NBA Chat With Joel Brigham, 10/11/12

1. LA in LA

   Hey Joel, I think the Pacers have a foundation for a contender, but I’m almost positive they wont get there with Granger as their top player. Here’s my idea:
   If they could trade him for a good value while his own value is still high (enough), preferably for an above average SG and/or HIGH pick and definitely before Paul G.’s needs to be extended, slide Paul G. over to SF (his natural position), than sign a true superstar with the cap space from moving D.Granger and letting D.West’s contract expire(they account for $23 mil combined). I don’t think they presently have assets to trade for one without giving up valuable pieces. You can’t plan the superstar but some semi realistic examples are K.Love and Aldridge.
   Then they’d have a nice big 3 of Paul George (assuming he comes close to potential), Hibbert, and Superstar player.
   Thoughts?

   • Joel Brigham

     Good afternoon, HOOPSWORLD Citizens, and welcome to another edition of my weekly chat! It has been, to put it plainly, a VERY long week, and we’ve still got Friday and like a third of today to go before it’s all over. On the bright side, however, NBA basketball is back, and you’ve all got to admit how much nicer it feels to have a regular preseason underway instead of something rushed like last season. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad we had hoops last year, but it all got started so fast that I couldn’t really gear up for it, and certainly couldn’t prepare properly for fantasy basketball. It just feels awesome to be back to normal, and I eagerly anticipate a more normally-paced season.

     But mmmm… basketball… it’s like eating that first taste of Grandma’s stuffing that you haven’t tasted since the last Thanksgiving. Great stuff, folks, and I want to talk about it at length today, so let’s get onto the questions, shall we?

     LA–that’s a pretty good read on the Pacers, and obviously something the front office would entertain if the right superstar were to come along. They’ve been really good about managing their money (as long as we don’t count the George Hill signing), so handling thing the way you suggest would be a great way to latch onto a coveted free agent. I’ve heard the Kevin Love arguments before, and I like them. He’d be an awesome fit there. And actually, I’m not sure I agree with your assessment that the Pacers don’t have any assets. They’ve got the Granger contract plus plenty of talented kids on rookie deals to sweeten a deal. Hansbrough and Stephenson being two, plus Augustin and Gerald Green aren’t on crazy deals, either. There are ways to make trades here.

     But trading Granger has to happen if they want to compete for a championship. He’s just not the kind of leader who wins you a ring. Great guy, and excellent player, but not legendary. Those are hard to find, though, and it doesn’t always matter if you’ve got the money. I think they keep Granger for now and hope for improvement enough to reach Eastern Conference Finals. That’s the next step for them, and they want to see if they’ve got the pieces to get it done. And you know what? They just might….

2. Luke

   Just curious who would be a better fit next to rose when and if healthy Demar in toronto or Martin with the rockets and easier with trades if it were to happen

   • Joel Brigham

     I like DeRozan better in general because he’s a little more well-rounded and has more miles left on his odometer. A few years ago I would’ve been ecstatic about the idea of Kevin Martin, but now I’m generally unimpressed. Plus, with his lack of defense, I can’t see him lasting long on this Bulls team.

     That said, I don’t think either is really worth trading for. Neither guy transforms them into a championship contender and would probably cost more money than they’re worth.

3. Charlie

   This may be a make or break type season for coach Ty Corbin. He now has had 1 ½ seasons with Utah as Jerry Sloan`s apprentice. What do you think of the job he is doing so far? And did you rank Utah as a playoff team this year with him as coach. Why or why not.

   • Joel Brigham

     I think you have to give Corbin a ton of credit for Utah making the playoffs last year, because they absolutely were not expected to do that. In fact, I believe I had them pegged as the worst team in the league when doing my 50 predictions for the 2011-2012 season, so they way outplayed my expectations and many other people’s as well. He’s done a pretty good job with that group, as his young players have continued to get better each and every year. He’s got a balancing act to perform this year with Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson still on the roster with Derrick Favors and Enes Kenter–a couple of top five picks–looking ready to contribute in a very real way. Makes me nervous from a fantasy standpoint, but from a winning standpoint that’s a wealth of riches in the frontcourt. I dig Gordon Hayward and Alec Burks, too, but Mo Williams obviously isn’t a long-term answer at point guard, and I still am not a fan of the Marvin Williams trade.

     But that all has little to do with Corbin. He’s been a solid coach so far, but calling this year make-or-break for him with so much youth might be unfair. I think he’s safe this year unless the Jazz totally take a huge step backwards. I don’t see them as a playoff team, but I don’t see them sucking that bad either. He’ll keep his job and do just fine.

4. Frank

   How much impact do you believe the 19 year old Andre Drummond will have in year one. Do you expect him to be the back-up center in Detroit. How many minutes do you think Lawrence Frank will play him and what is a reasonable stat line for Pistons fans to expect.

   • Joel Brigham

     I don’t really see any reason why Frank shouldn’t give the kid a ton of minutes right off the bat. Detroit drafted him as a complement to Greg Monroe, who is offensively gifted but not particularly athletic or effective on the defensive end. Drummond can’t score, but he can jump out the gym and block a crudload of shots. Those two are going to be interesting to watch side-by-side, and I think both start. The consensus seems to be that Drummond will play 5, while Monroe slides over the to the 4. Good luck guarding that, NBA power forwards.

     Not sure what kind of pro he ends up being, but I feel like Detroit was a perfect spot for him to land. Gives him an excellent chance to find himself a niche a la Serge Ibaka and create a nice little career for himself. The Pistons love him and Monroe as the frontcourt of the future, and I certainly don’t hate it myself.

5. Sweet Dee

   Will Barton was referred to by many as the `steal of the 2nd round.` I feel this statement is made to far too many people. Question: Do you believe in the Barton hype. And if you were to pick one 2nd rounder to be truly the steal of the 2nd round this year. Who would it be and why.

   • Joel Brigham

     Believe it. We were told about a million times heading up to the draft that he could’ve gone as high as the early 20s in that draft and just kept sliding because of silly picks teams were making right around that time. He looked excellent at Summer League, was easily one of the ten best players there, and with how thin Portland’s bench is I can actually see him getting some minutes this year. He’s going to be a solid pro if he can put on some more bulk, but I absolutely do believe the hype.

     Other possibilities for second round steals are Quincy Miller (eventually, probably not this year), Tyshaun Taylor (should get some minutes in Brooklyn), Jeff Taylor (only interesting 3 on that roster outside of Kidd-Gilchrist), and maybe Jae Crowder, who showed flashes in Vegas.

     I’d still take Barton over all of them, though.

6. Randy

   What are you expectations of Anderson Varejao for this coming year? Can he come back from injury and return to his 10 and 10 numbers with lots of energy? Or do you think he will take a step back this year?

   • Joel Brigham

     With today’s medical advances, coming back from injury isn’t the death sentence it used to be. I’m more concerned about the flopping rule than his injury history. I’m kidding, obviously, but I think Andy will be fine. He’s got Tyler Zeller to fight for minutes this year, so that might affect his overall numbers, but I think his overall effectiveness should be more or less unchanged.

7. LayHee

   Is Nikola Pekovic as good as advertised? He had great numbers at the end of last season, but this kinda came out of nowhere. How do you think he will do this year? What is a reasonable stat line expectation for a T-Wolves fan?

   • Joel Brigham

     It wasn’t just the end of the season; Pekovic had a pretty good year from start to finish. I think something like his numbers from last year (14 ppg, 7rpg) is actually pretty realistic, especially with Darko out of the fold. I mean, who’s he fighting for minutes, here? Greg Stiemsma? He’ll get the lion’s share of minutes at the five this year, and I expect similarly good things from him next season.

8. Marc

   Indiana really seemed to like Miles Plumlee. What do you personally think of the player? And what type of contribution do you see him having in year one?

   • Joel Brigham

     My understanding is that he’s supposed to be something in between Tyler Hansbrough and Jeff Foster. I don’t want to call him a “goon” necessarily, but they certainly marked down his toughness and detestability as excellent reasons to stash him on this Indy bench with Hansbrough. He’s going to foul people hard, grab some rebounds with his elbows out, and provide some extra fouls when Roy Hibbert gets in trouble. Don’t expect minutes, but I imagine at the very least he’ll piss a few people off this year. But that’s sort of what the Pacers expected when they picked him up.

9. Ricky

   Hoopsworld reported the Sacramento Kings are going to try Thomas Robinson at the SF spot. This seems like a mistake as one of his main strengths is crashing the boards, not staying on the perimeter. What do you think of this decision and how do you think it will turn out for Sac over the course of the year?

   • Joel Brigham

     That wasn’t Joel Brigham of HOOPSWORLD reporting that, so I don’t know for a fact that it’s true. But I can see it, I guess, particularly if you’re looking to ensure that Chuck Hayes and Jason Thompson get their minutes at the four. T-Rob is more athletic and could do a better job than those guys defending threes. But if they wanted a three, they should’ve just drafted Harrison Barnes, right? I mean, that was their need. But they took Robinson because he was too good a talent to let slip any further in the draft. I think you’re right that it’d be a mistake to take him out of the four spot. I loved the idea of him and Cousins side-by-side, so I hope to see plenty of that. Robinson at the three just doesn’t interest me, so I’m hoping Keith Smart moves away from that idea very quickly.

10. Julian

    Noticed in the first Charlotte preseason game they started BJ Muellens at the PF spot over Bismack Bioyombo. Do you think they will keep the line-up this way. And what do you think of Muellens as a player?

    • Joel Brigham

      Mullens looked a lot better last year, but Biyombo is the more promising player long term. He’s still kind of raw, though, and not particularly talented offensively. I suppose Mullens gives you a more well-rounded player in the starting lineup, and then Biyombo (the defensive specialist) can come off the bench full of energy to frustrate opposing teams’ second units. I’m willing to give that lineup a shot. It makes a certain level of sense as long as Mullens continues to improve like he did last season.

11. Aaron

    The 76ers have faith that Evan Turner can step up his game this year and fill the void at SG. Do you have the same belief? And what type of numbers can Philly fans expect this year?

    • Joel Brigham

      I think he’s right there. With Iguodala and Lou Williams gone, things are set up for him to have the opportunity he’s been waiting for. I’m still not a fan of him personally, but I know he’s talented and confident enough to take his game to the next level. I just don’t know if his head’s in it the way it needs to be for that to happen. He’s got sort of a “the-world-should-come-to-me-and-not-the-other-way-around” vibe to him that I don’t care for. The best recognize their weaknesses and stop at nothing to fix them. I’m not sure Turner is the kind of guy who can even admit he’s got weaknesses, let alone fix them. He’s all raw talent, but sometimes that’s enough in this league. Definitely one of the storylines to watch this year–how he and Drew Bynum step up to the plate this year and lead that Philly team.

      Truthfully, I’ve been told that Jason Richardson is the clear leader of this team already. He’s the one teaching the younger kids to knock off the knucklehead stuff. He may end up being a more valuable piece of that Iggy trade than anybody realized. Plus, ya know, he’s still got some game in him, too.

12. Karen

    Will Ish Smith be the back-up point guard in Orlando this year? What do you think of his game and how would you rank him among the back-up PG`s in this league. Top 10? 20? 25?

    • Joel Brigham

      More a question for Kyler or Kennedy. I haven’t seen enough of Ish to know yet. But is it really saying much to call a guy one of the top 25 point guards in the league? That’s like asking if you think Ish Smith is one of the top 55 players at his position of the league. If he’s #54, does anybody even know who he is?

13. satan

    This is weird but here it goes. Jordan and Kobe are the 2 best shooting guards to ever play the game. there both 6’6 they both have first name last names both with 6 letters( Jordan, Bryant) and the number in the prime of their careers equal 6(MJ 2×3 Kobe 2+4) ….with all that said do you think these 2 made a deal with the devil? Also not sure if Dr J is 6’6 but he also fits the mold(Erving #6)

    • Joel Brigham

      Go read a book or something, man. You’ve obviously got too much time on your hands.

14. saulo

    Hey Joel, where do you rank Minny’s frontcourt: Kirilenko, Love, Pekovic.. with Derrick Williams, Lou Amundson and Stiemsma on the bench? I think the starting 3, and mainly Love and Pek are an elite frontcourt..

    • Joel Brigham

      Love those front three. Kirilenko is going to prove to be one of the steals of the summer, and I love that he ended up somewhere other than Brooklyn, which is where he’d been rumored to go forever. Yes, Love is the real deal, and you can read about my feelings towards Pek below. Solid front court. Bench impresses me quite a bit less, though.

15. saulo

    Joel, what did you think of Brandon Roy’s debut? I loved how he attacked the basket and pulled up without worry, his shot looked good. What do you think?

    • Joel Brigham

      He had a well-rounded game in limited minutes, attacked well, and didn’t seem to have any trouble scoring the ball. I wouldn’t call it vintage Roy, and I think his minutes well end up right around that 20-24 mpg range, but it’s a great start and certainly encouraging for things to come. Don’t expect the All-Star of old, but he’s a great veteran presence in a locker room that could’ve used some more of that, and I like what he’ll do for the Wolves this year.

16. Alex in Burbank

    Why is Shaq running his mouth about Howard? Jerry Buss is retiring his jersey sometime this season, if he keeps this up, all he’s going to get during the ceremony at Staples is showers of Booos! Does he want to get on our bad side? Because he’s getting there. I was prepared to go to that game and give him a standing obation for his part on the 3 championship runs we had in 2000-2002. But if he keeps this Howard hate going, I don’t know, things might change you know?

    • Joel Brigham

      I think the Superman thing is what kind of got him fired up. That was Shaq’s THING back in the 90s, and when Dwight boggarted it, Shaq kind of lost his patience with the kid. I still can’t believe he said Brook Lopez was better than Dwight Howard. In no universe is that even remotely true. I mean, he’s just sort of embarrassing himself at this point, isn’t he?

      For the record, I loved Shaq the lone time I had the opportunity to meet him. Super nice guy. But you’re right… the Dwight hate has got to stop.

17. Jaimeson

    Everyone says Cavs have plan in place & need time to grow. Waiters pick surprised many & he hasn’t shown much so far. Being a Clevelander, it pains me to talk Detroit bball, but what are your thoughts on young Pistons moving forward? Knight, Drummond & Monroe all could be monsters! Are they on same plan as Cavs? Who gets there 1st?

    • Joel Brigham

      Monroe is already a monster, but Kyrie Irving is better than any Piston. When you’ve got a player as good as Kyrie has proven to be, you’re going to see incremental improvement from year to year no matter who’s around him. I know Cleveland wanted to go the OKC route with their draft picks, but Waiters was the wrong guy. He wasn’t even a starter at Syracuse last year, so I probably would’ve opted for Harrison Barnes there. They needed a three, too, and he would’ve filled that. Thompson looked okay last year, and I hold out hope that he still has big room to grow. At the end of the day, though, with a player like Irving you needn’t worry. Things will eventually be fine.

      And yes, that Pistons core looks solid, but as much as I like the idea of Drummond, I’m not 100% sold on him. Monroe is legit, and I think Knight will get there. Both teams need more depth and experience. Honestly, I like where both organizations are headed.

18. john

    hi joel,
    I am so exiting about this new Bulls team. I hope they can suprise everybody a bit and fight for homecourt advantage. I trust that team and espacially Thibs. That he resigned was the best news for the Bulls. I read that he wil earn about five million per year. I know the salaries of the players but how much earns a NBA coach? And who gets the most? I guess Popovich or Rivers.

    • Joel Brigham

      $5 million a year is good, but Thibs deserves it. In his first two years he’s had the best regular season record in the league twice and won the Coach of the Year once. He’s gotten 110% out of a team that was nowhere near as good as it looked, and if things ever fall into place health-wise for Chicago, they’re going to be a pain in the postseason for a while, but it’s going to hard to win a championship with Miami stacked the way they are for the foreseeable future.

      Teams that are this good defensively tend not to miss the postseason, but homecourt advantage is awfully optimistic for this group. I’m quite a bit less excited than you about this Bulls season, but I’m still pulling for them. Mostly, though, I just want Derrick to get healthy and make his way back to the court.

19. BrianG modesto CA

    Are the sacto kings last yr in sac? can stern vito? its obvious the owners are to blame. Right? Can new owners turn the franchise around? is there to much distraction as it is? sacramento deserves a team.

    • Joel Brigham

      Sacramento has some of the best fans in the league, so it’s a real shame that things are playing out the way they are. It just doesn’t look like they’re going to have the kind of facility they need to support an NBA team. Seattle is ready to take them on, so we’ll see what happens, but it doesn’t look good for Sacto. And absolutely it’s the owners’ faults. Not 100%, but a whole lot percents. Most of the percents, anyway.

20. Shamwow

    Hey dude.
    Still waiting on you to come to Oakland for a warriors game.
    I was wondering about how the interns are doing that you guys just hired. What kinds of things does hoops world have them doing?
    What kinds of things should someone start preparing themselves for when you guys open up intern spots for next season?
    I wanna start getting ready for when you have spots open on your guys’ roster.

    • Joel Brigham

      Haven’t been to the bay area since 2008. Loved it, but I’m not out that way often. Would love to pick up a game out that way, though. Warriors fans are awesome.

      As for the interns, they do a lot of transcribing and other mindless this-and-that. College kids in major markets who work hard, can meet deadlines, and who love basketball. That’s kind of what the bosses look for. Hope that answers your question!

21. Bryan

    Hey Joel,
    What do you think the odds are of Lakers bringing back D Fisher?
    Also, seeing how the Lakers are one herniated disk away from potentially having a very big let-down season, do you think they should grab K Martin?

    • Joel Brigham

      I’m not a cap extra, but I don’t know how much more money these guys can spend. And anyway, I think they’re deep enough at point guard with Nash, Steve Blake, Chris Duhon, and Darius Morris. Can’t imagine they’d take on a fifth point guard.

      Fisher is going to have to end up someplace else or retire at this point. I think he’ll sit it out until a team loses a veteran point guard to injury and finds they need a little depth there. Can’t imagine Fisher latching on with a team of bums just to have a job. He’ll hold out for a winner, or he may sit the thing out. We’ll have to wait and see I suppose.

22. Aussie pacer

    Hey Joel I was wondering if u could give me a few fantasy sleepers to keep an eye on?

    • Joel Brigham

      Well, I don’t know how deep of sleepers you’re looking for, and I don’t want to give away too much because my league (which includes HW fantasy guru Tommy Beer) still hasn’t drafted yet, but I will say that I’m really high on Ty Lawson as a top-five PG this year. I also obviously like Pekovic as a later center pickup. Jeff Teague is on the way up. Klay Thompson could be great. Ersan Ilyasova never gets enough credit. That enough for you? Gonna have to be, because that’s all I’m giving up for now.

      Hey guys, that’s my hour. Thanks for all the great questions, and I look forward to doing more of the same next week. Covering my first game of the season tomorrow night at the University of Illinois in Champaign, where the Bulls will take on the aforementioned Cavaliers. Excited to get the ball rolling, and looking forward to more good conversation next Thursday.

      Until then, have a great weekend, and go Bulls!