NBA Chat With Joel Brigham, 3/1/12

Join Joel Brigham this Thursday at 1:30pm ET to chat about all things NBA, from the trade deadline that’s only two weeks away to the playoff picture shaping up and everything in between.  Get questions in early, and be back here Thursday afternoon for all the festivities!

  1. Jazzfan

    What are your thoughts on the dunk contest? as a Jazz fan I was excited to see Jeremy Evans win and I thought his two ball dunk over Gordon Hayward was the best of the night and loved his tribute to Karl Malone, although if Derrick Williams had been able to stick his last dunk he would’ve had my vote as winner, overall I wasnt impressed with the contest but at the same time what can really be done to make it better? people say props are ruining it but without the props there are maybe a handful of dunks that havent already been done a million times you know?

    • Joel Brigham

      Good afternoon, HOOPSWORLD Citizens, and welcome to another edition of my weekly chat. It’s good to be on the second half the season, and especially good to have the always exciting trade deadline a mere two weeks away. Bulls/Spurs was great last night, even though there was a moment in the first quarter when I thought Derrick Rose might have torn his ACL or something. Turned out to be fine, but my goodness… I saw the whole rest of the season flash before eyes. Glad he’s alright, and happy for a really good team win.

      But all that’s just my own ramblings. We’ve got questions to answer here, so I suppose we should go on ahead and get to answering them. Let’s start with the Dunk Contest, which was one of the saddest dunk contests I’ve ever seen in my life. Absolutely brutal. The only dunks that I even remember were Evans’s two-ball dunk and Paul George’s glow-in-the-dark spectacle. Everything else was about as weak sauce and sauce can get.

      Part of the problem is that there was suspense in each individual dunk getting evaluated. Without judges to rate each dunk, and putting voting in the hands of the fans, we’re essentially making this a popularity contest. Let’s just say, for example, that Blake Griffin was in the contest. He could have shot three layups and still won the thing because he’s the only guy of the batch that any body would’ve heard of before. You’ve got to have judges, and you’ve got to have elite talent. It’s silly that LeBron James has never done one. Him, Dwight, and Griffin make the event a show-stopper again. As it is, I’m just bored.

      Telling stat of the night: “Chase Budinger has had six dunks this season.” SIX???? Why is he in the dunk contest, then? What a disappointment. Congrats to J-Evans, though. He had the best dunk of the night, and he got my vote.

  2. AJ

    Desperation time for the Magic:

    ORL gets: Ellis, Biedrins bad contract

    GSW gets: Redick, Anderson, Nelson, 1st round pick

    The Warriors are able to get rid of Biedrins anchor contract, open up time for rookie Klay Thompson, and get some nice young role players and a draft pick. Hopefully Nelson could round in to form but he expires after next year anyway.

    • Joel Brigham

      I think that’s the kind of haul Orlando would have to give up in order to get Golden State to bit on dealing Ellis. But that doesn’t really make Orlando a better team, does it? Gets them star power to put alongside Dwight, but what if he leaves? You’re left with Monta, J-Rich, Hedo, and……. Um. And what? Not much, obviously. Giving up Ryan Anderson would kill, too. I think he may have been even closer to being an All-Star this season than Monta, but Ellis would certainly inject some offense. I like it for the Warriors, not as much for the Magic.

  3. Cain

    I see Paul George going in similar direction to Nic Batum of Portland. What do you think? Just one or two more seasons then he explodes. Will it be a SF or SG?

    • Joel Brigham

      I still think he’s a small forward, but he’s versatile enough to dabble in both. This will probably be decided by what the team does with Danny Granger in the offseason, or whether they look into signing more help at shooting guard. A lot could still happen at the trade deadline, as Indy can absorb salary in a deal without really having to give much up other than draft picks. With a good postseason, they probably won’t move Granger, either. That means PG plays SG for the forseeable future, even though I think he’d be a great long-term solution as a starter. As much as I love Granger, I think George is the better option there over time.

      I also think George will end up better than Nic Batum before it’s all said and done.

  4. Jaimeson

    Never thought Haier Shooting Stars would be most exciting event of AS Sat. Did anyone scored 20 or more in 3 pt Comp? Skills Challenge just not exciting & not much effort given. No comment on Dunk Contest….. especially after last years surprising performances. Rook/ Soph game could be great if competitive. ASG itself is what it is. Thankfully it got close at the end. Would love more competition tho.

    • Joel Brigham

      The first two nights plus the first three quarters of the actual game, everybody was on cruise control. Nobody’s hustling, nobody cares. I don’t what carrot you’ve got to dangle out there to get these players to give a crap about what they’re doing, but right now it’s all just cute little games to them. Nobody looked cutthroat except Love and Durant in the three-point contest and Kobe, D-Wade, Durant, and LeBron down the stretch of the big boy game. I wish more guys cared about it, because it could be such a fun weekend if they did. In general, I was like you… left feeling pretty disappointed about ASW this year. Oh well. There’s always next year in Houston.

      On a related note, I sure wish Chicago would get an All-Star game, but they never will. They’ll go to vacation destinations from henceforth (which is why Houston gets it again after just hosting in 2006), and nobody wants to be in Illinois in February. Still, Windy City would rock. All-Star in New York would be fun, too… these are all inside events, people… can’t we make this happen?

  5. Nery

    Do you think Chicago would do this trade? http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=6uk2umk …The bulls get a upgrade at sg and a solid pg, while Portland Gets a pg for the future and 2 solid role players

    • Joel Brigham

      Not bad, but I don’t think Chicago’s making a move this deadline. They haven’t had a good enough chance to give Rip his opportunity to be the two-guard they need, and a lot of folks (including myself) still believe he can fill that roll pretty nicely in the playoffs as long as he’s healthy. Bulls brass wants to see what they’ve got with this group before doing anything drastic. We’re another year of falling short of that before we see them pull the trigger on anything even slightly major.

  6. Ricky

    Will the Bulls sign Brandon Roy? He is a clutch 2, and can make big plays when Rose is off..huge upgrade on Hamilton..my evidence..GAME 4 2011 Playoffs!!!

    • Joel Brigham

      Brandon Roy is retired because his knees are dead. He couldn’t play basketball right now if he wanted to. And he wanted to. For Portland.

  7. josh

    how about salmons,hickson.and 2nd rounder to minny for beasley

    • Joel Brigham

      I don’t think anybody’s interested in Salmons right now. That guy’s been pretty disappointing the last three or four years, hasn’t he? Hickson doesn’t look like he’s ever really going to come to, either, so if I’m Minnesota I’m hanging tight for something a little sexier. At least a first round pick, since they’re probably going to lose him for nothing this summer anyway.

      Coincidentally, Beasley’s a name we’re not going to stop hearing about in rumors until March 16th. Wolves wanna cash out on him in the worst way. Gotta get Derrick Williams more minutes, folks. He’s too good to be playing as little as he is.

  8. Chosen One

    Do you think Enes Kanter and Jan Vesely were are performing well for being picked so high in the draft ?

    • Joel Brigham

      It’s not Kanter’s fault that he’s playing in a LOADED frontcourt with two guys having borderline All-Star years in Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap. Derrick Favors has been eating up more minutes this year, too, so Kanter has just been forced to do a little too much sideline watching to start his career. He’s a huge, talented guy, so I’ll be curious to see what he does with more playing time. For going as high as he did, though, you’re right… kind of disappointing.

      Vesely, a whole lot more so. About the same minutes as Kanter, but half the numbers. I’ve seen too little of him to make any judgments, but he hasn’t been the breakout star a lot of scouts were saying he’d be pre-draft. All he’s done is make us even more wary about international players. Bismack Biyomobo hasn’t helped that argument in Charlotte, either.

      Let’s just hope Jonas Valanciunas is as good as advertised next year, right? Goodness knows the Raps need the shot in the arm.

  9. Tj

    Bulls trade brewer Lucas scals an a 2nd round pick an cash too the bucks for Stephen jackson good for both teams bulls can sign mike James back an they have a scorer off the bench Jax is good defensively too plus bucks owe us one for the salmons trade brewer would be good in skiles system

    • Joel Brigham

      Bulls aren’t trading Brewer, probably their best perimeter defender right now, for a terminally ill-tempered vet like S-Jax. From a talent standpoint, you like what he brings, but this Bulls team is constructed around chemistry, and Brewer is much, much better for that than Jackson is. I wouldn’t count on that one going down.

  10. vlad

    Would Celtics consider a package of Beasley, Randolph, Wes Johnson, Miller, Memphis 1st 2013 for Paul Pierce?

    • Joel Brigham

      From what I hear, they’re most interested in moving Rondo at this point than Pierce. Maybe something built around Beasley and one of their non-Rubio point guards would get a discussion started there. Not an insane pairing, but you’re going after the wrong guy. Pierce will retire a Celtic, more likely than not.

  11. Jorge

    looks like boston is getting rid of rondo. if the mavs had the chance should they make a trade for him? Roddy b, mahinmi, odom and some picks for rondo? who says no?

    • Joel Brigham

      Boston. My god, Boston. Look at that offer again… Yeesh…

      Anyway, Dallas has eyes for Deron Williams, who they may be able to sign over the summer without having to give up any asset other than cash. There are a lot of smart NBA folks who think that’s where he’ll end up (he’s from Dallas), so they’d probably rather gamble that way than give up pieces for a guy who maybe wouldn’t fit the team quite as well.

  12. Brian

    Joel,

    The Bulls are Ray Allen away from winning the championship this year. Can they snag him from Boston and what would be the cost?

    • Joel Brigham

      That’s what me and my guys said the summer before D-Rose’s MVP season, when Allen was a free agent. Chicago signs him that summer, they’ve got a real shot at the championship last year. Instead? Well… Keith Bogans, I guess. Hamilton is better than Bogans, but not up to snuff with Ray. I’d love it, but I think Boston is going to let this ride out with the “Big Three” through the end of the year. Rondo doesn’t necessarily need to be part of that, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Ainge moved him for a more veteran point guard while also nabbing a veteran big. Let the old men make one more run at it. That’s what I think will happen, so I doubt very much Allen gets out there on the trade block.

  13. Bryan

    Will Danny Granger be with the Pacers next year? I think his value won’t be any better and he a most tradable asset to get to an elite level. Do you agree?

    • Joel Brigham

      Indy’s too far under the cap to really do anything with him. They need to add salary, not dump it, and I just don’t know what they’d be able to bring in to keep that cash on the books and find guys of his talent to match up. Granted, I think Granger is just a weird fit on this team and probably should be traded, I just don’t see how right now. Kind of an odd conundrum. My guess is he’s still with the team next season.

  14. JP

    JP
    Your comment is awaiting moderation.

    Questions:
    1-If J Harden asks for the MAX when his rookie contract is over, will OKC sign him?
    2-Do you think that Derrick Williams can become a legit SF or would you make a push to get either Batum or Gerald Wallace (who is on the block)?
    3-Which player would you have as your backup PG for a championship team: Luke Ridnour or JJ Barea?
    4-Would you rather have Martel Webster or Luc Mbah a Moute as your perimeter defender coming off the bench? What would be enough to get Luc Mbah a Moute if you choose him?
    5-Who would you choose as your backup SG, PF and Center for a championship team? Can they be acquired? Or do you think Minne has some talent to develop in great backups?
    Thanks!

    • Joel Brigham

      1. Harden won’t get MAX.
      2. Yes, Williams will be really good when he gets the opportunity.
      3. Barea, because he’s already done it, and done it well.
      4. Mbah a Moute’s a better defender.

  15. Anthony

    What do you feel is more important to a rebuilding team, securing a higher draft pick or getting their young players Playoff experience if they happen to be a team on the bubble?

    • Joel Brigham

      A team that’s truly rebuilding is not on the bubble. For me, the best way to go is just to strip it all clean and start over from scratch. Let expiring deals expire. Trade big-name, big-salary guys for draft picks, and be as crappy as possible for two or three years so you can get some elite lottery talent to usher in the next generation. A bad team isn’t getting better through free agency. It’s getting better through the draft, and you need at least that one star to do that. To get that one star, it’s gotta be a high pick, which means the team picking has to have sucked pretty bad the year before. It just is what it is.

      Shed salary, gamble on a few low-price, high-return kids, and make smart picks. That’s really the best way to do it.

  16. David

    So I’m hearing my Blazers are interested in Steve Nash, whom I’m a huge fan of. Is there anybody not named Aldridge and Batum that the Suns would be interested in? We have a lot of expiring contracts but I’m sure they want more.

    • Joel Brigham

      Probably, though I don’t see Phoenix dealing him. Everybody wants Nash in a situation where he can win now, but he’s being pretty loyal to Phoenix. They, obviously, want him around because he’s such a draw for area fans, who love him. They’re sort of at a stalemate out there. I very much doubt he’s moved this year.

  17. a different matt

    When and how does the Wilson Chandler saga end!?

    • Joel Brigham

      When? I don’t know. But it’s looking like Denver at this point, doesn’t it? Beyond this year, though, I’d guess he’ll hit free agency, and then it’s anybody’s guess. It can be stated strongly enough how badly Toronto wants him, so that’s out there. I can’t see the Nuggets putting all that money into Chandler long-term after they’ve already dished out so much cash for Gallo and Afflalo. They also won’t turn him away if he’s “forced” to come back for Denver the rest of the season.

  18. Rudens

    Watching the Bulls play, I know we can’t beat the heat without making one more move, will management be smart enough to make a trade, or sit back again and see how far our chemistry can take us?

    • Joel Brigham

      Nope. They’re gonna sit back and watch. I’m with you, though. You can absolutely feel that they need something else. They just aren’t going to make any drastic moves before the deadline. They want to know what they’ve got with Hamilton. Don’t expect major moves until he either proves or disproves himself in the postseason. Frustrating, but true.

  19. Deven

    Hi Joel. Last year, the Deron Williams trade to New Jersey shocked everybody, since nobody saw it coming. Even I was surprised. Do you see something like this happening again at this year’s trading deadline?

    • Joel Brigham

      The best trades are the ones that nobody hears about, and there’s a reason that those are the ones that end up going down because the media isn’t around to blow it all up and hold it up in every light possible so team execs can see every possible angle of the thing before they pull the trigger. They happen precisely because nobody printed them up and got things derailed. I’ll never forget when I ran a rumor about Chicago pursuing a certain player my first covering the league, and made some of my people within the organization pretty unhappy. They never said why they were so fired up, but I always assumed that it was because I was onto something and put their business out there when they didn’t want it out there.

      As for this year, there’s certainly a great chance that something blows us away. There are so many teams interested in making changes, and so few stars/rising stars that are unmovable. Something will sneak up on us. Can’t wait for that, by the way.

  20. martay

    Lebron is a great player and he is having a great season but why is he number 1 in mvp voting. The guy is playing with 2 other allstars; a former 3 point champ in Jones. Name any other team that has 3 guys that can go for 35 + on any given night. Lebron got it easy; he gets to play one on one for 3 quarters then when the game on the line and its rely time to earn your money he pass the ball to dwade.

    • Joel Brigham

      Look at LeBron’s PER. It’s 32.4. 32.4!!!! The numbers he’s putting up this year are just out of this world, and his team has the best record in the East. Whoever else is playing with him, that’s pretty good stuff. Just because we all hate how good he is doesn’t mean he’s not the best in the world. He’s not great in the clutch, and yeah, he’s got help, but he’s the best basketball player alive right now. That’s sort of what an MVP should be, right? If I had a vote, that’s who I’d give it to, as much as I would hate it.

  21. Scott

    What are the chances the Clippers make a move to help out the worst scoring bench in the league?

    • Joel Brigham

      Not good. They just don’t have any trade assets left.

  22. Dante

    Hi Joel,

    There has been some talk that Dwight Howard and possibly Deron williams might stay with their teams for the final year of their contract instead of opting out. This puts them into free agency in 2013 which will be a very great free agency year. Do you see a senario like ths: The lakers bynum contract is up, so is luke waltons and Derick fisher. Metta will have one year left and could be traded for a second round pick as he would have an expiring contract. With the punitive luxury tax by the new CBA, could you see the lakers Amnesty Kobe and signing two stron free agents to build around since Kobe’s salary could accomidate that?

    • Joel Brigham

      Really hard to think about the Lakers using amnesty on Kobe, but he’s going to make an obscene amount of money in 2013-14 (over $30 million!). I suppose it all depends on what his health looks like at that point his career. Considering he’s a life-long Laker that has won the team five championships, I have a hard time seeing them shipping him off in that way. From a purely basketball standpoint, your idea makes a ton of sense and probably gets Lakers fans giddy all over the map. There’s more to this than just basketball, though. I can’t imagine them dumping Kobe like that. Just can’t see it.

  23. devonte

    any sleeper trades that no one is aware of?

    • Joel Brigham

      How could I possibly know if nobody is aware of them? :)

  24. Luscious from Milwaukee

    Hearing anything on the Bucks’ front? One of these years they’re going to have to blow it up instead of chasing the 8th seed like its some sort of championship trophy. Hearing anything that could cheer up a depressed life long Bucks’ fan?

    • Joel Brigham

      They’re going to work their butts off to move Stephen Jackson before the deadline. That should be good news for you, bud, but only if they can actually pull it off. And I’d temper my expectations about what they’d get back in return for him at this point. He hasn’t shown a lot of positivity since leaving Charlotte.

  25. MAC

    LAKER FAN HERE… I’d hate to see Gasol traded! BUT… I do see Lakers as improved if they can get Rondo and a Power forward from Boston… thoughts?

    • Joel Brigham

      I think Boston isn’t trading Rondo AND Bass for Gasol. Maybe Rondo and Jermaine O’Neal, though. Not seeing this deal getting done at all, though. Leaves L.A. crazy thin in the frontcourt, though that kind of point guard would be great in post-triangle L.A.

  26. Frederik

    What do you make of the Nash-Odom trade rumors? I could see it making sense for Phoenix if Dallas throws in Beaubois or Jones (or both), and/or a draft pick. But how would Mavs handle their 1-2 rotation with possibly up to 5 or 6 players demanding/deserving playing time at those positions? And who starts finishes the game at the Point? Nash or Kidd?

    • Joel Brigham

      It would be Nash. He’s got more in the tank at this point than Kidd, and I would think Kidd should understand that. Would be fun to have geriatric Nash-Dirk combo back, wouldn’t it?

  27. zo

    Assuming Dwight will come to Nets as a free agent next summer, what sort of moves should the Nets do to round out their roster? Should they hang on to Lopez, or move him for a more complimentary piece?

    • Joel Brigham

      I still think that if Dwight comes to the Nets, Brook will be going to the other way to Orlando. If they’re going to pay max contracts to Dwight and Deron, they’re going to have to be smart about their money moving forward, and Lopez isn’t too far away from demanding a pretty penny himself. Big men, especially big men that big and that skilled, don’t come on the cheap, and it would be silly to dole out half your cap on two centers. Lopez will have to go.

      Assuming they could hold onto MarShon Brooks, what they’d really need is a couple of forwards to play with. Kris Humphries is so much better than people realize because they hate him so much, but there might be better options out there. Truthfully, I don’t think it will matter too much initially because those two will be so good together. If I were a Nets fan, I wouldn’t worry too much about the supporting case because I’d have D-Will and D-wight. That would be enough for me.

      Well folks, that’s my hour! Thanks for all the great questions, and I’m sorry I couldn’t get to all of them. Looking forward to even crazier trade talk a week from now. Keep those questions coming, and have a great weekend. And go Bulls!