NBA Chat With Joel Brigham, 1/10/13

1. Deven

   Hey Joel. Are the Celtics on the verge of making a blockbuster trade? If so, who’ll be involved?

   • Joel Brigham

     Good afternoon, HOOPSWORLD Citizens, and welcome to another edition of my weekly chat! Had quite the adventure this morning, with Wifey’s car not starting and requiring AAA assistance to get the thing to the dealer for repairs. What a joy on a freezing Midwestern January morning, right? But at least there were Oscar nominations to read through while waiting for the two truck to do its thing, though I’m only a few movies into getting through the Best Picture candidates. I’ve seen “Argo” and “Beast of the Southern Wild,” and only juts saw “Lincoln” (which was awesome), but leaves six more to get through before February. I think “Zero Dark Thirty” is next.

     Anyway, enough movie chatter (I’m excited about it, can you tell?). Let’s talk hoops. I’ll get to as many questions as I can today, and I see tons in the hopper. Let’s roll…

     A big Boston trade has been rumored ever since it seemed like a possibility that Sacramento would be interested in shipping out DeMarcus Cousins. The problem there for Boston was that none of the assets they have are anything the Kings (Sonics?!?!?!?) would be interested in taking back. So if we’re talking blockbuster, it’s has to be something that includes Rondo, and I don’t have any big ideas on that front off the top of my head (though, as always, I’m open to suggestions).

     Obviously, they’re going to try to do something because they aren’t a championship team as currently built, and they want to do right by Garnett and Pierce, so they’ll look for a way to give them a better look at a ring this season. I just can’t think of what that could possibly be, or what major talent they can bring in for the pieces they’re willing to trade.

2. Eric

   Who get COY? Vinny or Jackson? Warriors have a better improvement considering they were a bottom top 7 team

   • Joel Brigham

     I think that if Vinny Del Negro were coaching a different team, we’d be saying, “Anybody who coached the Clippers would get votes for Coach of the Year, even if it were Vinny Del Negro.” So that being the case, I still can’t take him seriously there. I’d like to see L.A. hit a rough patch to see how Vinny plays things. Golden State’s rough patch was the start of the season, and Mark Jackson corrected it pretty quickly and pretty dramatically. That, to me, is the obvious pick right now, but I have Mike Woodson pretty high up there, too.

3. Enrique

   I got into a debate with someone telling me that Chris Paul doesn’t stand a chance to be MVP because the Clippers are so deep. Clippers were nothing before he got there, and in my opinion he is as valuable to the Clippers LBJ is to the Heat, Melo is to the Knicks, Durant is to OKC. I think if it all ended today, top 3 for MVP in no particular order would be Melo, LBJ, and Paul. Your thoughts?

   • Joel Brigham

     Those are my top three right now, though I’m not sure what kind of order I’d put them in just yet. We’ve never seen this kind of leadership from Carmelo before, at least not this consistently for this long, and that’s got him very high up my list, especially when you consider how well New York has played as a team this year.

     But Chris Paul is the guy, at least the way it looks right now. The folks that vote for these awards like to shake things up when at all possible, and while LeBron James had been just below the clouds in terms of godliness this year, the success of the Clippers and Paul’s role in that (he’s basically the team’s unofficial offensive coordinator) has to be something that has voters salivating. He’s something different, something new, and the fact that he’s basically been among the most valuable guys in the league for the majority of his career means no one would have to feel bad about shipping him the award.

     I’ll put it this way… switch out Paul with Russell Westbrook or Kyrie Irving, and I don’t think this is anywhere near the same team. Force LeBron and Melo to switch teams, and Miami and New York are probably still right around where they’re at.

     Okay, so maybe not New York. My God, can you imagine if LeBron was on this New York team? That’s a whole other story, though. Maybe he is the MVP and I just don’t want him to be. Let’s pretend like CP3 is the runaway favorite for now, shall we?

4. Steve

   Could the raptors land rudy gay? They have young talent in ross/ed davis and expiring contracts in jose calderon and probably a good replacement if they give up derozan. Raptors need a sf, the go-to guy and closer which gay provides and financially it’ll be better for memphis and adding young assets and picks perhaps. So would it make sense for a deal like this to be in the works?

   • Joel Brigham

     I think this is a great suggestion, though it does end up hampering Toronto with a TON of cash between Gay and Bargnani (who I think will be nearly impossible to trade). At the same time, you’re never going to lure a guy like Gay in free agency, so nabbing him in trade is your best bet. Build around him and Kyle Lowry and J-Val moving forward and hope for the best, right?

     Regarding DeMar, though, understand that he’s got a pretty big extension that kicks in next year, so that kind of makes him a bit of a poison pill as far as trades go this season. Going to be hard to include him, and I don’t think taking back long-term money is what Memphis is looking for anyway. The idea of Calderon as an expiring deal, plus a couple of young guys or draft picks… that might be enough. Not sure it’s better than the Jared Dudley+picks deal I read about yesterday, but it’s out there, and goodness knows Toronto needs a small forward. Intriguing, if nothing else.

5. isaac

   Hey Joel!

   I think then Lakers need some impact role players that can defend and hit shots more that another big name.
   What do you think of this deal Joel.

   Bucks get:
   Pau Gasol

   Celtics get:
   Jordan Hill
   1rd pk (from MIL)

   Lakers get:
   Mike Dunleavy Jr.
   Courtney Lee
   Ersan Ilyasova
   Samuel Dalambert

   • Joel Brigham

     I can’t see Milwaukee doing that. Not the way Gasol has played this year. Those knees look worn down, man, and for the right coach Ilyasova could be an absolute beast. I think the Lakers would view that haul as a pile of trash, anyway. This one’s probably not going to happen.

6. Jimmy

   Hey Joel, Carmelo has done such a good job improving his reputation this year, what impact do u think his behavior vs the celtics will have on that? Surely nobody believes him that he waited outside the celtics locker room and then the bus just to talk to kg…

   • Joel Brigham

     No, they just wanted to hug a little, I think. Whoever said there was anything wrong with a little bromance?

     It hurts the image a little, obviously, but I don’t think that one incident tears down all the good that this season has done. I don’t think anybody sees Melo as sterling anyway, despite his great year and unprecedented leadership, so this is what it is. I think most of us shrugged it off and will probably forget about it soon. the next DeMacrus Cousins outburst will likely be WAY more interesting.

7. Terrance

   Hello Joel,

   Would Eric Gordon or Marshon Brooks be a good fit beside DRose. I know it won’t happen but i can dream right?

   • Joel Brigham

     Eric Gordon is a dream. He’s a max money guy whose current team currently has zero intention of sending him away. What could Chicago possibly offer New Orleans, anyway? There isn’t a desirable trade for them in that scenario. It simply doesn’t exist.

     Brooks isn’t impossible by any means, though. He’s a great value on a rookie deal, has proven he can score 12 ppg, and is just in a bad situation playing behind Joe Johnson in Brooklyn. With the right opportunity, he could potentially become one of the league’s breakout scorers, and there are a few different things the Bulls could do pry him loose without having to give up too much. It’s not like Brooklyn has any immediate plans for him, because that JJ deal has tons of years and cash left on it. He could definitely be had, but I have no idea how he’d fit next to Derrick. It would be fine, I’m guessing, but don’t know if that’s the thing that gets the Bulls to a championship. Think bigger.

8. Tj

   I came up with this trade on trade machine an everyone liked it. Bulls trade boozer rip Teague Muhammad and there pick in this years draft to Phila for Evan turner Jason Richardson lavoy Allen and spencer hawes u can substitute hawes for kwame brown and dorrel wright good trade for both bulls get a two guard and backup for Noah an deng and spiders get a pf like boozer and Thad young can play his natural sf position Bynum Holliday and rip with nick young

   • Joel Brigham

     Philly just amnestied Elton Brand to take on Boozer? Not possible. Plus, they see Evan Turner as a future star. Without something comparable coming back in, I don’t see them trading him. This one’s busted, mostly because Philly would understand how awful their side of the deal was.

9. Jim in CyberSpace

   I understand GM’s looking at everything, but what do the Gizz want for Zack? Trade him to OKC for Ibaka see how that works out?
   I’m sure Perk and Z-Bo would quickly kiss and make-up and be cozy team mates. I think Memphis would do okay too.
   Presti wouldn’t do it…Ibaka is too young… ceiling is too high, and he’s pretty cheap…that’s why OKC traded Harden and signed Ibaka Air Congo is more difficult to replace. Athletic Stretch 4-s don’t grow on trees.

   • Joel Brigham

     You’re right. Ibaka has looked better than ever this year and was way, way more good years left in him that Randolph has. This one’s not happening, but you seemed to even talk yourself out of it before the question was even sent. In fact, if you knew Presti wouldn’t do it, why send the question, Jim in Cyberspace? Why?

10. TiB

    Hey Joel love your chats!!
    How close to 100% healthy do you think Rose will be come playoff time?

    • Joel Brigham

      When Rose comes back, he’s 100% healthy. So if he’s playing in the playoffs, he’s 100% healthy.

      In other words, Chicago isn’t rushing this kid in any way, shape, or form considering they owe him $100 over the course of the next half a decade. He’ll be out there once the doctors clear him. It may take some time to get back into the swing, but from what I hear he’s in great shape. I wouldn’t expect conditioning to be an issue, if that’s what you’re asking.

      Should be his same old self, which I personally am really, really looking forward to.

11. LA in LA

    Am I the only one who thinks it would be a bad idea for Detroit to trade for Cousins? I know Cousins has a LOT of Talent and athleticism but Monroe is no scrub and Drummond is oozing potential. Neither may ever be a triple double threat or the scorer like Cousins, but I feel they’re isn’t enough of a gap between either of them and Cousins to account for the mental and emotional issues Cousins would bring.

    So my question is due you agree they should just keep their big men? I see no reason to trade either for Cousins.

    • Joel Brigham

      I’m 100% with you on this. I thought the whole point of drafting Drummond was to give Monroe an athletic big man to help supplement his own shortcomings on defense. Those two should be a killer backcourt for Detroit for a really long time. All of Cousins’s baggage just seems like a huge turn-off to me, but the Pistons are treading water and no one has really emerged as a star out there. Cousins would put them as close to that as they’ve been in a while, which is the only explanation I can come up with as to why they’d consider that deal. I’d have to see what Detroit would be giving up to have a full-fledged opinion on it, but in general I think DMC to the Motor City is silly.

12. RkOz

    Gday Joel, big fan of ur chats!!! Been hearing a lot of trade buzz around Demarcus cousins!! The kids got ridiculous talent!! Would you see this trade working and why/why not?? Demarcus & Marcus Thornton to Minny for Kevin love (add fillers to make cap work if nec.), adelman is the perfect coach to harness DC’s talent whilst thornton vills the major hole @ SG and can finally start! Sactown/Seattle (great to the sonics back as well) get THE franchise player they can build around with strong charecter and leadership, in midst of some of the other crazy trade ideas I’ve been hearing I think talent wise this Could work out best for both?? especially with reports K-Love wont resign and Pekovic’s RFA, Thoughts?

    P.S awesome to see another Aussie in NBA signed today in Aron Baynes!!

    • Joel Brigham

      First of all, I love Australia so much, even though I’ve never been there. I really want to make it out there someday, just as soon as I come up with a few thousand extra dollars to take an international vacation. I love the Chris Lilley shows, too. Love, love, love “Summer Heights High” and “Angry Boys.” Some of the funniest TV I’ve ever seen, and am so sad it got slept on when it ran on HBO. You guys that like funny stuff, look those up. I promise you’ll fall in love.

      Anyway, in regards to your question, I do think that Minnesota would explore moving Kevin Love, but he’s out for ten weeks… it’s going to be hard for any team to risk a package of big-time players (which is what it would take to pry Love away) for a guy that isn’t even going to play again until the end of the regular season. Adelman is a great coach, and I’m sure he’d have a positive effect on Cousins, but the hand surgery sorta knocks K-Love out of the conversation for a while. I don’t think they were ready to trade him just yet, anyway.

      And congrats to Aron Baynes! Patty Mills is one of my favorite international players and a super-nice guy. The more Aussie’s in the league, the better.

13. Chosen One

    Hey Joel, I have a question about Point Guards. When I think of guys like Rondo or Chris Paul, I think of them as pass first guys, and when I think of Russel Westbrook or Brandon Jennings, I think of them more as score first guys. But when I think of guys like Derrick Rose, or Kyrie Irving, I don’t know how exactly to label them lol. So how would you describe these kind of guys ?

    • Joel Brigham

      They’re more in the Westbrook/Jennings camp. Big, athletic scorers who just so happen to handle the ball better than anyone else on the floor and have more concern for getting teammates involved than a two-guard would. Chris Paul is every bit as good a scorer as the rest of the gang, though, which is why he’s the best in the league. That cat can play any way you need him to.

14. maestro

    When will the Lakers throw in the towel and begin building towards the future? I thinking why not cash out Howard sending him along with Duhon to Atlanta for Al Hortford and Devin Harris. The Lakers would also send Steve Blake to Cleveland who would also receive a #1 pick from Atlanta. Atlanta gets to pair Dwight with Josh Smith. The Lakers can slid Hortford into the four slot move Pau to the 5 and dump a lot of salary (Harris deal is up at the end of the year they receive 20 millions in salary and send out 28 million in salary. Cleveland picks up a back up point and another #1.

    • Joel Brigham

      Howard is a big part of their future. They traded for him just as much for future reasons as they did present ones. With Kobe getting older, Pau getting bad, and Nash nearing the retirement home, Howard was the guy they’d hoped would keep them competitive so that a true rebuilding process wouldn’t be necessary. All you really need is cap space or trade assets, because players are always going to want to sign in L.A. Move whomever you like, but Kobe obviously won’t be moved, and I really don’t think they’ll move Dwight, either. Especially not for Al Horford and Devin Harris.

15. keo

    What’s your thoughts on avery bradely …I’m from Boston and his defence is intense..do you think other gaurds look foward to go up against him? I think he has potential to be defensive first team in the future.

    With the celtics winning 4 straight do you think they should still pull the trigger or keep the core because they look really good since bradely came back? is his defence the reason they are winning?

    I personally think they are one big man away to being a conentder. what do you think?

    • Joel Brigham

      Love Bradley. The interview I did with him last year was probably one of my 3-4 favorite interviews of the entire 2011-2012 season, and I’ve been looking forward to bumping into Boston again just so I’d have another chance to talk defense with him. He loves that stuff, and you can see it when he’s on the court. No, I don’t think players look forward to facing him. It’s likely the opposite, and that’s the way it should be. He is, on some level, responsible for this turnaround in my opinion, but I’m with you in that the C’s are still one player short to really contend. I’ve already talked about that a bit in this chat, so just scroll up and see what I wrote for the other C’s question for your answer.

16. Spur

    Tim Duncan is still the best power forward in the league, right?! Your thoughts? Thanks.

    • Joel Brigham

      Hard to argue against it right now, isn’t it? Especially with Kevin Love out. All the other guys even in the conversation just aren’t as well-rounded. Blake Griffin, Serge Ibaka, Chris Bosh… they’re great, but not Timmy great, not even with Duncan pushing 75 years old. He’s having a heck of a season, and it’s been great to watch.

17. Aristotle

    Hey Joel

    Phil Jackson stated he doesn’t intend to coach again. However, with Seattle now in the picture, it seems closer to his ranch in Montana and Los Angeles. Think he becomes the new head coach of Seattle? Or at least take maybe the GM role? Could be interesting… and how nice would it be to get Durant back to the team that drafted him, or some other big free agent to begin the return of this franchise?

    • Joel Brigham

      I am so, so, so, so very excited for the city of Seattle, assuming this deal does, eventually, go through. I am, however, equally bummed out for the city of Sacramento, who have had some of the best fans in the league, even through all these bad teams and the drama with Anaheim and Virginia Beach and now Seattle. Sucks for them. It really, really does.

      But all that said, it’s going to be really fun having the Seattle SuperSonics back in the league again. The last few years have just been… off… haven’t they? Obviously, Durant is never leaving Oklahoma City, but I can understand how fans would immediately want some sort of star to watch at Key Arena. Cousins has his moments, but he may not be around, and the caveat for Seattle hoops nuts is that this current brand of Kings basketball is pretty brutal. Don’t expect a lot of wins right off the bat, but you’ll at least have the team and the opportunity to rebuild, and that’s a good thing.

      This hurts for Sacramento, but if any city were going to be the beneficiaries of a team moving, it had to Seattle. Why tick off Seattle and Sac-town by sending the Royals to Virginia Beach?

18. Chris G

    If the move to Seattle goes through, is the team the Seattle Kings, or will they become the Supersonics again? And which team’s history will they promote?

    • Joel Brigham

      When the Thunder left, they kept the Sonics name and colors and retired numbers and lone championship banner in the care of the Emerald City. I imagine they’ll pick that back up with a bit of a uniform redesign, but also keep the Kings’ history relevant, too. Can’t just ignore Oscar Robertson, right? C-Webb and White Chocolate, either!

19. Saulo

    Hey Joel, who says no.
    Min: James Harden
    Hou: Kevin Love

    Also, should the wolves pursue OJ agressively this offseason?

    • Joel Brigham

      Houston. Kevin Love is broken. Harden is just getting started.

20. Danny Two-Step

    Joelseph, do you prefer the basketball of the 90s (physical, slowed down, run through the post) or the basketball of the 2010s (less physicality, faster pace and pg-centric) and why?

    • Joel Brigham

      They both have their pros and cons, but remember that a lot of the ’90s ball took place in my childhood, so I’m remembering a lot of those things tinged with nostalgia. I’d take the ’90s Bulls over the current iteration. Does that answer your question appropriately enough? I miss watching Rodman shooting threes. That was maybe my favorite thing about basketball for the entirety of 1997.

      I guess I’ll be watching my Bulls Dynasty DVD tonight. I’m blaming you, Daniel Two-Step.

21. Shabbir

    Hi Joel

    Any possibility of Orlando being able to trade for a go-to guy? I’d love to see Rudy Gay in a Magic uniform, but I just can’t see what the Grizz will take for him. Any players of that ilk you can see potentially joining the Magic?

    • Joel Brigham

      So you don’t see Nik Vucevic as a go-to guy? Because he’s been AWESOME. My favorite fantasy pickup of the season so far, and pumped that I’ve been able to pair him on my team (Snottie Drippin’) with Nikola Pekovic. Just waiting for Nikola Mirotic to join the Bulls so I can make three Nik’s my keepers, now and forever more.

      But that’s not an answer to your question, so I’ll do that by saying you’re right. They don’t have any likeable assets at the moment, really. Unless someone wants to take on Al Harrington, it’ll be hard to match salaries for someone major. That said, the Magic want to stink for a couple years post-Dwight so that they can rebuild via the draft like Oklahoma City has done and Cleveland is trying to do. That game plan doesn’t involve trading for a big star. Sorry, Shabbir.

22. jaimeson

    with andy down for cavs 6-8 weeks & wall commin back for wash, i’m assuming cavs finish with worst record. doesn’t guarantee #1 pick, but who are they lookin at?

    • Joel Brigham

      Ah, but let us not forget the Charlotte Bobcats. But yeah, Cleveland’s going to be right there. Again.

23. Mike

    When Rose isb back and this time is knocking on the door ,and with the heat bored of the season,Knicks having struggles ,Hawks too ,can the Bulls be the top conference team at the end of the season.

    • Joel Brigham

      The HEAT aren’t going to be bored come late April. Trust me. They’re going to demolish whomever they bump into, the Bulls especially. If last year’s Chicago team wasn’t good enough, this one sure as heck isn’t. Even with Rose.

24. Saulo

    How about Love for Ibaka, Lamb, Martin?

    • Joel Brigham

      Repeat: Love is broken.

25. Mike

    Hey Joel,Greetings from Bulgaria. Why Jeremy Lamb and Perry Jones 3 aere not receiving playing time.I thought they are very good prospects.Can Thunder dont sign Martin and impose Lamb at the 2 or back of Sefolosha.

    • Joel Brigham

      Because those guys are rookies and the Thunder are playing really, really well with their current rotation of guys. That’s not to say these gentlemen won’t see minute somewhere down the road, but they knew their situation when the season started, and I think the ability to play for that team, knowing they’ll still be playing deep in the playoffs, is enough to make up for the lack of PT. Lamb could absolutely step into Martin’s role next year if they don’t re-sign him, and I think that was part of the plan when they included him the Harden deal. Assuming Martin asks for more money than Lamb currently makes, I just can’t see Presti holding on to him there. He’s a value guy, and Lamb/Sefolosha would probably be fine with all the other star power on the roster.

      Alright gang, that’s my hour. Some of the best questions I’ve had in weeks, so thanks for those. Covering Bulls/Suns this weekend, so keep at me on Twitter. Have a great weekend, everybody, and go Bulls!