NBA Chat With Joel Brigham, 11/29/12

1. Steve

   Please tell me that the raptors will trade bargnani and calderon soon, I mean what real success has there been with them? Its time to move on don’t you think?

   • Joel Brigham

     Good afternoon, HOOPSWORLD Citizens, and welcome to another edition of my weekly chat! I’m officially in Christmas mode now, folks. My kiddo is excited about the season, we’ve got all the decorations up, and I chat with you guys today with the new Cee-Lo Christmas album providing the background noise. It’s better than I would’ve thought, for whatever it’s worthy.

     So how’s your favorite team look? How’s your fantasy team look? Let’s chat about all of it. I’m ready. Here we go…

     It’s been pretty bad this year in Toronto, hasn’t it? 3-13 is not the start any of us had hoped for, and despite a strong start from Kyle Lowry ,the almost immediate injury was a real buzzkill and he hasn’t been quite as prolific since coming back. Love Lowry, but we’re only a month into the season and Raps fans are already all over the place. I’ll feel sorry for those guys, and I’m a Bulls fan (which we’ll get to in a minute). At least you’re not Wizards fans, right guys?

     As for trading those guys, I think with Lowry healthy you can really start looking at what to do with Calderon, and Valanciunas has certainly played well enough to justify letting go of Bargnani, too. I haven’t the foggiest idea of what GMs think of these guys, or what they’d be willing to trade for them, but it’s clear the Raptors need to do something, because what they got going on so far ain’t a whole lot of much worth watching. Nothing is imminent, but I agree that they’d be better off making a deal.

2. Deven

   How stunned were you by that comeback by the Bucks to beat the Bulls on Monday night?

   • Joel Brigham

     We’re still cleaning the vomit off our furniture.

     Honestly, defense has been my biggest gripe about this Bulls team so far this season. I get that there are going to be nights when they can’t score the ball because Derrick Rose is a huge part of what they’re all about offensively, but Rose was hardly the lynchpin on defense. Under Thibodeau, the Bulls have been a top-two defense in each of the last couple of seasons, and they’ve looked far from that this year. Losing Asik and Brewer has something to do with that, but the starters have been brutal. Bad, bad, bad. You can’t give up 27 points. Just can’t do it. At least they responded pretty convincingly in the Mavs game last night. But still.

3. Chris

   Hi Joel. Here’s a great 3-way Bulls, Lakers, Jazz trade. What do you think? Chicago gets Pau Gasol and Raja Bell, Lakers get Carlos Boozer & Rip Hamilton, and the Jazz get the Kyle Korver trade exception.

   • Joel Brigham

     The Lakers don’t want Carlos Boozer, and nobody plays more minutes for L.A. than Kobe Bryant, who plays shooting guard, just like Richard Hamilton. What are they supposed to do with him? Awful trade for the Lakers, which is why they wouldn’t pull the trigger on that in like a bajillion years.

4. Wil

   Hi Joel, I am surprised by all the whining and hysteria from Chicago fans. Your team is missing its MVP, gutted the bench, and has a starting PG who was good five years ago…what did they expect? The team is hovering around .500 which is where they should be until D-Rose returns. The focus isn’t this year, but the next 2-3 years. Thoughts?

   • Joel Brigham

     I think part of that is the Bulls have had the best record in the league the last two seasons, and fans have kind of been spoiled by tons of regular season wins, which they’re no longer going to get, obviously. It was so bad for so long in Chicago that fans have really enjoyed having a team be considered a perennial powerhouse. This year is a step backwards, and whatever the logical reasons for that, it makes this city’s fan base grumpy. There’s no hockey this year. The Sox and Cubs were huge bummers last year. The Bears may or may not be good. Derrick Rose is the biggest sports star in this city by a mile (sorry, Brian Urlacher), and a lot of folks felt like the Bulls were the city’s best shot at winning a championship. Doesn’t look like that’s going to happen this year, so people are acting curmudgeonly.

     Personally, I called for a .500 season from the get-go, and I think if they can hover around there until March, Rose can come back for the last month, get them to 4 or 5 games above .500 and somewhere in the lower half of the playoff picture. I’d be happy with postseason, honestly. Any kind of winning that would happen once they got there would be a pleasant surprise.

     Long-term outlook all depends on Derrick, but I’ll re-gauge my optimism when I see what he looks like upon return. Until then, Bulls basketball makes me sad right along with everyone else.

5. Travis

   why are you so awesome?

   • Joel Brigham

     It’s something I work on.

6. LA in LA

   In your opinion who has a better chance to start All star game: Noah or Vareajo? We know 2 front court spots will be Lebron and Melo, so that leaves one spot for a Center.

   • Joel Brigham

     That’s a really good question, but keep in mind that the 3 frontcourt players thing means voters don’t necessarily have to take a center. They could just as easily toss in another forward, though I’m not sure there are many outside of the two you mentioned that are more deserving than Jo or Andy. As far as popular vote is concerned, though, you never know. I mean, how many times did Vince Carter happen? I could see Kevin Garnett or Josh Smith making it in on the popular vote, but if that’s the case, I say both Noah and Varejao get in. Record plays a part in who coaches take, though, so that would give Noah a slight edge. Tough call though. I’m open to debating this…

7. chi town

   do u think if not for royce white’s condition he could be a difference maker to help houston become a better team?houstons not half bad got some good players imo…your welcome for the article btw

   • Joel Brigham

     Without the anxiety disorder, White would’ve ended up at Kentucky and would’ve subsequently turned into a mid-lottery pick. Talent-wise, he’s absolutely good enough to play big minutes for an NBA team. Physically, there wasn’t a guy in this entire draft more prepared to bang with the big boys than White, and he’s a really, really good dude, too. Was one of my favorite guys from the combine, and I’ve been so bummed to see things work out for him the way they have. We may never know what kind of player White could’ve been, though. Doesn’t look like he’s ever going to play any NBA ball…

8. Deven

   Joel, what are your thoughts about that brawl last night in Boston? Was the Humphries ejection right or wrong?

   • Joel Brigham

     I mean, something like that, you’ve got to throw somebody out. It was kind of a cruddy foul by him on Garnett’s face, but you’re right in that he was the one that got attacked by Rondo. The foul was hard, the KG reaction was fine, but Rajon just lost his mind there for a minute. Seemed like a lot over a little, but any time guys get that entangled and that fired up, you’ve got to ship them out of there.

9. Rick Levitt

   If the Kings were to move to Virginia wouldn’t the NBA have to realign being that the Kings are in the Pacific West?

   • Joel Brigham

     Something would definitely have to happen there. Chicago and Milwaukee are the teams closest to the middle of the map, but it’s not like you could just stick either one of those into the Pacific Division with all the California teams. Man, that would be a mess… You’d have to make a Division out of the LA teams, Golden State, Portland, and then Phoenix, another division with the Texas teams, OKC, and New Orleans, and a third one with Minnesota, Memphis, Denver, Chicago/Milwaukee, and Utah. Craziness… you’re right that would really shake things up.

     You know what wouldn’t shake things up at all? Moving the Kings to Seattle.

10. Alex from Sudbury Ontario

    Hey Joel. I am always tuned in for you chats. Big Raptors fan! Considering the Raptors need help at the three (among other needs) and considering D. Williams seem to be on the out in Minnesota, what would it take to get him in a Raptors uniform? Would he be a good fit for us? If not, who would you target if you were BC other then Pietrus? Thank you so much.

    • Joel Brigham

      Gotta do something at the three, man. Big time. I can’t imagine Minnesota would want a king’s ransom for Derrick Williams (Adelman has never seemed particularly enamored with him), but they’d want something they could actually use in return. No need for a point guard, so would they opt to shore up their frontcourt?

      Anyway, I’m not sure I see Williams as a pure small forward like, at all. The Pietrus signing should have happened weeks ago. Dominic McGuire is the starting three in Toronto right now. That’s just… that can’t happen.

11. pawn over rook

    Come june who wins the playoffs, lakers vs clippers?
    Clippers vs spurs, spurs vs memphis?
    Will andrew bynum be the next m.oluwakandi? And is it true that he doesnt care much about basketball? Thanks for the time..

    • Joel Brigham

      Lakers.
      Spurs.
      Grizzlies.

      No, Bynum will not. He’s already been way, way better than the Kandi-Man ever was, and is young enough where he’s got plenty of time to right things. Remember, he’s in a contract year, so he’s got every reason to try and make it back this season to prove he’s worth a max deal. I wouldn’t say that he doesn’t care about basketball, but it’s always come really easy to him, and he’s not built the same way mentally and competitively as guys like Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose. I suppose that could make him come off that way, but I don’t want to sell him short. I think he’ll be back this year. Just don’t know what the rest of his career is going to look like, and I’ll be very curious to see what kind of money he gets over the summer if he does miss the whole season.

12. mario

    What’s up Joel do you think the bulls should go after pau if he becomes available and also if Memphis falls in the playoffs early again maybe they might decide to move Rudy gay do you think that deng rip and a pick might suffice in a trade for gay and tony Allen or just gay otherwise what moves do you think they could/should make

    • Joel Brigham

      Sure, but the Bulls just don’t have the pieces to make the Lakers bite. There is literally no deal there that makes sense from financial and basketball standpoints, and unless the Lakers suddenly change their mind about Carlos Boozer, that probably isn’t going to change.

      And if I’m the Grizzlies, I’m not messing with the roster right now. They’ve been the best team in the NBA thus far. Why fix what isn’t broken?

13. suite that rock

    If the celtics and clippers reach the finals who wins? And who is the better pg,rondo or cp3, why?

    • Joel Brigham

      I can say with quite a bit of confidence that this will not be the case. If that happens, though, I’ll say the Clippers would take it, but it makes me sick to my stomach to say that knowing Vinny Del Negro is coaching the team. I just can’t see him out-maneuvering Doc Rivers in a seven-game series. The talent is just so much stronger, though, that they’d be hart to bet against.

      Let the record show, though, that it would be quite an accomplishment for either team to make it that far in this year’s playoffs…

14. master splinter

    If u are starting a team and u are drafting,u see a.bynum and cousins on board. Who do u draft?

    • Joel Brigham

      Probably Cousins. Bynum is going to demand max dollars someday, and I’m just not confident enough in his knee to believe that he’ll hold up long enough to come anywhere close to earning that cash. Cousins is the safer pick, even if he’s not quite as talented as Bynum when healthy. Even with the slow start Cousins has gotten off to this season, I’d still roll with him. Bynum is just too dang risky, and if I’m starting a team I’ve probably got money invested. I’d want to make sure I got the most out of my investment.

15. grinch

    Will there be a sale on washington come dec 15?
    Crazy trade, wall and crawford t.evans jimmer and thorton? How does this sound for each team?

    • Joel Brigham

      Washington sucks because they don’t have John Wall. They’re not going to trade John Wall so that they can continue to suck. Crawford and Thornton are a wash, but in no way is Wall worth Jimmer + Tyreke. Yurk. The best chance the Wizards have of being relevant in the immediate and long-term future is Wall panning out and transforming into a bona fide star. Tyreke and Jimmer have ZERO chance of that at this point.

16. Virgil

    Ok so it is still early, but were you one of the writers here that predicted an 8th seed for the knicks? Actually I think all of you thought they would be bad. Given the start, i think that a top 5 seed is very possible even a 2 or 3

    • Joel Brigham

      I had them 5th in my preseason rankings. Had Miami-Boston-Indiana-Brooklyn as my top four, followed by New York-Chicago-Philadelphia and either Washington or Toronto. But let’s all pretend that previous sentence ended at the word “Philadelphia” and forget everything else. Can we do that?

      That said, the Knicks have been solid to kick off the year, though they’ve been less impressive more recently, and injuries continue to plague a team that is admittedly very old. Injuries are going to be a problem all year, methinks, and that’ll be the only thing that holds them back. Well, that and we have to figure out how to work Amar’e Stoudemire back into this whole mix. Knicks have been fun, but I still think something in the 3-5 range would be a good guess for seeding.

17. Goose

    With the Nuggets starting out a little slower than expected, it seems that their main issue still seems to be a deadeye shooter to keep defenses from clogging the paint. Do you think they could get a Danny Granger type for a Gallinari, Chandler, Mozgov package?

    • Joel Brigham

      I don’t think you get Danny Granger, Goose. He’s not a deadeye shooter. It took him weeks to get his FG% up above 30% at the start of last season because he’s a high-volume shooter that scores high averages because he has the ball in his hands a lot. He’s not really the kind of guy to spread the floor. You need like a Kyle Korver or Ryan Anderson type, but I don’t think Atlanta or New Orleans would be interested in that right now. I think your best bet is to have Ty Lawson and Gallo start knocking down some more shots.

      (PS, speaking of Denver, Kenneth Faried is officially one of my favorite players in the league. I wish I had one of those sweet yellow alternate jerseys of his. Just saying).

18. bob

    who did the nuggets anger in the league office? They have 17 of their first 23 on the road.How do you find consistency with new pieces with nonstop games in hostile environments?

    • Joel Brigham

      Well, the good news is that, according to math, they HAVE to have a strong home stretch coming at some point this year, and I would think they’d rather get the tough ones out of the way now and then cruise a little later when things ease up. Despite everything, they’re over .500, have some really good-looking young pieces, and have some home games coming later down the road. Getting Wilson Chandler back will help some, too. Look, I wouldn’t give up on them just yet, Bob. I still generally like the look of this team, and they’ve got enough pieces to make a solid trade offer somewhere down the road if it tickles their fancy. Hang tight. It’s going to be alright.

      Just remember, it could be worse. You’re not a Wizards fan.

      …..

      Alright, folks, that’s my hour. Thanks for all of the great questions, and I hope you’re all able to make it back with more of the same next Thursday. Until then, enjoy your weekend, get a headstart on your Christmas shopping, and go Bulls!