NBA Chat With Derek Page 3/3/12

Covering all things NBA from the city of Dallas, join HOOPSWORLD NBA Writer Derek Page for his weekly chat this Saturday at 5:00 pm EST. Shoot your questions in now.

  1. Vlad

    Do you think Milwaukee would be interested in such package: Beasley, Wes, Milicic, Miller, Luke for Bogut and Jax. Salaries match pretty close. Plus MN could substitute Luke with Ellington or Randolph if Milwaukee wants.
    MN would have the best front court rotation in NBA and Milwaukee get young players and salary relieve.

    Do you think Jax would be a good fit for MN: he is a great defender when stimulated and would do fine with Adelman IMO. MN could get him very cheap and it fills the need.

    • Derek Page

      Welcome to the chat everybody. Let’s do this!

      Well Vlad, while Bogut is oft-injured and neither Jackson nor the Bucks want anything to do with each other, I still think that’s not enough in return from Minnesota. Bogut is an extremely talented 7-footer and that’s rare to find in this league, even if he doesn’t find himself on the court very often.

      Jackson could be a could fit but I worry about him on a team where he’s the only veteran influence.

  2. laker fan

    http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=6v96qlv do you see houston doing this trade?? with la sending its 1st rd pick too!

    • Derek Page

      Houston doesn’t want to give up Lowry, especially to essentially recive Metta World Peace in return. Your a Lakers’ fan huh? This would be best case scenario for LA in terms of a trade deadline acquisition — not going to happen.

  3. alan

    Any way that the bulls could pry paul george from indy after the season? maybe asik, a first rounder and ronnie brewer? he would be an incredible addition as a big 2 with size to guard threes that can create.

    • Derek Page

      That would be an incredible addition, Alan. Unfortunately for the Bulls it’s going to be extremely difficult to get Paul George via trade without giving up numerous key assets. Not only has George played so well to start the season which has upped his stock, but Indiana has highly valued him since acquiring him with the 10th overall pick in the 2010 draft.

  4. badoodelz

    aren’t the wolves considering Ben Gordon, in case they wasn’t able to land OJ Mayo or any of their primary targets? I know its a gamble but IMO BG can still be a 20pts. guy when motivated plus they can get him easily as the pistons wants to get rid of his massive contract, to start up nxt season. Whats your thought?

    • Derek Page

      My thought is that’s a bad idea for Minnesota. Gordon is a volume shooter and shouldn’t that fat contract he got from Detroit just a few offseasons ago be motivation enough? Not a good idea to trade young promising guys for a player like Gordon.

  5. Jazzfan

    What are your thoughts on the dunk contest? as a Jazz fan I was excited to see Jeremy Evans win and I thought his two ball dunk over Gordon Hayward was the best of the night and loved his tribute to Karl Malone, although if Derrick Williams had been able to stick his last dunk he would’ve had my vote as winner, overall I wasnt impressed with the contest but at the same time what can really be done to make it better? people say props are ruining it but without the props there are maybe a handful of dunks that havent already been done a million times you know?

    • Derek Page

      The dunk contest was absolutely awful. Evans did have a nice dunk, as did Chase Budinger on the first dunk of the night over Puffy, but the quality of the dunk isn’t one of the problems. The two problems with the dunk contest are: A: the star-caliber of the contestants and B: the fact like it takes 10 tries to actually slam in the dunk they’ve probably practiced for a whole 30 minutes before All Star Saturday.

      You can’t go up and brick a dunk 10 times and expect the crowd to go crazy when you finally throw it down — especially if your name is Jeremy Evans and no one really knows who you are. To make it better there needs to be a prize superstars in the league actually want — say a $1 million purse. That would make sure players like Kobe and LeBron would enter the contest and actually perfect these dunks. That would be highly unlikely for the NBA to agree to, however, but if they did I guarantee that stadium would be much more than half full and NBA fans around the country would be glued to their sets on All-Star Saturday night.

  6. mike

    I am a huge jazz fan, but i dont see why many nba gurus feel that the jazz will be great in a few years- heyward, favors, kanter, burks, i mean they are good but i dont see greatness anywhere- what do you think?

    • Derek Page

      From what I’ve seen I think Derrick Favors is going to be a beast. Even if not, there’s nothing wrong with having a team with a ton of “good” players, just ask the Denver Nuggets — when their actually healthy.

  7. Mitch Kupchak

    Hi Derek. What do you think of this rumor? This seems to be the most sensible trade rumor I’ve heard yet about Dwight. Orlando sends Dwight & Hedo to Chicago for Noah, Deng, Brewer, and Charlotte’s 2016 unprotected 1st rounder.

    • Derek Page

      That’s a very interesting idea there Mitch Kuchak but, of course, that’s why you get paid the big bucks. The tandem of D Rose and Dwight Howard would be pretty scary and the Bulls would absolutely pillage the Eastern Conference with those two at the forefront. From Orlando’s point of view, the Magic get two good players who are in the prime of their careers in Noah and Deng.
      It’s a nice thought, but Orlando still has to actually want to pull the trigger and that’s still up in the air at this point as there is still hope Howard will want to stay.

  8. eddy

    Hey Derek! Trying to redeem myself from the bad Bobcats-Melo trade.
    Who says no? (Salaries Match)
    Clippers Get: Hamilton
    Pacers Get: Afflalo and Miller
    Nuggets Get: Granger and Bledsoe
    Pacers get the perfect fit SG in Afflalo. George moves to SF. Miller would be good off the bench and his contract is expiring. (about 7 mil).
    Nuggets get a crunch time player in Granger and might end up being their #1 option scorer. Bledsoe would then be the backup PG. He plays up tempo like Lawson. They’d seem to be a perfect fit in Coach Karl’s system.
    Clippers get size in the 2 guard they have been lacking all season and that will end the glut of point guards on their roster.

    • Derek Page

      Alright Eddy… this is better. Works great for Nuggets and Clippers but I don’t see Indiana biting on this one. Granger has been huge for the Pacers and the team is still playing well so I don’t see them dumping him to get younger with Afflalo. Much better than Melo to CHA though!

  9. Zach

    I think the Thunder need a post scorer to be serious contenders. So what are your thoughts on this deal?

    Nets get: Harden and Perkins
    Thunder get: Lopez, Brooks and Marrow

    Lopez and Ibaka is a pretty good front line, Brooks can be the 2nd team scorer and Marrow can space the floor.
    Williams and Harden would be an excellent backcourt or harden and perkins

    • Derek Page

      I disagree Zach. The Thunder are legitimate contenders right now. Low post scoring isn’t especially imperative when you have three players (Durant, Westbrook and Harden) who can all get to the basket and get easy buckets and will. Of course those drives to the basket become more difficult come playoff time but Lopez is not the answer — especially if you have to give up Harden as apart of the deal.
      Another bi-product of this trade would be that the Thunder defense would immediately take a nose dive. Perkins is OKC defensive anchor inside and Lopez isn’t exactly a defensive stalwart.

  10. Flute

    What if orlando somehow kept howard and then howard signed signed with clippers in offseason..do u think paul and howard would win more rings then shaq and kobe?

    • Derek Page

      In this imaginary world do the Clippers get to keep Blake Griffin as well? This is not going to happen.

  11. your former chat reader

    U LeBron haters r a joke. Hating on a guy for making the right play. R u a nba writer or nba writer/entertainer/clown? Did Ingram & Skip Bayless make a baby (u)? LeBron James is having a HISTORIC season… Don’t think ill be seeing u on espn or seeing ur writing in ap anytime soon with the way u handle your craft.

    • Derek Page

      Well if your my former chat reader does this mean your not reading my response to your question now? Here, I’ll answer your questions in order anyways:
      1. Yes I consider myself an NBA Clown, or at least that’s whats on my W-2.
      2. The paternity test still hasn’t come back with whether or not I was conceived by Bill and Skip Bayless – but I think that’s a topic for another forum, maybe Maury.
      3. Yes LeBron James is having an incredible season and I don’t remember ever saying otherwise.
      4. Isn’t Skip Bayless on ESPN despite his LeBron hatred?
      Well, that was fun. Too bad you won’t be reading this…

  12. Derek

    Quick question when it comes to the amnesty clause when you use it on a player can you ever use it again the next season or do you have to wait until that contract runs out?

    • Derek Page

      It’s a one shot deal — per CBA it seems.

  13. Focuslja

    Which teams are interested in Boris Diaw’s expiring contract?

    • Derek Page

      With the way he’s played this season there might be literally no market for Diaw — despite his expiring contract. It’s a shame too because the guy has so many skills on the court when he’s actually motivated, which is just about never.

  14. mark

    What do you think of this trade – lakers get beno udrih, stephen jackson and illyasova, bucks get pau gasol. Works in the trade machine! Lakers get steady point guard, scoring and front court help, gasol gives bucks great pairing with bogut and interior scoring! Helps both teams in many ways

    • Derek Page

      That’s assuming Udrih is a solid point guard, Mark. He has trouble putting it all together on a consistent basis. I do like Ilyasova a lot as a player, he’s very underrated but I don’t see that package as enough to entice LA to trade Gasol. The Lakers will field better offers before it’s all said and done.

  15. Evan

    Hey Derek, what do you think of this trade.

    Kings get: Chris Anderson
    Nuggets get: J.J. Hickson

    Pretty fair deal to me, Kings get a capable, veteran big in Bird and we get another young player with potential in Hickson.

    • Derek Page

      Hickson is seemingly always on the outs no matter where he plays. He’s still very young (23) and has plenty of upside but always seems to be the odd-man out on any given team. A fresh start with more playing time would help but Denver has way too much talent to give him any more court time than he’s already getting in Sac-town.

  16. Wolves Fan

    There is not one true Wolves fan who wants Pau Gasols huge contract unless its for beasley,randolph barea, and darko which LA whou laugh at. What would you say the best possible trade is in the next two weeks for MN?
    K Martin
    A Morrow
    M Ellis
    Oj Mayo

    • Derek Page

      I like the idea of bringing in OJ Mayo but I don’t see Minnesota as a realistic destination because the T-Wolves main trade chips are Beasley and Wes Johnson. Memphis has an overabundance of small forwards already. In terms of what may happen: don’t discount Houston and Minnesota getting together if talks with the Lakers don’t pan out.

  17. PStokes

    Just a comment: I respect the new crop of players James, Rose, wade ect. They’re good guys that has the league in good hands. The guys that were expected to carry the torch didn’t enjoy the game. Vince, T-Mac ect.

    • Derek Page

      I think your right about the new crop of players having the league in good hands. Durant, Rose, LBJ, D-Howard etc all are incredible players and good ambassadors for the game in general. You have to remember the previous torch carriers weren’t VC and T-Mac. Kobe, Dirk, Duncan, Garnett and guys like that are the old school that are giving way to the new guys and they did a damn good job promoting the NBA as a whole.

  18. shreehari

    What do you think about Lebron passing the Last second shot? In a way i feel for him because he made the right play. I think if lebron made that shot people will say its only a regular season game. If he misses that shot people will say he choked. Now he passes the ball and poeople are saying he is afraid. What are ur thoughts. Its like seeing a second coming of Wilt . People hate Goliath.

    • Derek Page

      Everyone wanted to see Kobe vs LeBron on that final play of the All Star Game. Even Kobe was yelling at LeBron after the turnover.
      It’s obvious James should’ve taken the shot but in the grand scheme of things it’s just an exhibition. What will define LeBron is this years postseason, and the next and the next…

  19. Celtsfan263

    Is it possible that the Celtics trade rondo and Allen for deron Williams and okur. Then trade JO for michael beasley. Also trade Garnett and pierce for josh smith and a first round pick. And last sign d will and dwight to long term contracts over the summer?

    • Derek Page

      Deron Williams isn’t going anywhere at the deadline. The Nets are hoping that he will decide to re-up this offseason and will finish the season with that as the plan unless Williams comes out and flat out says he is leaving NJ no matter what.

      Thanks for the questions everyone! I apologize to everybody I couldn’t get to. Tweet me your questions @DPageHoopsWorld and join me again next week. Same time, same place!