NBA Chat With Eric Pincus 10/9/12

Richard N.

Hey Eric, always enjoyed your effort and coverage of the Lakers! Being at Lakers Media Day and seeing/speaking/hearing from the players, how do you feel this team will be come game time and further into the season? Were you starstruck at all?

Eric Pincus

Preseason games have been played. We finally have some basketball, even if it’s exhibition, the season is close. Today we chat:

Richard – I can’t say I get starstruck, it’s not really in my nature. I think the last time I was starstruck, and forgive me if it gives away some of my basketball roots growing up in LA, was when I interviewed Nick Van Exel for the first time. Given he’s been retired for how many years? It’s been a while.

This Laker group has real potential and while no one wants to declare they’re the favorite, the team is optimistic that – if they work hard and stay healthy – they’ll have a chance to win.

Of course on Media Day – most teams either think they’re going to win the title or grab at least an eighth seed!

robsa

Eric, Do you think Chuck Person will get a shot at head coaching job in next 5 yrs.? Is he in or destined for NBA HOF? Maybe 10 yrs ago I used to run into Spurs and other assorted players before they had their private gym and I have to say that Chuck is a hoot. An article described him recently as “studious and quiet” which I cannot imagine. He was very outgoing and gregarious. Although Chuck with the Spurs was but a shell of young, robust, back uninjured, Pacers’ Chuck he still exuded confidence which helped us. I think his confidence was best exemplified earlier in his career when a reporter asked him how he was gonna defend Larry Bird? His reply was “the question you should be asking is how the heck is he ever gonna defend me?” I think the Rifleman in his prime was as good as Barkley ,Dominique,etc. Thoughts?

Eric Pincus

I don’t necessarily see Person in the Hall but he had a strong career and has a big presence on the Laker staff. I would say he has a real shot at a head coaching job within five years – do I think he has a shot at the Laker gig in that time? That might be more of a stretch but we’ll have to wait and see how things evolve with Mike Brown and if the Princeton Offense works (which might put Eddie Jordan next in line).

jesser

Mr Pincus…how r u…great to have something to talk about …so how was the injury report at clippers media day? Caron all healed up? Blake? Cp3? How did deandre look? He looked a little pudgy before blake rubbed off on him…how’s he and lamar lookin?

Eric Pincus

Chris Paul was being babied a bit with the thumb around Media Day but he’s since been cleared for full contact so he’s on his way back. Blake Griffin was declared 100%. Chauncey Billups is ahead of schedule, I saw him doing some serious non-contact work a few days later and I don’t think it’ll be long until he’s back as well. Trey Thompkins is still taking some time after a knee injury (bone bruise). All and all, I wouldn’t say the team has much going on negatively on the injury front – although it’s almost a certainty they’ll have some challenges throughout the year (as is the norm).

DeAndre looked like he put in a lot of work in the offseason – slimmer. Odom looked like he had some catching up to do but he’s been known to work himself into shape through camp throughout his tenure with the Lakers.

cj

honestley who gets the most PT in milwaukie at the PF/C spots? obviousley ersan, udoh, and gooden will get the most PT but who gets more PT out of sanders, pryzbilla, and brockman? also will they use luc at PF some too?

Eric Pincus

Luc is one of those players where, if you can find a way to get him on the floor, he helps the team at either forward spot as long as he’s not giving up enough size. Sanders is one of those players who needs to make that leap from athlete to consistent producer.

But I’m trying to figure out where your minutes for Henson are? I don’t see him on your list and he’s a kid the team really liked in summer league. He could make a dent as a rookie (presumably with Ilyasova getting the start). I think we’re going to have to see how well the kid plays and how that impacts the rotation.

matt from oz

hey eric,
seasons almost here.
just a thought on Biyombo, and comparing abilities.
is it possible his production path follows Ibaka’s?
he can block like there’s no tomorrow, and will be given the time to develop some sort of offensive game.
they just seem to be travelling along similar career paths.
i’m a Celtics fan, but wishful thinking for the Bobcats.
cheers.

Eric Pincus

I met Biyombo in Las Vegas this summer and found him to be a tremendous kid. He has a lot of raw skills that need refinement but there’s some talent to go along with, what I perceived, to be a great head on his shoulders. Like anything, it takes time.

Ronny

what do you think about wall replacements aj price and shelvin mack?What record do you predict for wizards without wall out?

Eric Pincus

Price is solid and Mack not a bad reserve but certainly the team is going to miss Wall. It depends on how long he’s out. I haven’t looked at their schedule to see how bad the damage is. Certainly if they’re going on the road early, that’s not great. The team is building around Wall and with such a new group of players – it is a setback not to have him there. I have the Wizards as a team with potential this year but they’ll be starting a little behind. Even so that may not be devastating – just depends on the other contenders for low playoff spots.

John

If pistons decide to trade one of their forwards with what team do they have most chances to make a trade?They would like to get a guard

Eric Pincus

I’ll say this about trades in October. Typically teams make their moves in the summer. The last questions to be asked – which players get cut – who gets another year (rookie contracts), extensions, etc. If a team can find someone on the waiver wire at a bargain price or late free agency, they’re going to go that route before making a trade. Typically teams let their players go for about 20 games to get a feel for where they stand. Are they 15-5 or 5-15 at that point? So I would say for the most part, the trade market is mostly dead right now. That’s something to ask down the road as teams start to realize where they’re short on the roster – and if they want to buy (to try to further their chance in the playoffs) or sell (lottery).

Dennis

Tyreke Evans is in a contract year this season, asked to play out of position at the SF spot. If you were a betting man would you side with him coming back strong with all the work he put in the summer or is there a greater possibility he struggles and is eventually traded during the season.

Eric Pincus

Given he’s in a contract year, I anticipate he’ll play at his best but he is out of position on a team where he was the “guy” and now he’s not the guy anymore. So it’s one of the storylines to watch as things progress this year.

George

Enes Kanter came into camp having lost considerable weight (40-50 pounds). How do you think this will impact his game and what are your expectations for him this year numbers wise?

Eric Pincus

From a fantasy perspective, it’s difficult to say. I’m not sure I’d pick him up but I’d certainly keep an eye on him and Al Jefferson (health, trade perhaps down the road). For a player to lose as much weight as he did – that’s crazy in my view – it shows some level of dedication that may be beyond the pale. If he has a tremendous work-ethic and puts that into basketball, given his size, he has some very intriguing upside. I still think we’re early on the Kanter train but he’s someone I’m watching closely.

Thomas

Why aren’t people giving CDR a legitimate shot to make Lakers roster? He’s far more talented than 3-4 if their current players

Eric Pincus

Watching him play for a few minutes against the Warriors in the preseason game, it was clear immediately that CDR is more polished and ready to help the team than a younger player trying to carve a spot. Obviously he’s bounced around, struggled to stay healthy and has yet to make a real impact on the NBA. Perhaps this is his chance but I also know the Lakers are very interested in Darius Johnson-Odom’s athleticism and need another big, likely to be Robert Sacre. So roster crunch makes thing difficult – although it could come down to CDR or DJO – and yes, I’m thinking it means Goudelock is on the outs.

david

hi eric, it seems like the lakers have a 2 year window to win with their current squad, but i believe they still need 1 more athletic swingman off the bench to complete the championship puzzle. what about this trade duhon, clark, and ebanks to washington for ariza? Trevor will be off the books in 2 years, and washington will save salary next year with duhon making about 4 million less then ariza.

Eric Pincus

I don’t think the Wizards want to move Ariza. Note that Ebanks can block any trade, because he’ll have Early Bird Rights upon conclusion of his one-year contract. That just doesn’t feel realistic today. Let’s see after 20 games how things shift.

clips

what do you think of bledsoe performance against the nuggets? do you think he can be as productive if he was to play the 2 with cp3 while billups is recovering? what did you think about DJ perfomance? He wasn’t as productive on the glass but on offense he look alot better than last year.

Eric Pincus

Bledsoe was tremendous. The Clippers are going to have to find a way to keep him on the floor and that’s a good problem to have. He’s not a true point guard but he can get to the basket at will, rebounds well, steals the ball and dishes (some). How the rotation evolves remains to be seen, the Clippers are one of the deepest squads in the league. Coach Vinny Del Negro loves the three-guard lineup so we may see some combinations with Paul and Bledsoe.

DeAndre put in a lot of work and he clearly wants to be an offensive weapon in the post. That would change the complexion of the team. If DJ continues to dedicate his time like his did this summer and blossoms as he matures, he could prove to be well-worth his contract. He’s still a work in progress – balance between blocking shots, rebounding, defending, scoring, etc. He obviously needs to get to a respectable point on free throws as well to stay on the floor late in games.

Cain

I can’t help but feel Collison will be the break-out in Dallas not Mayo, thoughts? How about Eric Bledsoe?

Eric Pincus

Collison has great potential in Dallas – Mayo does too. The Mavericks have a lot of weapons which can take away from fantasy value, if that’s where you’re going with this question. Bledsoe I think is a real sleeper in fantasy, especially if Chris Paul misses any games.

Roger

Lets say it is Game 7 of the NBA Finals, which player would you pick in their primes to lead your team, Kobe Bryant or Lebron James?

Eric Pincus

History says Kobe Bryant. I don’t think it’s close. Now in 10 years, will James add on more than one ring? Or will Kobe extend the gap again?

Ryan

Do you think Lamar Odom will bounce back to his 2010 playing days. I’m guessing his diet and age will hold him back.

Eric Pincus

No but I think he’ll help the Clippers this year.

Raju

If Kobe and Nash can look that good right away, how will they look when they will have few game and some more practice under their belt and Dwigh shows up?

Eric Pincus

The Lakers have tremendous potential, I don’t think many are denying that.

LA in LA

I wasn’t aware herniated disk are contagious (sarcasm), looks like with J.Hill’s injury, Sacre’s practically a lock to make the team (even if it is only on a non guaranteed contract) huh Pincus?

Also, who would have guessed Lakers first major injury would be our (tied) for 5th youngest player?

Eric Pincus

Injuries are independent of age I’m afraid. The question is – how long – for Hill. It’s being downplayed as a non-surgery injury but I don’t think we know yet for sure how this will progress. I actually always had Sacre making opening night. That doesn’t mean he gets past early January, but he’s solid enough a prospect, I think the Lakers keep him around.

alex

Hmm I guess it’s Kenyon Martin time or should the Lakers just bring in Brian Scalabrine to stir things up? Hahaha… Looks like Sacre should make the team now? Do you think that the Lakers stand pat or they bring in someone?

Eric Pincus

If I’m the Lakers, I give Kenyon Martin a real look. If he only wants a situation where he has a major role, then pass. If he wants to play in LA, close to his family and is open to being a part of what could be a title-contender? I would seriously consider it. Of course roster count becomes an issue. If Martin came who goes?

Jim

Has there been any news or speculation about players like Leandro Barbosa and Josh Howard? Last I heard, Howard worked out for Philly a few weeks ago

Eric Pincus

I’m thinking both players are best off waiting for a team to have an injury. Plenty of squads have more than the minimum available but no need in the rotation. Every year, unfortunately, someone goes down and both could be viable midseason replacements – perhaps even before 2013.

LA in LA

Also, can you ask Kobe if he plans on potentially signing a one year deal so Nash would play all 3 years with him?
I can’t imagine if the Lakers are competitive and Nash stays all 3 years that Kobe would just hang it up in year 3….

Eric Pincus

Kobe has said he’ll finish his contract – he may go one more year after that but doesn’t seem more – and won’t lock in that third year as a promise.

Rico

That’s unfortunate about J.Hill’s back. He looked very good in that pre-season opener. He was being aggressive on the offensive end and was able to knock down that mid-range jumper. Hopefully it’s not to severe and he can be back quickly.

What does your gut tell you about Kobe calling it quits after the 13-14 season. For some reason, mine tells me he is sincere about calling it quits at that time. It makes sense for the Lakers to transition fully to the Howard era at that time as well. Thoughts?

Eric Pincus

He was certainly taking a LOT of mid-range jumpers. Not many dropping but I say aggressive is good. Let him experiment and try to develop that shot. Of course now things change with the injury.

I don’t have a gut feeling yet but I will say that if Kobe wins two straight titles and has seven to Michael’s six? I think he retires on top.

Peter

In regards to Kobe’s career, he once said that he would, “ride it till the wheels fall off”. Now he’s saying he may retire after the 13-14 season that he’s signed through. I know he’s got a lot of miles on those knees but, is he just jockying for another extension?

Eric Pincus

He isn’t even eligible for an extension at this point.

Peter

Have you seen Chris Duhon’s work ethic? Do you think he can be a decent back up to Nash? 7-10 points maybe 3 or 4 assists?

Eric Pincus

Chris told me outright that he just didn’t have his head on straight the last two years (paraphrasing). He said he’s found himself again and wants to make an impact on this team. Words and deeds – we’ll see what comes – there’s certainly a difference. I expect Blake to get the minutes ahead of Duhon but if Chris is true to what he says, perhaps he finds a place in the rotation.

Peter

Have you been able to tell if Blake Griffin has improved his mid range and free throws so far??

Eric Pincus

I haven’t seen enough of him shoot but I know that he wasn’t limited much during the summer (knee injury) and put in a lot of work.

Peter

Does DeAndre Jordan look like he has improved his post up offense and free throws?

Eric Pincus

Yes to the first – a lot, though as I mentioned, still a work-in-progress. The latter – again, haven’t seen enough to say. He says he’s changed his mechanics completely.

Peter

Any word on whether or not the Lakers are interested in grabbing up Kenyon Martin in light of Hill’s back injury? If so, is K Mart’s asking price too high for Mitch?

Eric Pincus

There is no word on that and I suspect the team will wait to get a clearer picture on Hill first. I don’t know if any other team is rushing to sign Kenyon, so there may be some time to wait and see.

Vito Villegas

Good

Eric Pincus

Indeed.

kenny

eric.. with j.hill and howard out who do you think will get the starting minutes??

Eric Pincus

I’m thinking there’s a real chance that Dwight Howard starts opening night.

Brandon

Enes Kanter had 12 points 11 rebounds in only about 20 minutes last night. Do you think he could make a big step forward this year to help with pushing Al Jefferson out the door?

Eric Pincus

I touched on this earlier but Kanter is one of those guys to think about stashing in a deep fantasy league. He could end up a major factor if Jefferson gets hurt or dealt.

Nasteedunx

Is it safe to assume that Bradley Beal will never have to worry about Jordan Crawford starting ahead of him again?

Eric Pincus

I don’t think anything is locked in just yet but when you take a player like Beal so high – and expect so much from him – then typically the goal is to get him in the starting lineup early.

James

Hello,
The Knicks tried running the O threw Melo and it didnt work. Now they should go back to featuring Stat as the 1# option. It worked before Melo got there everyone seems to forget. Your thoughts?

Eric Pincus

I don’t love labels like that. The more versatile a team’s offense, the harder they are to defend. The Knicks have to use their weapons together as a unit – not as a competition internally.

James

Sup
I follow you on twitter and HW. Your the man when it comes to Hoops. I have one disagreement though. Your high on the Clips and i wanna know why? Because I personally dont see anyone who can guard their position on the team but at PG.

Eric Pincus

Perhaps – the big step is DeAndre Jordan growing into a defensive anchor to help guys like Billups, etc. I would say Chris Paul, Eric Bledsoe, Matt Barnes, Grant Hill and Caron Butler (to a point) have varying degrees of defensive prowess. Griffin is still learning and if he can improve positionally and in tandem with Jordan – as more of a steals guy while DJ is getting blocks (and more boards) – there’s a lot of potential.

Regular season I expect the Clippers to do very well. Playoffs we start to get into individual matchups and the like – and if there’s a flaw that does LAC in, it may very well be defense.

Benny Da Bull

Hypothetical question. Say the Bulls struggle to win without Rose resulting in a 50 percent winning percentage or worse. Do you think it would be advantageous to look to offload some of the larger contracts on the roster if possible? If so, I propose a Luol Deng trade for Jose Calderon and Demar Derozan. I like this because Jose is on the last year of his Deal and you also get a young athletic wing that is starting to come into his own and if his mind is right can grow underneath Thibs and Rose’s tutelage. DD will be a restricted free agent however he hasn’t necessarily wowed the League and should be re-up at a reasonable Cost. If Booz gets amnestied next summer after Taj gets locked in we potentially would have some money to play with to securing another offensive wing player to compliment DRose and DD which would help off set Taj’s and Noah’s more defensive style of play. The Raps benefit buy improving their 3 and providing Ross with more playing time.
What do you think?

Eric Pincus

The Bulls need to decide, and these are not difficult answers, exactly where they want to be in 2-3 years. Do they have the core pieces to win around Rose when he’s healthy – and they just need a few minor tweaks? Can the budget work long-term with Deng? I don’t know what they do just yet but this is a tough year for Chicago starting without Rose. I’ll certainly be monitoring them as they go.

I also want to see where the Raptors are in this as well.

Note, that while Deng is paid well, he only has one more year following this season. Do the Bulls plan on re-signing him should be the question that determines their path until then.

Mark from san juan capistrano

If you were the Laker’s coach,would you:
1) Play Jamison @ the 4 or ? with Hill hurt.
2) Encourage Peace(Artest)to stay more outside and shoot the three rather than clog the middle with Gasol and Howard, when he does play?

Eric Pincus

I’d probably try Jamison as the four instead of Peace. It depends of course on matchup. If you need a power defender there – obviously that’s Metta and not Antawn.

Leo

I like Sacre, but I think I’ve seen enough of Aguilar, Somogyi, and Reeves Nelson to know that they are not making the team. Are these guys paid just to keep our starters healthy in the pre-season, or can they be cut now?

Eric Pincus

The Lakers, I expect, will start to cut players. I was actually impressed by Somogyi. Dude is HUGE. He got his hands on a lot of balls in that one preseason game – just with his height. I think we’ll see him again in this league – but doubtful with Lakers.

Mashkareem

I didn’t watch the game against Golden States, but for the bench to get outscored 35-0 in a matter of 10 minutes in the 3rd quarter is horrible. I know it’s preseason, but I’m sure the Warriors were playing with their bench players too. I don’t know who was on the floor for the Lakers during that 10 minutes, but I can tell you that none of those guys should make the team.

Eric Pincus

If you watched the game – you wouldn’t ask the question. The Lakers were just letting young guys play in various, almost random combinations. The Laker bench – by itself – is not strong. Mixed in with starters, LA is deeper than they were a year ago.

Aussie pacer

Roy hibbert brook Lopez who do you take and why?

Eric Pincus

Right now Hibbert. I need to see Lopez really bounce back.

Mashkareem

It looks more and more like Dwight Howard will be playing soon…whether it’s a preseason game or the first two or three games of the regular season. That’s good news for the Lakers. When he comes back, how many minutes do you think he will play for the few games?

Eric Pincus

I’m sure they’ll bring him on slowly – I don’t know minute counts. The Lakers hope they’ll be good enough this year to play a lot of bench – and rest starters. I’m not sold the bench is strong enough by itself, as I just mentioned, to hold leads – so we’ll see.

Scott

Can you tell me if Ebanks is ahead of Meeks in the rotation? Seemed that way on Sunday night.

Eric Pincus

Ebanks has a chance to prove himself – and Meeks is still learning a lot of what Mike Brown likes to see. I wouldn’t put anything in stone just yet.

Scott

Do you think the new-look offense is better suited to Duhon or Blake or possibly Morris?

Eric Pincus

I don’t see it necessarily suited to any of the three specifically – though Blake the most, given he’s played in both the Princeton and Triangle before.

Scott

TWC…anything?

Eric Pincus

There’s no real word yet on Time Warner Cable except that I get it where I live, so I’m in the green. Now if I move, do I have to check if they have TWC first in that area?

I do think a lot of agreements will be hashed out at the last minute but nothing is quite clear just yet.

James

Why isnt anyone stating the obvious that the Heat won the title in a shortened season. Other teams could not prepare properly. Mark Cuban said as much on FirstTake when he stated,”OkC didnt run any zone”. So is the title they won legit or slightly tainted?

Eric Pincus

The HEAT have that title and I don’t take anything away from them. Yes it was a shortened season so it’s somewhat similar to the Spurs in ’99 – but it doesn’t really denigrate it. Not really. What LeBron needs to do, for his own legacy, is to follow Duncan’s path and win a number of other titles so the ’99 becomes nothing more than one of many rings.

sdpops

Why are the Indiana Pacers always over looked when it comes to the top teams in the NBA

Eric Pincus

Not by me – not in my rankings where I have them eighth overall. I can’t speak for the rest of he so-called “over-lookers.”

Luka

Grade lakers rookies and 2nd year players based on their play against warriors?

Eric Pincus

I don’t have enough time in the chat to get through all that – just to say that Darius Johnson-Odom has athletic gifts that might get him a chance. CDR looked polished. Ebanks hits shots but rarely seems to get any other significant stats. Sacre is solid. Somogyi super-tall. Meeks still learning. I rushed it here – so forgive if I left someone out.

Mashkareem

I haven’t looked at the Lakers schedule for the upcoming season yet, but how do you feel about it? Sometimes teams have a lot of easy and home games at the beginning of the season, and some have them at the end. How’s Lakers schedule shaped up?

Eric Pincus

Typically both LA teams get home-heavy schedules to start the year – then go on the road around the Ice Capades, Grammys, X-Games, etc. Both the Lakers and Clippers are going to want to have cushions in the West so when the schedule turns a little – they’ve got some room to breathe.

Mashkareem

If you had to make a guess, would you say that Pau Gasol finished the year as a Laker? Or, will he be traded? This is only from business stand point. Otherwise, as far as basketball goes, it all depends on how the team is doing. But business wise, do you think he will be a Laker for the entire season?

Eric Pincus

I anticipate Gasol will be a Laker through the year. Beyond this season? It’s far too early to tell with the supertax looming.

Pete

Now that Jordan Hill has a herniated disk, is it more likely the Lakers sign Sacre or Somogyi to a longer-term contract?

Eric Pincus

They are under contract – they wouldn’t get “longer-term contracts.” What they have is what they have – the Lakers would, in theory, just keep them for the year. I’m not addressing likelihood or path – just pointing out that there is no new contract. Technically they can cut a player and, if the spot opens back up and the player is willing, they can re-sign but that’s a little bit much to start guessing on.

Ted Doo

Pincopotamus,
Can you ever think of a team that had the collective qualifications of the Lakers, even though they’re not all in their prime? Top 6 players are/were All Stars. 2 former league MVP’s, 2 defensive players of the year. And second question, what is the biggest potential stumbling block for a team with so much talent and so many individual accolades? Thanks!

Eric Pincus

I’m just trying to get past Pincopotamus, credit to you for originality.

Bryan

Do you think Duhon will be in the team opening day? If Hill isn’t back by opening day who do you think will take his role?

Eric Pincus

Duhon is fully guaranteed this year and partially next year. Yes, I expect him on the roster opening night. Buy-outs are possible but not as common as you might think.

stefan

Do you think Kidd Gilchrist can have Ron Artest(MWP)career. One of the best perimeter defenders in the league and scoring 15 ppg in 9 seasons MWP is hard to catch but Kidd Gilchrist was selected really high.

Eric Pincus

He has a lot of potential, MKG does. Naturally he needs to step into that and grow as a player. I’m very curious to see how he develops.

Bubba

In your estimation, do any of the older veteran free agents (Bibby, Fisher, Arenas, K-Mart, etc.) have a chance to latch on with a team before opening day, or is pretty much retirement/overseas, at this point?

Eric Pincus

By opening day? Maybe a stretch barring injury. Before 2013? Certainly. Before playoffs? I’m sure we’ll see at least a couple of those named on rosters.

Jake C.

What more does Bledsoe have to do to prove he should start next to CP3 to start the season? Even at his size, guy is just an absolute game changer who could guard most 2 guards in the league no?

Eric Pincus

I don’t know if it’s about proving anything. The Clippers want to win as a team so that’s the focus. Whatever works is what we’ll see on the floor.

Dennis in HB

Clippers Preseason opener VS Lakers Preseason opener which team looked better?

Eric Pincus

I was impressed by the Lakers’ opening quarter. They had some nice, initial chemistry. The Clippers have great depth. Neither team played key pieces so comparison is really fruitless. Both LA teams have a lot to look forward to this season.

Brian

Any trade rumors you care to divulge regarding Eric Bledsoe or any likely scenarios you foresee? What do the Clips need most to contend with LAL and OKC or do they stand pat until they decipher if CP3 is resigning?

Eric Pincus

The Clippers intend to re-sign Paul and keep Bledsoe. There’s not deviation from that path currently. In months does that change? We’ll see but that’s not the plan as it stands now – to trade Bledsoe.

Alfredo

What do you think of the Clipper’s coaching staff so far? They managed to design a perfect play for Eric Bledsoe and Ryan Hollins that helped the team to tie the game in the final seconds against the Denver Nuggets. Where do you see the Clippers coaching staff against the other elite team’s staff (Lakers, Celtics, Spurs, Heat, Thunder)?

Eric Pincus

To early to say on the Clippers and the staff. Vinny may end up being Doc Rivers – a guy Boston fans wanted out of town – until he was giving Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. I’m not sure if Del Negro is on that level but we’ll have to wait and see.

king kong

why does everyone think the lakers are going into the finals… come one there starting lineup is over 31 years old…. nash can’t compete with westbrook or chris paul on the defensive side. Same with Kobe. Gasol is soft, and World Peace is washed up….. Dwight is comming off back surgery and probably doesnt have the same athleticism. This team reminds of the the team that lost to detroit in the finals wouldn’t you say? Also do you think Joe Johnson is in deep trouble if he can’t live up to his contract and brooklyn isnt as good as everyone says they could be?

Eric Pincus

Joe Johnson is a big reason why Deron Williams is a Net so I don’t follow the logic. No, I don’t see your comparisons to the Malone/Payton team. Howard/Nash are not Malone/Payton.

kfdodgerfan

You just tweeted D12 is cleared for 5-5 practice. What does that mean exactly? Full contact?

Eric Pincus

It means that Dwight is able to play full contact in limited minutes. Which means opening night is within reach – albeit not a lock.

Sandy

Did Pau Gasol seem more relaxed with the controversy behind him now?

Eric Pincus

This will have to do for the week. Thanks again for participating!

Sandy, Absolutely. Now it’s a tricky business and there’s no certainty he won’t be traded down the road – and he knows this – but he feels a lot more secure in his position moving forward. Instead of wondering if he’ll be dealt, etc. He’s coming to camp picturing how this team can get to the NBA Finals and win again.

We’ll see what comes!