NBA Chat With Jason Fleming 11/21/11

Chat with HOOPSWORLD editor Jason Fleming about any and all things NBA on Monday at 8pm Eastern Time. Lockout? Rumors? Possible trades? Anything hoops is fair game. Feel free to leave questions in the queue anytime.

  1. vince

    Jason buddy hey, I’ve been thinking a lot about some big time moves I think the Kings should try to make to gain experience and elevate their play to the next level, tell me which 1s you think are more realistic and would help. 1.Tyreke/JT for Rondo. 2 S&T Dalembert/JJ Hickson/Salmons and a 1st for Bosh. 3 Salmons/Hickson/Donte Greene for Gay. 4.overpay for a Nene/Gasol? Notice these are all players with longer contracts and their teams are all in difficult financial situations

    • Jason Fleming

      Boston is going to rebuild around Rondo, not trade him. I’m not even sure the Kings would do it, let alone Boston. As for the Bosh idea, I don’t see the HEAT being interested. They may be up against the cap, but they aren’t going to feel a need to trade their starting power forward just so they have more pieces to work with. Remember, they did still go to the East Finals last year – they aren’t hurting. Memphis would much rather pay Gay that amount of money than a Salmons/Hickson/Greene trio, even if their contracts are shorter term. And before you overpay for Nene or Gasol you really have to think how that player fits alongside Cousins. Which one plays center and which plays power forward? Is moving one to PF the best use of their skills, or simply because both must start? If playing them together does not maximize the skills of both – they very well could play in the same space – then paying them is a bad idea. I honestly think adding another star-type player in free agency is not the way to go. Find specialists.

  2. vince

    Hey Jason, thanks so much for you insight on Basketball I look forward to some of these chats every week. Some more trade proposals for you! Do you think the Kings should try to shoot for major moves or minor ones? I feel the talent is their, mainly a Glue guy and a pass first player is needed. Major moves are exciting but what do you think about some of these minor ones, JT or Hickson and D Greene for Batum. Hickson for Eric Maynor or sign a Jeff Green. I think they may be able to aquire a Josh Smth type of player through trade as well. Am I going Lockout Nuts??

    • Jason Fleming

      I’ll start with your last question: We are all going lockout nuts. :)

      I think the Kings need minor moves. They have their pillars in Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins, so what they need now is the right players around those two to fill in the gaps and help the stars lead. I’m not sold on J.J. Hickson as the power forward – at least not as a starter – and a defensive rebounder who doesn’t need shots would be a nice fit. Hickson could be a solid backup. The Kings have way too many swingmen – Evans, John Salmons, Francisco Garcia, Jimmer Fredette, and Marcus Thornton if they re-sign him – and they need to trade at least two of them. Also, they need a real point guard. Evans isn’t a point guard – the Kings need a pass-first PG who can shoot from deep, but still allow Evans to create.

      Of that group of guards, I’d look to move Salmons and Garcia. At least one, maybe not both. Donte’ Greene would be available too. Bring in a point guard and a power forward. And keep Thornton.

  3. Chris

    I’d heard some rumors that Christmas games were still possible. If the league needs 30 days from a handshake agreement to start a season, and Christmas is 30 days from this Friday, and no meetings are scheduled between the two sides, isn’t it a definite there’ll be no Christmas games?

    • Jason Fleming

      Well, yes, theoretically they are still possible until Friday passes…and there could be some back channel discussions…but yes, don’t plan on watching NBA games on Christmas morning. I don’t believe we’ll see any formal attempt at real discussions until next week at the earliest.

  4. dyrese

    my top 4 teams in any order should be knicks miami chicago atlanta?whats your top 4?

    • Jason Fleming

      Miami and Chicago are in my top 4, but not the others. New York and Atlanta still have holes that need filling and no matter what the new salary cap is they will have to fill those holes with cheaper talent. I’ll add OKC and either Dallas or the Lakers – not sure which right now.

  5. Josh

    Jason,

    All along the owners have been saying they want to have those Christmas games. If that is the case wouldnt that mean they would have to strike up a deal within the next 4 days? If that is the case, this is all but not going to happen right…

    • Jason Fleming

      Everyone wants Christmas games, but the question is does each side want it enough to cave on the stand they have taken? I don’t think they do. They can talk about it all they want, but until the rhetoric dies down and the sides are willing to talk logically, a new deal isn’t going to happen.

  6. Josh

    Jason,

    Random question…I saw CJ Miles at the mall on Saturday. Would it be any indication to labor talks as to why he is in Utah. I mean why wouldnt you be in your home state or somewhere warm?

    • Jason Fleming

      I wouldn’t make anything of it. Maybe he likes to ski? Maybe he’s like me – doesn’t necessarily feel a need to head home and has his own home in Utah. I mean, I know LaMarcus Aldridge has spent quite a bit of time in Portland…it just depends on the player.

  7. john

    if you had to redo this years draft…….what would your first 10 picks be?….I know its a difficult question seeing that we have not seen most of theses rookies play

    • Jason Fleming

      I guess what you are really asking is would I have made those same 10 picks on draft night, because as you said, I have nothing else to go on I didn’t already know then. I would have put Jonas Valanciunas third overall and probably moved up Brandon Knight as well. Biyombo wasn’t nearly that high on my list and I think Charlotte really took a risk. In my mind Alec Burks was a top 10 players.

      It’s really hard to say right now. Most of the picks weren’t something that surprised me, where I reacted with a “why the heck did they make THAT pick?!”

  8. john

    do you think alex burks starts from day 1 for utah and what do you make of the pick?

    • Jason Fleming

      No, I don’t. I like the pick of Alec Burks and I think he’s a solid choice, but as of right now they still have C.J. Miles and Raja Bell. Now, do I think Burks could be starting by the end of the season, whenever there is a season? Yes I do.

  9. tony

    This latest action by nbpa further reinforces they are not willing to lose a whole year I am saying 50 game season starting in february do u agree?

    • Jason Fleming

      I agree it’s possible. For that to happen we need a deal in the next 45 days. I’m not optimistic.

  10. Olan

    So Steve Kyler tweeted that perhaps by Wednesday he would pick up the phone. Does this mean to strike up some kind of agreement with the owners? Or do you think that this ultimately has to go to court for a resolution? I would love to wake up to games on Christmas Day, but don’t want to get my hopes up. Do you think we will have games on Christmas?

    • Jason Fleming

      I believe Steve meant just get the lines of communication open again, not that there would be the chance of a deal. There are still more than a few things to iron out that won’t be done in a single phone call between two people. It would be nice if they could, but the phone call is just to get the ball rolling. Once actually talking begins again I think it will be at least a week until a deal is shook on – and that’s only if both sides come in with the mindset to get it done. I think there will be some court rulings, but they won’t it let go so far that a court actually decides the next CBA. No one wants that.

  11. gary garcia, philippines

    any trade rumors in miami? free agent signings? anything..please..any news from miami heat! i miss their games.

    • Jason Fleming

      Not really. The best I can give you is the news of the Homecoming Tour, starring LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony (link). Unfortunately it’s going to stay that quiet until the lockout is over.

  12. Tessa

    What do you think is D-Day. That is, the day when David Stern decides there isn’t enough time to have a season worth anything? How many games do you think is worth while?

    • Jason Fleming

      It’s the same day it was back in 1999 – January 5th if I recall right without looking it up (if not, someone will correct me). After that and coming up with any season is problematic because of the need for arena dates, travel, back-to-back-to-back games and everything else that follows. The NBA cannot simply move the schedule out into July this year because of the Olympics, not that they would move it that far anyway. I personally think 45 games would be the minimum to make it worthwhile, though the NBA seems stuck on 50.

  13. travis

    What do you think of sending Calderon to Minny for Darko and Ridnour? Toronto gets a centre who allow Bargs more time at the 4 and Minny gets an ideal Rubio mentor.

    • Jason Fleming

      It’s an interesting idea, but I don’t think the Wolves want to take on Calderon’s contract and my personal opinion is they are higher on Darko than most of the rest of the world. No matter what people say about Darko, it’s always because he was the #2 pick, just like Kwame Brown is eternally bashed as a #1 overall pick. However, both have had solid careers – just not star careers. Besides, as long as Darko keeps starting, three years and $15 million is a solid deal for a starting center. Heck, it’s not the worst deal around for a reserve either.

  14. like a bull

    Is jimmy butler a steal at 30th pick

    • Jason Fleming

      I absolutely love that pick for the Bulls. It would not surprise me at all to see Butler become a big piece of the roster going forward and fill in that gap everyone feels the Bulls have at shooting guard. Frankly, I think Butler should have gone higher.

  15. Jeremey

    Gut feeling-Percentage of a season this year?

    • Jason Fleming

      33%. I remain pessimistic but recognize it is possible. That’s drop half a percent with each day that passes as we get to the drop dead date of the first week in January.

  16. Chris A

    how much do you think tristan thompson will contribute in his rookie season( points boards etc) and do you think the cavs will regret not going after Jonas Valenucias(or enes Kanter cant remember which one was avail when they selected thompson)?

    • Jason Fleming

      Kanter went #3, but Valanciunas was still on the board. And yes, I do think they will regret not taking him, but I’m growing into the idea of Thompson. I don’t believe he will produce a ton as a rookie (I’m thinking less than Derrick Favors did), but I can see him developing into a solid double-double guy at the four. Also, he’s a nice fit next to Anderson Varejao, and I’m not sold Valanciunas and Varejao would be a good combination.

  17. jw

    Since the NBA is in this lurch should they be discussing shortening the season a little? My NBA hating friends all complain that the pros only play the last 1/4 of the season anyway and I have to agree a little…
    is 82 games too much of a good thing? and would a shorter season help or hinder these talks?

    thx

    • Jason Fleming

      Well, since a shorter season would need to be part of the CBA (how does that affect pay, for example?) then it would have to be a hinder, since it’s just one more thing to add to the list. I think something in the 70 game range would be fine, to be honest, spread out over the same period of time. Make it more days with 4-5 games and less with 10 or more.

      Now, that said, it’s not going to happen. Neither side is looking at it or talking about it. Whether they should or not is a completely different story.