NBA Chat With Jason Fleming 4/2/12

1. calvinzero

   Do you think Ramon Sessions is the main gunner of the Lakers now approaching the playoffs?? Thanks Jason for answering my previous questions.

   • Jason Fleming

     Welcome to this week’s chat! I’ll answer as many as I can in an hour, so here goes…

     Wait, first I want to say I’m taking Kentucky tonight. As you were.

     What do you mean by main gunner? Three-point threat? He is shooting 45% from long-range this season – 56% since the trade to L.A. – but there is no reason to expect that will continue; for his career he’s 32.5% from distance. Having Bynum and Gasol in the middle makes a difference – that’s something he hasn’t had on any of his previous teams – but still…

     Then again, if he stays over 35%, does it really matter? That’s still better than all of the other rotation players except Troy Murphy.

2. AJ

   Wesley MAtthews to Minnesota for a first round pick (from MEM)? Minnesota can absorb him for their shooting guard hole. I like Matthews a lot, but it would get Portland another pick and more cap-space.

   • Jason Fleming

     Just for clarification, that’s Memphis’ 2013 pick the Wolves have rights to (details here).

     And actually, the Wolves can’t absorb him – not yet. They have $59.6 million on the books for next season, so they are over the cap. If they waived Martell Webster and Brad Miller (only $1.5 million of $10.8 million is guaranteed), that drops them down to $50.3 million. Wes is $6.5 million next year, so they COULD do it then.

     All that said, I don’t think Portland would do that trade. Yes, it adds a future asset and clears a little more cap space this summer, but you need players like Matthews on any team. He hustles, works hard, rebounds, plays D, can hit an outside shot; he’s a glue guy. Teams aren’t successful without players who can fill a role and Matthews does it pretty well.

3. Will

   Why Journalists are like humans rollercoaster toward the New York Knicks? I Mean one day J-Lin is the messiah, and Melo is the selfish trouble maker, then D’Antony is/was the real issue, which I definitely think the main problem of New York. But Now we hear that Woodson is the Savior, that Melo is gonna hold the team on his shoulders, that he is ready to lead. Can’t we give a breath to a 26-25 team, and let them just find their identity? Start Talking of the bucks, kings and stuff..

   • Jason Fleming

     Preaching to the choir, really. And you can complain about it all you want, but New York is New York – it’s the same in every sport and it’s the same in other aspects of news. It’s not limited to sports reporting. Oh, and it’s not going to change.

4. Charlie

   In last week’s chat, Steven Litel said he would take Harrison Barnes over Tyreke Evans on his team. He cited the fact Harrision would be on a rookie contract vs. having to re-up with Evans in the near future. Do you agree with Litel and would choose the same? Why or why not.

   • Jason Fleming

     It really depends on what players I already have. I can’t make that decision in a vacuum because they aren’t interchangeable.

5. Chip

   Hey Jason. With this season all but tanked for the PTB, how much would you play the trade acquisitions? Flynn looks like he’s got game, although a little short on D. Nolan Smith didn’t quite deliver in his opportunity when “TO Felton” was gone. Do you think It was because he played against his “Uncle”, Scotty Brooks? or because he was head to head against Westbrook, or just plain nerves? Do you think the PG of the future is currently on the roster? And, Oh My God, how lucky did they get with JJ? Keep JJ longterm, despite playing the same position as LMA?

   • Jason Fleming

     Before you get too down on Smith, Westbrook has a tendency to tear about every player he faces, not just rookies starting their first game. I actually thought Smith wasn’t bad. Flynn has played well too.

     Is the PG of the future on the roster? I assume you are asking about the starting PG, so no. Smith and/or Flynn could be around next year, but if either of them is the starter management probably isn’t happy with how the offseason went (at least, they shouldn’t be). Smith is a solid backup at this point and if Flynn isn’t at least the second string, he’ll probably make a different free agent choice.

     As for J.J….this is the player many thought he could be. This is what people expected in Cleveland and Sacramento. Why didn’t it happen? Why is it happening in Portland? That’s not clear.

     I would only keep Hickson long-term if he shows he can play NEXT TO Aldridge. Can he be an every day center? Would he be happy playing 30 minutes off the bench? Can he even keep this up to justify this conversation, or will he burn out as suddenly as he blossomed?

     If he can’t play next to Aldridge there is zero point in having this conversation. Aldridge is not a center – he’s an All-Star power forward – so Hickson (or any other free agent) has to fit around him. You don’t play around with positions with your All-Star, especially a happy and well-paid one.

     I still want to see how well they can consistently play together.

6. Chip

   Canales is not going to be the head coach next year. What happens to his career? Did he screw it up when he took the interim title?

   • Jason Fleming

     Depending on how the rest of this season goes, why shouldn’t Canales at least be given a shot to interview for the head coach job? If you recall, this is a similar path Erik Spoelstra traveled to become a head coach himself. If the players continue to respond to him and the team continues to be competitive, then he deserves a chance to compete for the job. At this point I actually think he’s a better choice than most of the names that have been mentioned.

     Whether he is or is not the head coach next year, he’s proven he has a handle on how the job is done. If he’s not Portland’s head coach, he’s proven he deserves top assistant status. Taking the interim role for your first top job isn’t a bad thing.

7. Mark ryan

   Which Point Guards out of John Wall, Kyrie Irving, or Brandon Jennings do you see making the All Star team first? If D-WIll goes to the mavs that would free up a spot for one of them.

   Rank them right now and what do you see them doing in a few years and WHY?

   • Jason Fleming

     Irving, then Jennings, then Wall. Irving was close to make the All-Star team THIS year, so as long as he doesn’t drop off I expect he’ll make it next year, especially if Deron is in the West.

     The problem for Wall and Jennings is Derrick Rose and Rajon Rondo aren’t going anywhere. Rose will likely be the East’s starting PG for the next 10 years. The only way Rondo drops off the team is if Boston’s rebuilding plans go horribly awry. Still, I would think Wall and Jennings should each make it at least once…though when is a good question.

8. Mark ryan

   Who do you see making the ALL Rookie First team? I think it will be

   Kyrie Irving, Brandon Knight, Marshon Brooks, Klay Thompson, and Kawhi Lenoard.

   Im not sure if Rubio will still make it because of his injury.

   Making the first team is how you have been playing all year long and not just catching fire in the last month or so like Isiah Thomas, Kenneth Faried and Chandler Parsons.

   • Jason Fleming

     How quickly we forget Brooks missed a month.

     Rubio deserves first team. Of the entire rookie class, only Irving should be mentioned in the same breath.

     My first team: Rubio, Irving, Thomas, Faried and Knight

     Second team: Parsons, Brooks, Thompson, Leonard and Kemba Walker.

     Tristan Thompson, Iman Shumpert and Derrick Williams deserve some consideration as well.

9. Bill Wallace

   Do you see Tyreke Evans getting traded this summer for a actual small forward or do you them signing a small forward and and bringing Isiah thomas off the bench?

   There is no way they can go into next season as Tyreke Evans as the starting Small forward. I Actually think he can play the Point Guard position with the right players around him not another Ball Dominant player in Marcus Thornton.

   • Jason Fleming

     I respectfully disagree on one point: I don’t feel Evans is a point guard at all. But yes, he is not even close to being a small forward.

     Evans needs the ball in his hands to be effective, but he works best from the two spot with an actual point guard – not a scoring point guard – next to him. He’d probably be just fine next to Thomas, but does that mean you bring Thornton and his $7.5 million off the bench? The Kings, assuming they had a plan, made the future pretty clear when they gave Thornton that contract.

     The good news is MANY teams would love to have Evans and he could greatly improve the Kings if they traded him.

     Unfortunately for the Kings, I’m not convinced they are planning far enough ahead to have actually foreseen what signing Thornton would mean nor have they planned what trading Evans could do to help them. To be honest, I have no idea what the Kings are doing.

10. Roon

    Tyreke Evans just doesn’t seem to fit into Sacramento’s long-terms plans, surprisingly. I would absolutely love for the Bobcats to pull off a deal to acquire him. Do you see the Bobcats having the ammunition to pull off a trade for him?

    • Jason Fleming

      Here’s an idea – how about offering Tyrus Thomas, Wayne Ellington and a first-round pick in 2013 (or two) for Salmons and Evans? Would the Kings bite on that? Maybe. Thomas doesn’t seem to have a future in Charlotte (especially if the Cats get Anthony Davis) and the Kings get rid of their worst contract.

11. Chris G

    Are all the people who are critical of the Bulls for not extending Coach Thibs’ contract forgetting how many coach of the year winners were fired within a couple years of winning the award? I think he deserves an extension and will get one in time, but if he’s under contract, why are they obligated to extend him? Because he’s underpaid? How many teams benefit from overperforming players on cheap rookie deals? Is there an outcry about that?

    • Jason Fleming

      I have no disagreements with you.

12. Will

    Do you think Orlando should trade for Joe Johnson this summer as a go-to scorer?

    • Jason Fleming

      Joe Johnson makes $19.8 million next year. What is Orlando going to give the Hawks to make that happen? And why would Atlanta accept it?

13. Trent

    Hi Jason. After the beat down in boston yesterday, do you think the Celtics are legitimate title contenders? Thanks.

    • Jason Fleming

      Sure, as long as the playoffs have become single-elimination.

      I’m only half kidding. I don’t believe Boston can do that to Miami or Chicago in four out of seven games. One or two games? Sure. But not over an entire series.

14. keeweekid

    Small sample size but what do you think Blazers plan/should do with 1) JJ Hickson & 2) Flynn? Hickson seems like a keeper depending on $$$, Flynn shows more back PG potential than N. Smith.

    • Jason Fleming

      As I mentioned earlier, keeping Hickson only makes sense if he can play next to Aldridge. If he can’t, let him go, because he’s not going to be happy playing 15 minutes a night solely as the backup four. If he can play center, make it happen. Chances are he would be cheaper than many of the likely free agent options at the position. I still want to see more from him.

      With the Flynn v. Smith discussion, it boils down to do you think either of them is a starter? If yes, then keep them both. If no, then Flynn will likely be gone because of Smith’s guaranteed contract and because he’ll likely find a better role somewhere else.

15. keeweekid

    Any rumblings on who Blazers would like for GM & Head Coach next year?

    • Jason Fleming

      I’m betting most have seen the Steve Kerr rumors already. I like Kerr for the role. He should be able to handle the very political side of the position (within the organizational structure) in a way neither Rich Cho or Kevin Pritchard seemed to master. Also, I think he did a good job in Phoenix with as much as his hands were tied by ownership’s desire to not spend money.

      As for head coach, it’s a little early. If Stan Van Gundy truly does leave the Magic, Portland would want to talk to him. Canales should get a chance to make his case. Other than that, the market hasn’t set itself yet.

16. Steve

    Jason,
    Help! I’ve been a big Blazer fan for years.
    But, I just don’t think I can take another failed rebuilding effort.
    And the dysfunctional front office just kills me.
    What year are the Blazers, realistically, competing in WCF again?

    • Jason Fleming

      Considering no one knows who will be on the roster next year for sure outside of Aldridge, Matthews, Eliot Williams, Luke Babbitt and Nolan Smith, I can’t answer that.

      Ask me again after the draft and free agency settles down, when we have a better idea of who is on the roster.

17. Steve

    Jason,
    By the way, can you explain how the Blazers “forced” Brandon Roy to retire? HIS KNEES ARE SHOT AND HE CAN’t PLAY.
    I wish B-Roy would keep quiet and sit on his millions he never can earn and just be happy, stop carping about being forced out.
    HIS KNEES ARE SHOT AND HE CAN’t PLAY (anymore).

    • Jason Fleming

      Portland didn’t force Roy to retire. In fact, he did not actually retire that I know of. They used amnesty on him and paid him his full contract, and he then made it clear to other teams he would retire so they wouldn’t put in an amnesty claim for him.

      In all honesty, I think Roy did earn the money. He was vastly underpaid on his rookie deal.

18. Brooks

    What free agents would best suit the Lakers this off-season?

    • Jason Fleming

      The Lakers only have the $3 million mini-MLE they can spend…so the best players willing to take that. It’s not a large group because the number of players willing to sign for less than market value is slim.

19. Bruno, Brazil

    Hey Jason, greetings from Brazil !!! If Warriors keep their pick top 7 protected, who should they draft ??
    And if(and that’s a big if) they can keep healthy next season do you see them making the playoffs ???

    • Jason Fleming

      If the Warriors do keep their pick, they need to just take the best player available. They have starters in Stephen Curry, David Lee, Andrew Bogut and probably Klay Thompson. They need depth, especially up front. This is a solid draft for that in the top half of the lottery. Thomas Robinson, Jared Sullinger, Andre Drummond, Perry Jones…all would be solid choices.

20. Lateak

    Wen dwill goes to dallas where does that leave d12… Lakers?

    • Jason Fleming

      Still unlikely. The Lakers are capped out through 2013-14.

21. Mac

    Did the Celtics show that they are still contenders? After almost everybody ruled them out cause of their age? They are almost 100% healthy, full of experience, motivation sky high… i say, Chicago and Miami, beware…

    • Jason Fleming

      Last question!

      I don’t doubt the Celtics will be a tough out. I do doubt their ability to keep their entire core healthy for not only the next month but into the playoffs, and I doubt the ability of their bench to provide adequate rest to their starters. I would also love to see them prove me wrong – it would be a great story.

      Thanks for all the great questions! We’ll do it again next week, same time and place, and in the meantime hit me up on Twitter @jfleminghoops!