NBA Chat With Joel Brigham, 9/13/12

1. Roger

   Don’t know why but I always got to ask you a question. Which team and why would you give the nod. Team 1: PG Gary Payton, SG Joe Dumars, SF Ron Artest, PF Dennis Rodman, C Ben Wallace. Team 2: PG Allen Iverson, SG Kobe Bryant, SF Tracy McGrady, PF Dirk Nowitzki, C Shaquille O’neal. One team plays great defense, the other scores with ease. We have seen each players prime so who would come out on top?

   • Joel Brigham

     Good afternoon, HOOPSWORLD Citizens, and welcome to another edition of my weekly chat! I can’t believe how quickly the NBA season is rolling up on us (Media Day is like, two weeks away already), but I’ve got to say that I’m glad it’s finally here. The White Sox keep finding new ways to depress me and my fantasy football team is already garbage. Bring on basketball, I say. I’m absolutely, 100% ready for it. And in the meantime, I’m absolutely, 100% ready to talk about it, so here we go. Let’s field some questions:

     Assuming all these guys are in their prime, I take team two with the offense for a couple of reasons: 1) Ben Wallace can’t guard Shaq in his prime. No way. 2)Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal are two of the greatest players ever. Kobe may even be Top 5 before his career is all said and done. I’ll take legends over defensive specialists any day. Cool question, though, and I’m certainly open to debate on this!

2. Mark ryan

   I had no idea who Nemanja Nedovic was until i saw your article on the top 5 international prospects.

   I saw his highlights and question how he is a 2nd round pick? Looks like a guaranteed first rounder to me with lottery talent.

   Great Size, strength and STAND OUT Athleticism should get him looks in the first round alone and and add all the other things he brings to the table and hes easily a top 20 pick.

   • Joel Brigham

     Well, I don’t claim to be an international genius, but he was definitely my favorite prospect in researching that article. Crazy athleticism and really, really fun to watch. He seems destined for the NBA, and if he ends up in the league I could totally see him ending up as a huge steal for some team. It was a fun article to do, and I’m glad somebody got something out of it! It’s sad how excited I am for the 2013 Draft already…

3. ben

   Everybody Sleeps on Austin Rivers True Talent and Skill. I said he was the best shooting Guard to coming out of high school in the Last 5 years and maybe since D-wade.

   Standing 6’5 203 pounds with his quickness, Ball handling skills, and stroke and i see him as a perennial All Star in his prime. HE WILL STAND OUT AT THE NBA LEVEL.

   Was Kyrie Irving that much talented than he was coming out of college? i don’t think so.

   • Joel Brigham

     I love that you feel so strongly about this that you capitalized “True Talent and Skill.” I think you need to go ahead and put those words back in lowercase letters, though, as I’m not totally sold on Austin at this point. He looked really, really rough around the edges at Summer League, and I hate the situation he’s in. Eric Gordon is going to be the bulk of the minutes at shooting guard, which means if Austin’s going to see floor time he’s going to have to run the point here and there (and the Hornets need a PG). That, frankly, is a bad idea. I think he scores the ball in streaks, but he’s not strong enough for this level yet, and he’s nowhere near the talent Kyrie Irving is. I see the latter as a future perennial All-Star, and the former as a role shooter at best.

     All that said, I really like Rivers on a personal level because he’s an easy kid to like; I’m just not sold on him as NBA player yet. I’d be happy to get proven wrong on this, for now I’m just not buying it.

4. Joe

   How and Why did Marshon Brooks fall all way to the 25th pick in the 2011 Draft? He was the second leading scorer in the country and Dropped a Big East Record 52 Points. Why didn’t Scouts, teams, and analysts see that he could score on ANYBODY.

   Watching Highlights of his Rookie Season you can tell he has alot of Kobe in his Game. I think he will one day lead the NBA IN PPG.

   • Joel Brigham

     I’m loving the outrageously ridiculous fans today. This is making things very fun, very early on in the chat, so thanks to you all! MarShon should never have slipped that far in the draft, but there was a pretty strong consensus at the time that he wasn’t a lottery pick, either. The Kobe comparisons are silly. I mean, the kid can score, and he’s proven that, but Kobe frickin’ Bryant? That’s a whole lot to live up to, and it’ll take a really special player to get there. Brooks isn’t even a starter on his own team at this point.

     He’s got game, but he’s not on par to be legendary, but all that said, who are the two guards of the future in this league? Eric Gordon? James Harden? Paul George? Is there really any reason to think that Brooks can’t eventually be among the elite when the old guard drifts into the sunset? I could see him as a top-five SG in the league a few years down the road. But one of the greatest ever? Meh.

5. jay

   There has been a lot of Debate on who the better shooter is Kyrie Irving or Damian Lillard? Who is the better pure Shooter and overall shooter who is the better 3 point shooter?

   What are some things that Damian Lillard can do better than Kyrie Irving right now? Maybe Defense? Shooting?

   People forget that Lillard Shot 40% from 3 this season on 7.2 attempts and 2.9 makes which is RIDCOULOUS and Would be on the best in the NBA Today.

   • Joel Brigham

     All I’ve seen of Lillard is what I saw at Summer League. I watched zero Lillard in college, so I really don’t know much about the guy other than he absolutely murdered everybody in Vegas back in July. What I do see in Lillard are a lot of the same things that have made Kyrie Irving successful. And Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook, for that matter. I don’t know that Dame will be on those guys’ level, but I think he could win Rookie of the Year. Perfect draft pick for the Blazers, and I’m excited to see what kind of pro he turns into.

     Wish I could answer your question better than that, but I just have too small a sample size of Lillard’s work. Just keep in mind that the competition at Weber State wasn’t any near the same as he would’ve faced in tougher NCAA conferences, let alone the NBA. I don’t think he’ll have quite so easy a time going up against Miami or Chicago or Boston, or some other really good defensive team. He’ll be good, but expect a learning curve, just like any other rookie.

6. john

   How Will Anthony Davis make the All Star team in the next 5 years with Kevin Love, Blake Griffin and Lamarcus Aldridge all in the west? and Derrick Favors a sleeper choice.

   • Joel Brigham

     It sort of depends on how good he ends up being, and whether or not those guys remain in the conference. Griffin and Aldridge will be there forever, obviously, but Love might not since he seems pretty interested in sniffing free agency first chance he gets. Plus, I think you could make an argument to bring Aldridge onto the All-Star team as a back-up center if you really wanted to. I think it’s totally possible, but it’ll be hard.

     Add Pau Gasol and Zach Randolph and DeMarcus Cousins to your list, too. Lots of good forwards in the West, buddy. You’ve got to earn it. But if he’s the best, he’ll get in. If not, he’ll just have to wait his turn…

7. Aaron

   Dion Waiters is starting to get underrated with everyone thinking hes going to be a bust. I think After Anthony Davis he has as much potential as ANYBODY in the draft and could get close D-Wades level one day.

   • Joel Brigham

     Not me. Silly pick by Cleveland, who could’ve made a much safer pick with Harrison Barnes, which is what I felt was the logical move. This is a kid who wasn’t even a starter in college, so you’re making that pick on pure speculation. Those are tough picks to make, man.

     As for Waiters’ potential, I don’t see him anywhere near the top of the Rookie of the Year race. For me, it’s Anthony Davis, Jonas Valanciunas, and Damian Lillard at the tippy-top, with Mike Kidd-Gilchrist, Thomas Robinson, and Harrison Barnes behind them. Waiters is nowhere on my board, at all. So if that makes him underrated, fine. But some guys are underrated because they under-perform. Just have a bad vibe about this kid as a pro, but like I’ve said before today, I’d love to be proven wrong.

8. dan

   Is Damian Lillard a better prospect than last years lottery picks Brandon Knight and Kemba Walker? Who has the most Upside and Potential of the 3? Will any of them ever be an All Star?

   Who will be the best out of them in 5 years?

   • Joel Brigham

     Yes, Lillard is better. Brandon Knight second, Kemba third. I really like B-Knight, especially since he did so well so young with Detroit as a rookie. He penetrates really well but proved to have enough of a three-point shot that defenders have to stay honest. Real sleeper this year from a fantasy standpoint, in my opinion. I think he breaks out in a big way this year. Long-term, though, I still like Lillard the best. He’s the one I see as the perennial All-Star.

9. Mike

   How Good is Brandon Jennings and whats his Potential? He was a borderline All Star last year, will he make it next year? Future? He seems to have all the talent in the world but just cant put it all together.

   • Joel Brigham

     You know exactly how good Jennings is. He’s an offensive stud in a small frame with zero interest in playing defense. He takes a high volume of shots but sees the floor reasonably well, but the problem is that Monta Ellis is basically the exact same kind of player. Getting into the All-Star game as an Eastern Conference point guard is really, really tough, though. Even with Rose out of contention this year, there’s Rondo and D-Will for sure, plus Kyrie Irving and John Wall and Kyle Lowry. It’s a rough road making an All-Star team, and I just don’t see Jennings as a guy who does it. Maybe not this year, maybe not ever.

10. Mark ryan

    Could Cody Zeller actually be the number 1 pick next year? He doesn’t seem to have the upside of a usual Number 1 pick probably since Andrew Bogut in 2005.

    How good can he be in the NBA? Has to to be a future All Star if he is even getting consideration for the number 1 pick.

    • Joel Brigham

      I mean, he’s in the conversation obviously, but I like the upside of Shabazz Muhammad and Nerlens Noel a lot more than I do the upside of Zeller. Cody could be a solid NBA player for a long career, but there’s just not a lot of folks I’ve talked to who see him as The Next Big Thing. He’ll be a solid pick, but not an earth-shatterer. Leave that for Shabazz and Noel.

11. Albert

    Was Jared Sullinger a better prospect coming out than Kevin Love in 2008?

    NO ONE ever would of Seen Kevin Love becoming a NBA Super Star so can Jared Sullinger at least be a All Star? He was a better High School and College player than Kevin Love.

    • Joel Brigham

      As a senior in high school, the only player in the country people were more excited about than Kevin Love was O.J. Mayo. So yeah, people had high expectations for him. His rebounding and outlet passes at UCLA caught a lot of people’s attention, and that’s why he was a top five draft pick the year he came out. It’s true that Love sort of came out of nowhere as a superstar, but he didn’t come out of nowhere as a really good player and franchise cornerstone. Sullinger has lower expectations, if anything, though I can see why someone would compare them as prospects. Don’t think Sullinger gets to Love’s status, though. Sorry.

12. Kevin Love

    Hi Joel. So my guy D-Rose and I want to build the next superteam in Chicago. A.) Which other superstar is joining us? B.) How do I get Minnesota to trade me to the Bulls?

    • Joel Brigham

      Bring it on! That, of course, would probably be the best thing for both Love and the Chicago Bulls, but it would be hard coming up with a package to send back to Minnesota to make them happy, too. The only way I see that working is if Taj Gibson plays himself into being a guy Chicago could use a cornerstone for a major trade, but they’d want a lot more than him in return for a megastar like Love. I don’t see the Bulls having enough pieces to get it done, but I suppose you never know. A boy can dream though, can’t he?

13. dave

    Why people are talking about the lakers so much they havnt done anythng but on paper

    • Joel Brigham

      Because the Lakers acquired Steve Nash and Dwight Howard over the summer. How is that NOT worth talking about?

14. Rob

    Hey Joel, I see Evan Turner having a break out year averaging 18pts and 7rebounds while playing great D and helping the sixers to 55wins. Am I jumping the gun?

    • Joel Brigham

      Not necessarily. Statistically, I could absolutely see that coming to fruition. Turner looks poised to take over as one of the leaders of this team now that Iggy is gone, but I don’t know that I’d trust him with the keys. Kind of a weird, enigmatic guys. Too proud of himself for having done too little. I’d love to see him get his numbers up to he could actually earn his cockiness. Him succeeding is really the only way Philly will get back into the postseason this year. They need more than just Drew Bynum to have success.

15. Charlie

    In the Toronto Raptors preview, you ranked them #4 in the Atlantic this year (along with Lang Greene). Which team are you slotting as last then? Philly, New York, Brooklyn, or Mean Streets of Boston

    • Joel Brigham

      Philly. I’m not big on the Sixers this year now that they’ve lost their two most important veteran leaders in Elton Brand and Andre Iguodala. I don’t like Bynum and Turner as team leaders. Freaks me out, honestly, and I’m a Raptors fan this season. Loved the Kyle Lowry acquisition and I think Valanciunas is going to be great. My Atlantic looks like this:

      1. Boston
      2. New York
      3. Brooklyn
      4. Toronto
      5. Philly

16. piston

    why did pistons invite twilliams into camp when they already have 5true sf.do you see them trading any of them?Would kings do prince for jimmer or pistons can get better for him?

    • Joel Brigham

      I wouldn’t worry about camp. Small forward is crazy, crazy deep for Detroit with Maggette and Prince and Daye, so even if they keep T-Will I doubt he ever even sees the floor.

17. Brandon warner

    Good evening Joel .. few questions about the Houston rockets. Have you about anymore trades before camp happening? How do you feel about the upcoming rookies? Because Kevin mchale said he wanted more veterans.

    • Joel Brigham

      Nothing on trades, and I think they’ve still got like 20 guys on the roster right now, five of whom are rookies and 15 of whom have three or fewer years of NBA experience. This is a disgustingly young team with a coach that I personally have zero confidence in. Has worst team in the league written all over it.

      As for the rookies, there are some that I like. Royce White is a beast, an absolute man, and if given any amount of minutes he could be fantastic. But Houston has like twelve power forwards, so we’ll see about that. Donatas Motiejunas looked really good at Summer League, too. Less sold on Terrence Jones and Jeremy Lamb.

18. Derek

    U and Nugent seem like fair weather fans u both have written this season off as if we (BULLS) r gonna just roll ova cuz some teams look better on paper. Also the only downgrade is Mohammed we upgraded at the point and Marco’s offense is better than Brewer’s D and this season offense is the biggest need with Rose out til JAN and yes I said Jan….. He has started jumping:)

    • Joel Brigham

      I watched every single game of the Elton Brand and Eddy Curry and Jalen Rose eras in Chicago Bulls basketball, so to call me a fairweather fan isn’t exactly fan. Without Derrick Rose the Bulls don’t have a shot at a championship, and that’s just the honest-to-God truth. January is REALLY optimistic. March seems more reasonable, but if the Bulls are out of the playoff picture I can see them holding him out the full year. This kid’s going to be in the first year of a $100 million deal. There will be no risks takenwhen it comes to his health. Really hop eI have something to root for next year, but it just doesn’t look good. That’s the sad reality of it.

      And on that note, we’ll call it a week. Thanks for all the great questions, and I’ll see you back here next Thursday for more of the same!