NBA Chat With Derek Page 1/14/12

1. jordan

   What do you think the chances the mavs sign D Howard???

   • Derek Page

     Welcome everybody and thanks for joining me for my first chat here on Hoopsworld.

     Jordan, I think Dallas has just as good of a shot as anybody to sign Dwight Howard. The Mavericks are one of three teams on his wish list (along with the NJ Nets and LA Lakers) and Dallas seems to have set themselves up nicely to have the cap room and/or assets to go get him. If Orlando decides to trade him during the season, however, it would seem a lot less likely that Dallas would be able to acquire him.
     As a whole, it appears as though Howard is just one piece of the puzzle for the upcoming Mavs’ offseason, as they’d also like to add The Colony, Texas native Deron Williams to pair with Howard and Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki.

2. cj

   both ATL and GS are looking for paint fillers. I think GS should really try for fesenko or powe. ATL should go after basically a poor mans horford in earl barron. what do you think about my suggestions?

   • Derek Page

     I like Leon Powe as a player, and I think he is one of those key dirty work guys that every good team needs to get to the next level, but knee problems have really derailed him over the last few years and I think teams have steered clear of him because of that. But in terms of your next question, and I guess encompassing both, it appears as though the Warriors have signed Earl Barron. Barron is a serviceable backup center and I think he can help Golden State going forward. Losing Horford is a big blow to Atlanta, but I do like Zaza Pachulia to hold down the fort if/when Horford gets back in time for the playoffs.

3. Gil

   Hello Derek and welcome (since it’s the first time I see your chat, but I may be mistaken:-)
   Had the Spurs managed to integrate Scola, do you think they could have won at least one more title? I feel it was a huge mistake to let him go.

   • Derek Page

     Thanks Gil, glad to be hosting my first chat. In terms of your question, I agree with your point: I think Luis Scola is one of the most underrated players in the NBA. The guy has averaged over 16 points and 8 rebounds over the last couple of seasons and never seems to get his due.

4. Lewis1201

   With blache on the trading block could u see orl going after him and nick young maybe for davis and JJ or Davis and Richardson this will give orl a good young 2 and a pf that can become an all star with the right coaches and teammates around him??? And will this will keep Dwight ?

   • Derek Page

     While I think Andray Blatche has immense potential, I’m not sold on him being a piece to any team’s championship puzzle until he matures as both a player and a person. Regardless, Orlando doesn’t have the pieces (aside from Howard) to acquire him. I do like Nick Young though, the guy is a scoring machine. Magic just don’t have the talent in return either way.

5. likeabull

   who`s your R.O.Y and Why?

   • Derek Page

     I like what I’ve seen from Brandon Knight in Detroit, and Norris Cole in Miami has been huge easing the burden on Miami’s trio, but Kyrie Irving for the Cavaliers has been hands down the best rookie so far this season. Irving leads NBA Rookies in points per (17), is second in assists per game (5.1) and aside from the stats has just shown that play-maker, superstar-type ability that very few players possess. Fun to watch that guy play — even on a dreadful Cleveland team.

6. likeabull

   Would Rasheed Wallace be a decent pick up for the Bulls as a 5th big man?

   • Derek Page

     Don’t see this happening. Wallace is 37-years old and didn’t look so great in his last stint with the Boston Celtics. Chicago looks like one of the best teams in the NBA again this year with MVP Derrick Rose leading the way and I don’t see that signing doing much for them.

7. Mark from Orlando

   Hey Derek,

   Why does every Analyst say that the Magic don’t have any good assets outside of Dwight? If Ryan Anderson, JJ, or Nelson were free agents I think they would be getting a ton of calls.

   Also any chance of us getting OJ mayo from the Griz with a a couple of pieces?

   • Derek Page

     Well Mark, unfortunately for the Magic, because they’re right. Reddick is a nice shooter and a quality player, but doesn’t bring about much return on the open market. Jameer Nelson has been flat out awful this season, he’s so much better than the player he’s shown to be so far this year. Anderson is the wild card. He’s played above and beyond expectations this season and is a big reason why the Magic have gotten off to such a great start this season. Memphis seems to always be dangling OJ Mayo has trade bait; but also overrate him exponentially so Orlando acquiring him would seem unlikely.

8. Tracey Hankins

   With the changes in roster this year, how far do you think the Maverick’s will get?

   • Derek Page

     Contrary to popular belief, this Mavericks team is just as stout as it was last season if not better. I know that’s not a popular opinion but Dallas has one of the most talented (albeit the oldest) rosters in the NBA. If Lamar Odom gets back to playing Sixth Man of the Year basketball and this team is rested and healthy come playoff time, who’s to say Dallas won’t be back in The Finals for the second straight year. Not to mention the Mavs have the player that outplayed everybody last postseason, a guy named Dirk Nowitzki, whom teams will have to figure out how to stop in a seven-game series — something no team could figure out in last year’s championship run.

9. Josh

   Hey Derek. My Celtics…Pierce is looking bad and KG is barely producing. Do we have a chance of making the ECF this year let alone THE FINALS?? I predicted them nothing short of a 4 seed. Not so sure now. Also think Rasheed Wallace can help us if we sign him back?

   • Derek Page

     Honestly, I have no idea what’s gotten into Paul Pierce. The guy averaged 19 points per game last season on almost 50 percent shooting but looks like he’s lost about two steps this season. Maybe it’s conditioning, maybe it’s just rust but the Celtics needs him to produce in order for them to go deep in the postseason. In terms of Kevin Garnett, he’s been on the downward slide for a few seasons now. He can be relied on for the occasional burst out there in the clutch but overall a shell of his former MVP self. Rasheed Wallace only makes Boston older and slower.

10. Jj

    what trades can magic do to upgrade without trading Howard ….. Nelson for Andre miller and if so is he an upgrade over Nelson or what trade can they make

    • Derek Page

      Not much, but the thing is — so far at least — they don’t really need to. Orlando looks like a team capable of making a deep run this postseason. This is true especially if Jameer Nelson can turn things around and produce at the point like he did just a few seasons ago.

11. Mike

    Do u think the bulls will have more then rose in the allstar game

    • Derek Page

      Luol Deng has been excellent at the forward position for the Bulls to start the season so I believe he deserves a spot. Just a bit crowded at the small forward position, but I think (through 13 games at least) he’s an All-Star.

12. eddy

    Everybody has been saying the the Lakers got worse this year, i think they actually got better. Their 2nd in the West without Bynum for the first 4 games and their tough schedule (in the begining). Do you think the Lakers are better this year? Also what do you think the Lakers are going to do with their 2 TPE?

    • Derek Page

      I think your right and it has everything to do with a pissed off Kobe Bryant. Bryant has simply killed it on the court, leading the league at over 31 points per and shows no signs of stopping. Getting swept by the Mavs last season in the playoffs and the subsequent “Is Kobe still Kobe” questions this offseason have done nothing but revitalize one of the best players in NBA history.

13. TJ

    Hey congrats on joining the chat team. Anyways what do you think of Steve Nash? The suns? Nash hasn’t slowed down a bit in fact he’s already had a 17 assist game and that was in just 3 quarters and a 15 assist game!!!

    • Derek Page

      Thanks TJ! I think Steve Nash will go down as one of the best point guards of all time. The Suns, however, are going nowhere fast and find themselves unable to (gasp) score on a consistent basis to start the season. Nash needs a new home. Somewhere he can contribute on a championship level team (Miami anyone?) and finally get that elusive first title that his buddy Dirk Nowitzki finally achieved last season. The problem is neither Nash nor the Suns’ brass look like they will budge from their current stances — Nash will not demand a trade and Phoenix won’t force a trade unless they get an abundance of talent back which is something they’re simply not going to get at this point of Nash’s career.

14. matt

    If the raps are 12th-13th in the east at the trade deadline, and minny are 8th-10th, how does a Barbosa – Wesley Johnson trade sound? Barbosa would bring some vet leadership and an SG to the team, raps would start Wesley at his actual position – SF.

    • Derek Page

      I honestly do not think Minnesota goes for that. Barbosa is a quality player but Wesley Johnson is still just 24-years old and has plenty of room to grow. You don’t trade big for small in this league and you especially don’t trade young for old. Johnson may be on the block at some point, but the T-Wolves will likely want much more than a Barbosa-type player in return.

15. Jordan

    If Orlando keeps winning, do the Magic have a legitimate chance at convincing him to stay beyond this season or is his mind set on leaving for a bigger market pretty much set in stone?

    • Derek Page

      If Orlando wins a title, yes. Anything less and Howard wants a bigger market and a more talented team.

16. eddy

    Do you think Aaron Brooks will sign with the Lakers? That would make them title favorites.

    • Derek Page

      I think the Lakers are already among a handful of favorites to win it all this season. Not sure how much Aaron Brooks would increase that.

      That’s all for today guys.
      Thanks for all the questions! Sorry to anyone I couldn’t get to.
      Had a blast, let’s do this again — same time next week!