NBA Chat With Joel Brigham 5/31/12

1. Joe

   The Raps seem determined to build around DeRozan,Bargniani and Valunciunas with defensive leaning coach Casey.Thats fairly daunting given Bargniani’s defensive limitations. DeRozan doesn’t seem to be a great building block either.For the draft,where they are positioned,Lillard lottery and Draymond Green in the 2nd seem great options to fill PG and SF slots or they may want to explore one of Houstons PG’s.Nash would be nice but how do you play effective defense with Nash and Bargniani on the floor together?

   • Joel Brigham

     Good afternoon, HOOPSWORLD Citizens, and welcome to another edition of my weekly chat! It was really starting to feel like summer here in Illinois, until a cold front brought rain and early spring temperatures. But you know what they say about weather in the Midwest: if you don’t like it, just wait five minutes. It’ll change.

     But enough small talk. We’ve got the draft lottery to talk about, two 2-0 NBA series that seem to be setting up the Finals everybody sort of expected when the playoffs began, and that’s not even saying anything for all the moves the other 26 teams may look to make when free agency hits in a little over a month. There’s plenty for us to talk about, and I suppose the Raptors are a perfectly fine place to start…

     I get tons of Raps questions every week, so if you’re a regular participant in these chats you know how I feel about Jonas Valancuinas. I think he’s absolutely a star in the making, and I think the Toronto higher-ups are right in saying that he’s pretty much the equivalent of the #2 pick in this draft. Had he come out this year, that’s most likely where he would’ve gone, so for them to get that kind of talent and the #8 bodes well for their future. In this draft class, I only like Anthony Davis and Thomas Robinson more than Jonas Valanciunas. So whatever else happens, be grateful for that.

     And really, that’s all you need to turn a franchise is one star to turn things around. If Jonas becomes that, then guys like DeMar and Bargnani get to be secondary guys, and that seems to be the roles their primed for. There’s nothing wrong with that, but if Toronto’s hoping for either of those two to be All-Stars, it just isn’t going to happen.

     As for who to hope for at pick #8, Damien Lillard isn’t unreasonable, but if Jared Sullinger or Perry Jones is still around when they pick, they’ll have to get serious consideration to both. I think the best they can expect is Perry Jones. He’s raw, but there’s star quality there, and Toronto could use some depth at the three.

2. Alex in Burbank

   Hi Joel, it seems Pau Gasol has requested a trade to the Chicago Bulls. I know for a fact the Lakers don’t want Boozer and to be honest neither do I. What can Chicago offer for Pau that the Lakers will accept, assuming Chicago is indeed interested in Pau of coarse? Thanks!

   • Joel Brigham

     Unless the Lakers change their mind and take Boozer, I just can’t see a viable deal working there. Pau would certainly fit well in Chicago, but I don’t think the Bulls are interested in offering up their younger guys for someone whose better years are behind him. Three years ago, I say pack up Deng and Noah and ship them off for Pau. I don’t even look back at that deal. Today, though, there’s better futures for the Bulls younger players than there is for Pau. Doing the Boozer deal would help the Bulls, but if L.A. doesn’t want that, they aren’t going to get offers for much more than spare parts. I just don’t think they’re the ideal trading partner here.

3. jovan

   Any chance the bulls go after beasley or jr smith

   • Joel Brigham

     Really, really, really, really doubt it. Neither guy is the sort of player that typically fits into the Chicago culture. As far as talent is concerned, either one could definitely help fill in some buckets. That’s obviously something the Bulls need, particularly with Rose out for most (if not all) of the season. But they guys wouldn’t jive with the rest of the locker room, and team chemistry is something the Bulls’ front office values very, very highly.

4. Patrick

   Alright, So our bulls aren’t looking so good right now, with D. Rose possibly to miss most or all the season. So what do you do with the non-guaranteed contracts? you got Brewer and Korver set to make 9 mill and C.J. Watson to make 3.2 Million. Do you get rid of them all and open up a nice chunk of Cap space? Get rid of some? keep it the same? If you get rid of them who do you bring in?

   • Joel Brigham

     You definitely keep Watson, because who else is going to play point guard? But beyond that, I think you could probably live without the other guys. A couple reasons why: The Bulls have $56 million invested in four guys next year, and the cap is $58. They’re not going to have “cap space” anyway, but Jimmy Butler was sort of groomed at the end of the regular season to take over for Brewer. I think he will, and I think Brewer will go. As for Korver, he’s there to complement Rose, who might not play anyway. It’s almost better to just save your $5 million there, as much as I like Kyle personally. Big changes are imminent here, but you’ll see plenty of small ones, like maybe letting a couple of those guys walk and finding less expensive replacements.

5. victor

   If the Warrior stay where they are, who do you think they should draft around the 7th spot.

   • Joel Brigham

     This was obviously asked before the lottery, but now that we know they will pick at #7, I think I’ll answer it anyway. What we know for sure is that Davis, Robinson, Beal, Gilchrist, and Drummond will definitely be gone by the Warriors pick. That leaves them somebody from the pool of Harrison Barnes, Jared Sullinger, Perry Jones, and Damien Lillard as the likely pick. Like I said before, I think Perry will be the best overall player from that group, and his style of play could fit well in Golden State. Lillard and Sullinger don’t make a whole lot of sense for them considering their current personnel, but Barnes would be an appropriate selection at #7. I truly dislike him as a pro, but he’s about as talented a kid as you can expect to take in the middle of the lottery.

     My pick would be Jones first, Barnes second, if I were them.

6. tapsilog

   Hi joel, is there any legs on odom wanting back to the lakers. Im thinking why???? I’d rather have jhill.

   • Joel Brigham

     It’d be something of a gamble based on how Odom played last year, but that may have been precisely because he was no longer in L.A. I guess the thought is that he’d be better suited to play in Tinseltown. Unless he came super-duper cheap, though, I wouldn’t take a flier at this point. Few seasons played by respected players have ever turned out as poorly as Odom’s year in Dallas last season. That’s a huge red flag. Huge. Oliver Miller-sized.

7. basil

   Will these guys still play together next season ,lou williams/jholliday, collison/george hill or someone will be traded or will not return?

   • Joel Brigham

     The Pacers have the cap space to give both Hill and Hibbert reasonable extensions this summer and still have flexibility for the future, so I absolutely expect them to give Hill a fair deal. That wouldn’t have traded Kawhi Leonard for him if they thought they’d only get him for the one lockout-shortened season. If nothing else, he’s a restricted free agent, which means Indy can at least match anything thrown his way via offer sheet.

     Lou Williams is a different story in Philly. He’s got a player option for just under $6.5 million, and based on how he scored the ball last year I imagine he’ll opt out and become an unrestricted free agent. The Sixers absolutely need his scoring, but I can’t see them overpaying for a non-starter who thinks he may be able to fit into bigger breaches somewhere else.

     Between the two, I’d say your Indy combo has a MUCH better shot at sticking together.

8. Jay

   Here’s my solution for the Lakers next year, I say trade gasol for lowry and scola, resign sessions and hill, get beasley from free agency.
   Starters: Bynum, Scola, Beasley, Kobe, Lowry.
   Bench: Sessions (sixth man), hill, world peace, ebanks, blake, eyenga, mcroberts.
   Seems like a pretty good line, what do you guys think? Do you think they can do this?

   • Joel Brigham

     The Rockets aren’t offering Lowry and Scola for Pau. That would be a stupid deal for them. So your solution to the Lakers is flawed, Jay. Back to the drawing board!

9. Curtis (portland)

   Who is more respected around the NBA as a coach. Nate McMillan or VDN? And is Portland in the playoffs next season?

   • Joel Brigham

     Are you being serious? That’s like asking, “Which is more delicious–BBQ ribs and sweet tea, or raw chicken and prune juice?” McMillan is the better coach by a million miles, which is why so many people are surprised he’s still unemployed and Del Negro was given another year in L.A. Nate will certainly get a job somewhere, though, as long as he wants it. That team will get themselves an excellent head coach.

10. Raps Fan

    Are you kidding me? Clips pick up VDN’s option?

    • Joel Brigham

      Raps fan knows what I’m talking about.

11. Zeeshan

    Have u heard any rumors about any potential free agents wanting to join chicago or any trades?

    • Joel Brigham

      Not this early in the process, no. I think we’ll hear a whole lot less of “I’d love to play in Chicago” stories this summer than last, though. A lot of Chicago’s desirability came from playing with Derrick Rose. If he’s not in the equation next season, I can’t any stars calling for a deal to the Windy City to hold place where D-Rose heals.

12. Pickle

    How does jose calderon fit with da bulls? Smart or not smart if sa bulls sign him?

    • Joel Brigham

      He’s not a free agent, and the Bulls don’t have any cap space.

13. HoBo

    Hi Joel, two questions for you 1. What’s your opinion on Gerald Green of the Nets, one year wonder or did he turn the corner? 2. I’m a big Cavs fan, would Thomas Robinson be a big upgrade over Tristen Thompson?

    • Joel Brigham

      1. Gerald sure looked like he figured something out last year. He was good consistently, and he’ll get rewarded appropriately with a decent deal this summer as a result of that. I’ll want to see one more year’s worth of regular productivity before I buy in on him, though.

      2. Yes, he’s much better than Tristan Thompson, but they won’t get him at #4. Brad Beal is the likely pick for them there, but Robinson or Mike Kidd-Gilchrist would be excellent as well. Those are my top four picks, and I think any of them could help Cleveland along in their rebuilding process. There are no slouches in that group.

14. msparrow

    hey joel hope all is well do you think bosh gets traded if so what are some realistic teams hed get traded too id love to see him taking lobs from nash or mb in philly thanx

    • Joel Brigham

      If the HEAT win the championship, Chris Bosh isn’t getting traded. Even if all they do is make the Finals, that’s two trips in a row for Miami. I can’t see that as real cause to break up the band. Had the HEAT dropped to the Pacers, maybe they would’ve explored moving Bosh, but not now.

15. maestro

    I asked the question three weeks ago when I said what will the rest of the league say when the Hornets won the lotto and guess who won the lotto? Do I think the lotto is rigged yes so now where do the bobcats go? I say take Robison and hope it turns out in there favor.

    • Joel Brigham

      It’s a lottery. Witnesses are present to keep their eyes on every step of the process, so anybody griping about this being a conspiracy is nuts. That’s just the way the balls bounced, and frankly, I think it’s a great situation for both Davis and the Hornets. New Orleans was going to flounder without a star, but I think if you can team up Eric Gordon and Anthony Davis (plus the #10 pick… Damien Lillard? Perry Jones?) for the foreseeable future and build around them, you could really have something in a few years. Charlotte would’ve sucked for the Unibrow, and Washington feels kind of icky, too, even with John Wall. New Orleans is a perfect fit, and I’m glad that’s the way it worked out. That’s the way I was rooting for it to work out.

      As for Charlotte, Thomas Robinson is clearly the second-best player in this draft, so that’s who I’d take, even with Tyrus Thomas under contract for pretty big money the next three seasons. Maybe you can trade him. I don’t know, but Robinson is my pick there, definitely.

16. Jim

    Harrison barnes….. Kings. Excited! Thoughts?

    • Joel Brigham

      As I’ve said, not sold on Barnes as an NBA prospect. I just don’t think he has the stuff. I could also see the Kings sniffing at Andre Drummond, but I’m not a big fan of him, either. I guess Barnes is the best fit based on need.

17. Dave

    With the Hornets winning the draft lottery is huge for the franchise! Since it is inevitable that they’re picking Anthony Davis this will also guarantee that Gordon stays long term. With A LOT of cap space, do you think they’ll make a run at D-Will?

    • Joel Brigham

      Hmmm… I hadn’t actually thought of that, but it could work. Davis and Gordon are a better supporting cast than Williams has had in a few years, and that’s a team with a good coach and a group of guys who worked their butts off last year despite a crummy season record-wise. New Orleans is awesome as a city, too. I could see D-Will enjoying it immensely, but I still think he’d rather go home to play in Dallas. Not that I’m in the know on that or anything, just my gut instinct. From what I’ve heard, Dallas and Brooklyn are still the two front-runners, but that obviously could change if he has a good free agency meeting with a wild card team… like the Hornets, perhaps?

18. james

    Now that the Bobcats didn’t get the number1 pick would they consider trading the number 2 pick and Tyrus Thomas for Tyreke Evans, Salmons, and the number 5 pick?

    • Joel Brigham

      Thomas Robinson is the biggest potential star of that entire group, so I keep the pick. Not that Sacramento would take Robinson anyway, right? I imagine they’d take Kidd-Gilchrist instead, which would send Robinson to Washington (a much better fit, by the way). I’m not going to get too hung up on hypothetical stuff here, but this one doesn’t ring all that true to me. The Bobcats need a star, and neither Tyreke nor the #5 pick are likely to be that. Robinson has a better shot at it, which is why I hang onto him.

19. Maurice

    If the Bucks draft Perry Jones III with the 12th pick what position would he play the 3 or 4 and could start over Tobias Harris

    • Joel Brigham

      I don’t see him dropping that far, despite what some mocks say. I think more realistic for Milwaukee is someone like John Henson or Tyler Zeller.

20. Sven

    Hi Joel,

    MJ really should stop gamblin’…
    Rigged as the league is he was assured of the number 1 pick…only to loose it to David Stern himself in a poker game…LOL

    • Joel Brigham

      “MJ really should stop gamblin”…” is my favorite blast of the day. He certainly put a lot of eggs into the Anthony Davis basket, and those eggs have obviously been smashed to oblivion. I guess they’ll have no choice but to actually try and be better next season, though I’m not entirely sure how possible that is. That’s one cruddy basketball roster right there, and it’ll be worse if (when) they lose D.J. Augustin.

21. fg7

    If Finals are Spurs vs Miami, then how do you think will the Heat react being the underdogs?

    Will A Davis average more blocks than Ibaka?

    • Joel Brigham

      That’s a good question about the HEAT. I think a huge part of what killed them last year against the Mavericks was the fact that they just crumbled under the pressure and the expectations. This year, the Spurs (who haven’t lost a single regular season game since 2003) would have to be the favorites based on the way they’re playing, and that could certainly change Miami’s mentality heading into the series.

      But I don’t know how big of favorites the Spurs will be. They way LeBron and Wade are going, I can’t see Vegas offering too great of odds one way or the other here. I’m just hoping for a well-played, physical, entertaining Finals. If these two teams can’t provide us that, it wasn’t going to happen anyway.

      As for Anthony Davis and blocked shots, I don’t know. Kendrick Perkins is such a good defensive anchor that it allows Ibaka to roam around take a lot of risks on defense. We cant’ really say the same thing about Emeka Okafor. Plus, AD is going to be a rookie, so if I’m putting money on it, I’m putting money on I-Block-Ya…

22. Marlon.D

    With the NBA draft lottery pretty much holding to form with the only surprise being New Orleans getting the #1 pick, two things, do you see Anthony Davis being able to make this a playoff team his first year? And any chance that the Bobcats or another team maybe able to swing a trade to pry the #1 pick away from the Hornets?

    • Joel Brigham

      Don’t think the Hornets get right back into the postseason, but we’ll see flashes of their potential very early on and often throughout the season. They’ll get there quickly, I think, particularly if they hold onto Eric Gordon.

      And no, not a prayer. Would you have traded away the top pick in the Shaq lottery? The Duncan lottery? The LeBron lottery? This is like that. You get it, you keep it, and that’s what New Orleans is going to do.

      Alright folks, that’s my hour. No chat next Thursday because I’ll be in Chicago chatting up Davis and the rest of the draft prospects at the Combine. Steve Kyler, Yannis Koutroupis, and I believe Alex Kennedy will be there with me, so keep your eye on the site for the latest there, and I’ll answer more questions in a couple of weeks!

      Have a great weekend, and enjoy the rest of the Conference Finals.