since Bynum removed himself from the last two games. The Rockets can also contain Kobe with Parsons and Lee. Still, the Clippers would probably be the easier choice, but Houston will welcome whoever they have to play, as long as it means they are in the playoffs. Our next NBA chat is with Stephen Brotherston in Toronto at 3PM Eastern today. Drop your questions in now!