NBA Chat With Joel Brigham, 12/20/12

1. Julian

   What move would you like to see the Bulls make? Or what realistic target you think they should explore to make the team better?

   • Joel Brigham

     Good afternoon, HOOPSWORLD Citizens, and welcome to another edition of my weekly chat! Christmas is less than a week away, and here in Illinois we’re bracing ourselves for a pretty major blast of snow, which is fine with me. I always prefer a White Christmas, except the last few years around here haven’t really gotten snowy until January or later. This tells me it’s winter, and that’s okay. Bring the snow, I say. And it’s coming, whether I want it or not.

     Anyway, let’s not do too much of this weather small talk, because there’s lots of basketball stuff to discuss, too, and the Bulls are obviously a big part of it.

     This is a tough question to answer because there really just aren’t any easy answers for the Bulls out there. I know they’re starting to dangle Rip Hamilton to see what he could garner as what probably amounts to an expiring deal (next year’s money is non-guaranteed), but I imagine the waters are tepid there at best. I’ve heard some silly rumors about Eric Gordon, but the Bulls aren’t throwing max money at a kid who hasn’t been healthy for two seasons now. What’s he got, like seven games under his belt since getting shipped to New Orleans? Quite a waste. Hope he gets right.

     As for problem-solvers in Chicago, I just don’t see a lot available right now. Teams aren’t dying to ship off valuable guys, and the mid-tier guys that actually could be available aren’t game-changers. Kevin Love would be a dream in Chicago, and I’m sure he’d love playing with Derrick Rose, but I don’t know what the Bulls have to offer Minnesota for them to justify trading the best power forward in the game. Can’t trade Taj Gibson because of the poison pill aspect of his salary schedule, so that leaves, what? Luol Deng, the rights to Nikola Mirotic, and the Charlotte pick for Love and some toss-ins? I see no reason for Chicago to pull the trigger on something like that, but I don’t see it happening. A lot of assets for one guy, but I have no problem mortgaging what they consider the future to get a Rose-Love (what a lovely sounding tandem!) combination for the next 8 years.

     I’m guessing it’s all a pipe dream, though.

2. JDC

   Could you see a Nate at the 1 and D-Rose at the 2 back court getting some minutes and being effective?

   What would be a package that you would consider for Deng?

   I think if the team is planning on amnestying Boozer they should start looking for some scoring and some bigs, a front court of taj and noah won’t score enough

   • Joel Brigham

     1. Those guys will see the floor together, yes, but it’ll all depend on matchups. They’d be a pretty vulnerable backcourt defensively.

     2. See the answer to Julian’s question. Love, for sure. I’d take less, but I don’t know that Bulls’ brass would. They love the guy. For the record, I do, too. Would hate to see him go, but would “Love” to bring in some new blood. (Get it?)

     3. Let’s not pretend Boozer is an offensive powerhouse, but they need help offensively anyway. That will be their plan either way, and don’t forget that they probably aren’t going to amnesty Carlos this summer; they’ll do it in the summer of 2014 if at all.

3. Tj

   Why is it that no team seems to wanna make a deal with the bulls ever.I think a trade with the celtics would help both teams.Boozer rip and hinrich to the celtics for bass green lee and barbosa would help both teams.i don’t think boozer is as bad as everybody make him out to be if nothing else he rebound the ball an the celtics could use that.also do you think the bulls should’ve kept asik instead of Gibson.

   • Joel Brigham

     It’s not about other teams not wanting to deal with the Bulls, it’s about the Bulls higher-ups over-valuing their talent and playing things much too conservatively. Big trades don’t happen for the Bulls because they get cold feet looking at big-time deals that aren’t strictly salary dumps.

     As for your trade suggestion involving the Celtics, I can’t imagine them taking on Boozer’s money over the next 3 seasons just to clog up their frontcourt. Hinrich and Hamilton are old and broken, at this point, so what’s the point of Boston making that trade, just so they can send Chicago all these young bench pieces with much more promising futures? I think you’re wearing Bulls-colored glasses, TJ. Both teams have to win for a trade to work!

4. Dave

   Will the kings take a jimmy butler rip plus picks trade for tyreke Evans I know you don’t like him but its not a lot of two guards out there plus he would take pressure off rose also would the bulls do a kris humpries marshon brooks trade for boozer an start taj

   • Joel Brigham

     Every week I get at least three questions about why the Bulls don’t go after Tyreke Evans. Because he is bad and does not come even close to fitting the culture in the Chicago locker room. At this point I think we should all be able to agree that ‘Reke is a disappointment, and that has nothing to do with how crowded Sacramento’s backcourt is. He just really isn’t all that good.

     I’m sure the Bulls would absolutely do a MarShon-and-Humphries for Boozer trade, but Brooklyn can’t afford it, nor do I think they’d consider Carlos much of an improvement over Humph.

     Let’s go ahead and say this now, folks, because I don’t want to field Boozer trade offers all day. If the Bulls could trade him, they would, but nobody (repeat: NOBODY) wants that contract. That’s why all the amnesty talk. That’s the only way they’ll be able to get rid of him early, if that’s what they eventually decide to do.

5. Zac

   Is there any bench players portland could trade for? the bench is a constant liability and Portland has expiring contracts, 3 second round picks and cap space to absorb a muliti-year deal.

   • Joel Brigham

     That was my gripe about Portland heading into the season, that they had what looked like a pretty good starting lineup but a really, really thin bench. I’m sure there are guys out there that teams would be willing to part with, but what assets is Portland supposed to be moving in order to bring back something worthwhile? It’s not like 2nd round picks return real difference-makers. Utah has at least one big guy they probably need to trade, and both Millsap and Al Jefferson are expiring deals. Maybe the Jazz would bite on something creative? Portland was the team that threw the offer sheet at Millsap, right?

6. me n my concords

   Joel ,mitch kupchak retires and the lakers hire u. David kahn calls and would send klove kirilinko or/and peko for d12 ,mwp and steve blake. He gives u an our to think. What will be your move?

   • Joel Brigham

     David Kahn would be institutionalized for offering up that deal. I’d take it in a heartbeat. Howard’s deal is an expiring one and he’d going to at least play the field. There’s a real chance he’s not back next year, so yeah, if he’s the only really long-term asset I’m losing in exchange for two guys who can both seriously play right now and are under contract for longer, I’m going to be all over that.

     I think a more fair question is what would happen if there was a Dwight Howard for Kevin Love offer, straight up. Keep Love for, like, ever… or take a risk on Dwight re-signing (or not) in the offseason. There’s your real conundrum right there. Much harder choice to make.

     And I’d still take Love, for what’s it worth.

7. Dave

   Joel, with Avery Bradley’s return (soon), I think the C’s have a chance to make a dramatic trade of Rondo (and maybe Sullinger)–possibly to the Jazz for Favors and Kantner. What do you think? Would either/both teams consider that deal?

   • Joel Brigham

     I think Boston doing that would mean they’d be admitting Pierce and Garnett aren’t enough to help Rondo win a ring. In essence, they’re kaput as a triumverate and would need to move forward with their lives. Utah, I’m sure, would be ecstatic to get one of the top three point guards in the entire league, but I think they’d ultimately rather trade Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap than either (and in particular BOTH) of those two younger guys. I’m not saying they wouldn’t include one of them in a deal for Rondo, but if it were Jefferson & Favors or Millsap & Kanter, for example, Utah might be more inclined to take a sniff at it.

     On the other side, why would Boston make that deal? Avery Bradley isn’t really a point guard, and neither are any of the other 17 two guards they currently have on the roster, so it leaves them barren at a key position and it also probably leaves Pierce and KG pretty disgruntled. Garnett came back to win a ring, not swirl around in mediocrity, passing the torch onto to some kids.

     It’s an interesting one to consider, but not something I can see the Celtics pulling the trigger on.

8. Drew

   Hey Joel, love your chats. My Hornets play with effort but they simply do not have enough veteran talent or experience for them to win games. Do you think they could swing a trade to improve the team? because as it stands I doubt they can win 15 games.

   • Joel Brigham

     You mean your Pelicans, right? I think there are trades to be made with any team, but let’s face it… injuries to Eric Gordon and Ant Davis got you guys off to a slow start, and this just isn’t much of a team without EG out there. You’ve got to hope that he gets himself healthy and starts turning this franchise around. Meanwhile, would it really be so awful to stink again this year, grab another high draft pick next summer, and continue on with the youth movement built around Gordon, Davis, Anderson, and [Cody Zeller/Shabazz Muhammad/someone else?]

9. Raps Fan

   I think I’m in the minority but I wasn’t too crazy about giving up a lottery pick for Kyle Lowry. His track record has proven that he can be a statistical talent but will never play more than 30-40 games. He’s like a smaller version of Caron Butler. You’re extremely happy when he is on the court but you get mad once it is vacation time.

   • Joel Brigham

     It sucks that Kyle has been so injured this year, because when he’s healthy he really is one of the better point guards in the entire league. Super exciting kid to watch play when he’s right.

     But if he can’t play but half a season, you’re right in saying that the lottery pick Toronto traded to get him will have been too steep a price. Despite that, I like the move because Lowry is currently better than any unknown you’d get with a top-14 pick. Just look at Terrence Ross, right? I mean, it’s not like Toronto has this great track record of finding star talent in the draft. They’ve hit some big names, but more often than not they’ve kinda blown it. Better to get a proven commodity than a lottery pick that could end up being anything (like, in a bad way).

10. Roon

    1)If you were starting a team tomorrow, who would be your top three choices for a general manager? Personally, I favor a Sam Presti philosophy of building the team through the draft. Of course it helps when you can draft a Kevin Durant (thanks Blazers) and Russell Westbrook. I also like how Presti isn’t afraid to make moves like he did with Harden.

    2) What is your opinion of the Charlotte Bobcats GM, Rich Cho, who is a former Presti disciple?

    • Joel Brigham

      1. If there way any way to make Pat Riley happened, he’d be my guy. No one sells a player championships like he with the greased hair. Presti would be a top consideration, though, too, as would RC Buford in San Antonio. Those are my top three choices.

      2. Cho has done okay. Jordan has handcuffed him at times, but I think the group we’re seeing this year is a huge improvement over last season’s team, even though they’re still losing. They look better, though, and you can see some of these young kids (Kemba and MKG, specifically) transforming into real stars someday. He obviously hasn’t been a complete success, but I think he’s a perfectly good GM and will do well over time there.

11. Jazzfan

    Who do you consider the best PG in the game today? (Obviously with your Bulls colored glasses removed) my vote goes for CP3 no way the Clippers are a playoff team without him. Period.

    • Joel Brigham

      Yeah, “Rose”-colored-glasses and all, Chris Paul is my top guy. He’s the best mix of seeing the floor and getting teammates involved, and taking over and scoring himself when the team needs it. I’m with you on CP3.

      Rondo is in the discussion, too. Statistically, we have to consider Deron Williams, though he just doesn’t seem to translate that talent to the win column, does he? Brooklyn is still basically .500, even with all the additions.

      So for me, top five:

      1. CP3
      2. Rondo
      3. Rose (when healthy)
      4. D-Will
      5. Westbrook

12. nyahahaha

    When will the lakers be transferred to seattle? I dont think they are marketable in LA cause theres only one true team in LA… Clippers!

    • Joel Brigham

      I would say immediately transfer them to Seattle. They clearly don’t have the largest fan base in the NBA and would not be missed at all now that the Clippers are the second-hottest team in their conference.

      Crazy talk, even in jest.

13. isaac

    Hey Joel curious about this trade who says no

    Celtics get:
    Pau Gasol

    Lakers get:
    Courtney lee
    Jeff Green

    Celts get some much needed size and skill and the Lakers get some young athletic guys that would blossom in Dantonis system.

    • Joel Brigham

      Lakers say no. You’ve got to get more out of your seven-footer than that. I know Pau’s not what he used to be, but he’s worth more than that, isn’t he?

14. Chris G

    Which team’s current spot in the standings is most deceptive? For example, are the Knicks the best team in the East? Are the Bulls without Rose the fourth-best team in the East? Are the Lakers a lottery team? The Warriors top five in the West? What do you think?

    • Joel Brigham

      Well, to respond to the ones you’ve listed:

      1. Yeah, the Knicks kind of are right now. I think things change with Amar’e back–I think he ruins it a little–but for now, yeah, that’s where they belong.
      2. Good defensive teams win regular season games. This Bulls team, as currently constructed, would not win a seven game series against Boston, Brooklyn, or Indiana.
      3. Heavens, let’s hope not. Though that would spur the aforementioned move to Seattle, wouldn’t it? (Okay, it really isn’t even funny to joke about, I know…)
      4. Warriors have been that good, for sure. Have loved watching them so far…

      So, all that said, I guess it’d be the Bulls as a homecourt team in the Eastern Conference. Man, is that Central Division ever putrid right now. Blargh.

15. Matt

    Have you heard anything about the deng forceric Gordon rumors from yahoo sports an do you think it’s a good trade for the bulls

    • Joel Brigham

      Touched on this a little earlier, but I hate it. The kid can’t stay healthy and makes a ton of money. Doesn’t feel like the kind of trade the Bulls would make, though if they’re looking for a major shake-up and some added offense for when Derrick gets back, that would certainly be one creative way to do it. You lose some offense and some leadership there, though. Worth considering, I guess, but it’s just not something I’m particularly interested in.

16. Chris

    Hi Joel. Hypothetically, could you see the Bulls landing a superstar by trading Deng, Noah, and Mirotic? Needless to say, the only available or soon-to-be available superstars worth that much in a trade are Lebron or Dwight. Would add Kevin Love but Minnesota has all the leverage for the next few years.

    • Joel Brigham

      Dwight isn’t worth that because he could walk at season’s end. I would trade nothing for Dwight right now. Not one thing. And obviously the HEAT are never trading LeBron, so it’s kind of a moot question, innit? (Sorry, been watching a lot of BBC lately… “Sherlock” and “Whitechapel” and “Luther” are must-watch television)

      Would trade either Deng OR Noah plus Mirotic for Love, though. Plus a pick. For sure. Not about how much Minnesota has necessarily… if they like the deal for themselves and really don’t plan on keeping Love (which is crazy but kinda sorta seems true), they’d move him. That’s not a bad offer from Chicago, honestly.

17. Chris

    Hi Joel. Of all the Rip Hamilton trade talk, what is the most realistic scenario? JJ Redick and Raja Bell are two names being floated but Shannon Brown could be a dark horse candidate. Phoenix could use the scoring and veteran leadership and rumor has it their training staff discovered the fountain of youth.

    • Joel Brigham

      That’s like trading a rollerskate with 3 wheels for phone that only receives calls and can’t make them. None of those deals suddenly projects the Bulls into the championship picture. I’d have to look at those guys’ salaries. Big money long-term won’t get it done. Bulls need flexibility, which keeping Rip would at the very least give them a little bit of this summer.

18. Ismael

    Monta Ellis to the Bulls?could it happen
    Rip trade exception picks?

    • Joel Brigham

      Wouldn’t you think Milwaukee would want more than that? I sure would. As a Bulls fan, though? For sure, bring it on.

19. Cain

    Do you think the Pacers could acquire Derrick Williams from Minnesota? Or be wise to?

    • Joel Brigham

      I definitely think Derrick Williams could be had, but what is Indiana offering up?

      Anyway, you’re right to be wary about whether or not it’s a smart idea. Williams doesn’t have a lot of self-discipline and really hasn’t lived up to his potential. I’m not sure Indy needs another inconsistent young’n to add to the roster. Got enough of those already.

20. Timo

    Hello from Germany. What do you think is the next step for the Magic?

    • Joel Brigham

      Hi Germany! Merry Christmas!

      Answer: The lottery. Lots of it.

21. Jack

    Hey Joel, I got two questions for you.

    First is about Kyrie, am I the only one who see first ballot hall of famer in him? The guy can straight up play, how long before he is the best Point Guard in the league?

    Second is what is up with the Nets. We have the talent to compete with anybody but we aren’t beating anybody. How is it not obvious to the world that Avery Johnson is one of the worst coaches in the league? Do you agree it’s predominantly coaching with the Nets?

    • Joel Brigham

      1. Love what I’m seeing out of Kyrie, and I just keep thinking how insane the annual struggle for a spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star team is going to be with Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo, Deron Williams, Kyrie Irving, Jrue Holiday, John Wall, Kyle Lowry, and maybe even Brandon Knight all in it year after year. Would be even crazier with Jeremy Lin still in New York! But yeah, Kyrie has been great, but he’s got to do some postseason winning before we anoint him.

      2. Avery’s part of the problem. D-Will also just doesn’t make guys better. Odd, cold mix of guys out there right now. Just doesn’t have the character of a championship team to me. Like or not, though, this is what they’ve got to work with for at least the next 3-4 years.

      Alright folks, I’ve got to hit it. Still have a drive to make and the weather’s starting to get pretty crummy. Everybody have a great holiday, travel safely, and go Bulls!