NBA Chat With Derek Page 3/24/12

1. calvinzero

   Now Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will enter NBA draft, in your personal analysis, where he will be team belong? And why? Thanks for answering my previous questions.

   • Derek Page

     Welcome to this weeks edition of the chat everyone! Plenty of questions on the agenda, let’s get down to it!

     He’s certainly a top-talent Calvin and it appears as though Kidd-Gilchrist is a genuine top-5 pick if he indeed decides to enter the 2012 NBA draft. It all depends on how the lottery balls bounce but teams like the Charlotte Bobcats, New Orleans Hornets, Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards would all seemingly have picks in that area and be interested in the skills the 6’7 small forward would bring.

2. alan

   which of the bulls non guranteed contracts (korver, CJ watson, Brewer) do you see the bull picking up for next year? I would like to see them all, but money is an issue

   • Derek Page

     Well Alan, both Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver are signed through next season. The Bulls have a team option on C.J. Watson for next season which I would expect them to keep as Watson’s salary is pretty reasonable at $3.7 million.

3. George

   T/F: Kings make it to the playoffs next season?

   • Derek Page

     I think they have a shot George. The trio of Marcus Thornton, DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans look to become a formidable trio as each of their respective game’s continue to evolve. Maturity and cohesion are going to go a long way for this young team moving forward. The only problem is the Kings are in the Western Conference which features a whole lot of teams good enough to make the playoffs that simply don’t because of the stringent competition.

4. paprika

   Do u remember ex spur derek anderson? Does gerald henderson of the bobcats is his reencartion? Haha same game same height same look. Wow

   • Derek Page

     Not going to lie, don’t really see the resemblance. Hendo’s going to be a good player though.

5. Omar El-Khodary

   Could the Indiana Pacer’s beat philly, orlando, hawks, celtics in the playoffs? I really feel they could!

   • Derek Page

     I think you might be right Omar. Indiana has beaten each of those teams at least once, along with the Bulls in Chicago, and the veteran addition of David West has paid dividends. In terms of seeds 3 through 6 in the Eastern Conference, it wouldn’t surprise me who came out of the first round of the playoffs. Things get undeniably more difficult in the second round with Miami and Chicago looming as two of the best teams in basketball.

6. EMAN

   What up Derek,
   The Lakers finding a super star in Ramon Sessions, will that prevent the Laker management to go for a Kyle Lowry, or Chris Paul? Will they try to keep the core? Adding Rasual Butler will help picking him off waivers?

   • Derek Page

     What up EMAN. I wouldn’t anoint Sessions a superstar quite yet. He’s played well, and he is just 25 years old, but it’s such a small sample size that I need more time before I’m ready to go that far out on a limb. It’s championship or bust almost every season for the Lakers and 2011-2012 is no exception. If Kobe doesn’t get ring number six, it wouldn’t surprise me if LA tried to change things up again this offseason and/or at next season’s trade deadline.

7. LJ

   Derek, is Ramon Sessions really this good?

   • Derek Page

     He’s pretty good, but I’m not sure he’s 20-11-6 good. Regardless, Sessions does a great job of taking the pressure off of Kobe Bryant on the offensive end which is extremely valuable at this point of his career. The ability to get to the basket at will is something very few players in the NBA possess or are willing to do. Sessions has the potential to be a special player.

8. Mutang

   Here’s the deal: All the EXPERTS in the pre-season had Utah being at the bottom of the league, with the worst teams. Now we see Utah fighting for 4th seed(!!!) and having better records that the “top tier” teams they are beating. They’re young and improving nightly, are the scariest teams going right now, and Ty Corbins ABSOLUTELY has to be in the lead for COY.
   After all that, who is their PG in 2012-13 years?

   • Derek Page

     Utah is a young and talented team on the rise, no doubt about that. Devin Harris has been playing very well during Utah’s six-game winning streak and he’s signed through next season so I see him getting the chance again to start next season if he continues to improve his play.

9. TTime

   Thinking into the future already and revisiting the whole Dwight Howard drama already..

   I believe Deron comes back to Dallas, I don’t think Dwight Howard will want to go to Brooklyn without Deron there and I don’t see any possible way the Mavs will get Dwight through a trade next season with what they have to offer, assuming this happens, do you believe more options will open up for the Magic organization to get “fair” value for their big man? or do you think that Dwight Howard is going to put the organization up against an even bigger proverbial wall than he already did concerning their trade options all throughout this season?

   • Derek Page

     You know the Lakers are still going to be in the running for Dwight Howard next season, barring a championship season, but it’s going to be hard for Orlando to get equal value for Dwight regardless. The Magic want a young and talented big to replace Howard along with a few other pieces (an up and coming wing and a productive vet) which may be hard to come by if they use who Howard has said he will play for. Dallas doesn’t have those pieces. NJ does, but as you said, they may not have Deron Williams after this season so that takes the Nets off Dwight’s list then there’s just the Lakers and possibly the Bulls.
     It’s going to be interesting at next year’s deadline, that’s for sure!

10. marc pal

    Hello Derek,

    Now that Ramon Sessions is in the starting lineup, the Lakers are back to having some of the same old problems, a good back up point guard and a 2 guard to spell Kobe. Are there any diamonds in the rough left to shore up their bench production? What do you think of Earl Boykins and Sasha Vujacic?

    • Derek Page

      Sometimes you don’t have to worry about bench production when your starting-5 is as overpowering as the group the Lakers feature. GM Mitch Kupchak is always looking to improve the team, but it doesn’t seem likely that LA picks someone up off the scrap heap as of right now.

11. Philip

    Deron to Dallas in offseason. Yes or No?

    • Derek Page

      From everything I’ve heard Philip that’s a yes. Things could always change but Williams’ people seem to believe Deron wants to come home to Dallas.

12. Dubb

    The raptors have there sg(derozan),pf(bargnani/Davis),and centre (Jonas) positions locked up for the future who should Toronto go after or select in this years draft? I say we wait for Andrew wiggins for our sf

    • Derek Page

      Harrison Barnes and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist are both enticing options depending on what pick they get. Each would bolster the small forward position for the Raptors and have the strong possibility of being key contributors down the road.

13. alberto del rio

    looks like you were wrong with sessions to lakers eh?

    • Derek Page

      Wrong about what exactly Alberto? I thought it was a possibility he would get bought out but there’s no doubt that LA has always been interested. If you mean in terms of his production, I’ve advocated from the start that there was a strong possibility Sessions would be a key piece for this team going forward. I appreciate the question, hope I covered what you were asking!

14. force23

    Dallas Mavericks make the playoff this season,what do you think?

    • Derek Page

      As long as Dirk Nowitzki suits up for the next month, the Dallas Mavericks are going to make the playoffs. The Mavs need (I never thought I would type this) Brendan Haywood healthy and back in the lineup for their defense to get back on track. Delonte West, the teams best perimeter defender, is also expected back within the next few weeks so both will be a huge help in Dallas getting back on the right track and back into the top-5 seeds in the Western Conference.

15. skidz

    Can you see the Lakers adding a player from the FA pool? I think they have an open roster spot… Also, Matt Barnes is now goin good, I think Sessions is a good complement to him…

    • Derek Page

      Not at the moment, Lakers still trying to integrate recently acquired players to the playbook and Sessions into the starting lineup. Sessions is excellent at driving and kicking out to open players on the perimeter, which is a huge benefit to shooters like Barnes.

16. Cary

    will odom ever contribute for mavs?

    • Derek Page

      That’s definitely the $8.9 million question right now. It boggles the mind how a player can make that much money, get traded to the exact place he wanted to be dealt and still can’t get his act together on the floor. Dallas and Odom are stuck together for the rest of the season, but it’s unknown whether or not this team can ever really trust Odom to be 100 percent involved with this team.

17. snoop

    Is a champ a realistic expecatations for the Spurs this season?

    • Derek Page

      When healthy, San Antonio is the deepest and scariest team in the Western Conference. OKC may be the most talented but the Spurs have the experience and the pieces to grind it out all the way to another title. It wouldn’t be the first time they’ve won it all in a shortened season.

18. seeds

    hey derek!i think matchup wise the lakers have an advantage of the other western playoff teams. and so in abest of 7 series they are favourites to prevail / what’s your take?

    • Derek Page

      The Lakers have easily the best size in the NBA with Bynum and Gasol down low, no question about that. They also have Kobe as one of the NBA’s best closers but these assets did nothing to stop the eventual champion Dallas Mavericks from sweeping LA out of the playoffs last season. Sessions has provided a spark and would seemingly be an x-factor for the Lakers going forward but this team has to prove it come playoff time. The Western Conference is littered with dangerous teams going into the playoffs – it’s not going to be easy for LA.

19. seeds

    matchup wise who prevails in a seven game series okc or lal?

    • Derek Page

      That would be a fun series to watch. Kevin Durant going up against Kobe Bryant would be epic and I could see the series going the duration. OKC won the only meeting between the two teams at home by double-digits and there’s still two games left so it will be interested to see how that plays out. Right now, I’d pick OKC in seven games. Plenty could change over the next month though as Sessions gets more acclimated to the team and offense.

      That’s all for today. Thanks everyone for joining me and let’s do this again, same time next week!