NBA Chat with Joel Brigham, 9/15/11

1. Jake

   Am I the only one that expects to be hearing “Tyson Chandler’s expiring contract” for the next 4-5 years? No way he replicates the performance in the playoffs, definitely overpaid. Same goes for Zach Randolph, especially since it was under the old CBA. thoughts?

   • Joel Brigham

     Randolph at least always puts up the stats, but we could very well look at last year’s playoffs as his coming out party. I think the new Z-Bo is here to stay. I honestly do.

     But I also think you’re right about Tyson Chandler. He’ll get his one last fat paycheck, but I see there being injury issues along the way, and there’s no way he plays as good for 4-5 more years as he did last season. Not a prayer.

2. Newmarket Brian

   Raptors’ 11-12 starting lineup:
   PG J. Bayless now or never
   SG D. DeRozan learn to shoot 3-ball
   SF A. Bargnani better out-side than in-
   PF A. Johnson improved a lot
   C E. Davis has to play
   What say you? 35 wins?

   • Joel Brigham

     I think 35 wins is optimistic. If I’m a Raptors fan, it’s time to be patient and wait for Valanciunas to come over and develop. Five years from now, you guys are going to have something to cheer about. In the meantime, it’s going to be a lot of 30-win seasons in the midst of heavy frustration. Just keep hoping for more great draft picks.

3. Kyle

   Hey Joel, who wins and who loses in this trade? LAC gets Danny Granger and Kirk Hinrich, ATL gets Chris Kaman and Mo Williams, and IND gets Josh Smith.

   • Joel Brigham

     The Clippers and Pacers would both come of that smelling like roses, but I don’t see Atlanta pulling the trigger on that unless it were entirely financially motivated. Kaman’s a year from coming off the books, and Mo would be too if he passed on his player option (but he won’t).

     The big picture here is this: Atlanta sheds salary, LA gets their small forward, Indy gets their power forward. Everybody gets a little something they need, but talent-wise it’s pretty clear that the Hawks would be getting screwed.

4. Gunnar°

   Did the Nets gave up to much for Deron?

   • Joel Brigham

     Meh, I don’t think so. It was obviously a risk because you don’t know if he’ll still be with the team after this year, but if he stays I’d say it was worth every penny. Considering Jersey was ready to give up about twice as much as that to get Melo, I’d say they got a comparatively good deal. In trades though, if you can turn a good chunk of small pieces into one great piece, you always do it. Devin Harris had reached his ceiling, and I’m not sold that Derrick Favors is ever going to be a top talent on this level. The Enes Kanter pick hurt a little bit because Jersey could’ve used that to take Valanciunas or Brandon Knight or Kemba, but I’d rather have D-Will than any of them.

     I’d stand behind the trade if I were New Jersey, but if he bolts for nothing after this season, it will clearly look like the Nets gave up too much for a rental that didn’t end up working out.

5. Dong

   Good Afternoon Joel,
   I want to hear your thoughts on Darren Collison. He came into last season with a lot of hype because of how he performed filling in for Chris Paul. But with him and TJ ford splitting time it seems he took a step back. What kind of season should be expected from him this year with Vogel and new backup George Hill?

   • Joel Brigham

     I think we’re going to see a really good year from DC. Part of his issues in the first part of the season was because Jim O’Brien is goofy using his point guards. He wanted to run all of his offense through the high post, so that doesn’t let the point guard create quite as much. A full year under Vogel will help bring the best out of him. I really believe that.

     As for George Hill, he’s kind of a backup combo guard, which means he’ll definitely play some point guard, but we’ll also see him on the floor with Collison, too. I’m kind of holding out hope that Indy gets their paws on Jamal Crawford, which makes Hill the perfect third guard in a very solid rotation. (I’d rather see Paul George playing three). Wouldn’t worry about minutes in that situation, just plenty of great talent to go around.

     It’s going to be a better year for the whole team, I think. Love how the Pacers are shaping up. Crawford + David West or Carl Landry would really put them among the better teams in the East. Not Chicago/Miami/Boston good, but definitely Orlando/Atlanta/New York good.

6. Sump

   Just an idea, but how about an All-Star Game that involves USA vs The World. I think it would be good to see a mix of American athletes playing against a “world” team. I know USA would win but it would be nice to see something new at the ASG other than the rigged dunk contests and fan voting that puts Yao Ming and T-Mac on the starting 5.

   • Joel Brigham

     It’s an idea that’s been kicked around a little bit, but in that case you’re probably scrapping to put together a World team at the expense of American guys would’ve normally gotten a spot if things were organized by Conference. A lot of the top international All-Star guys are getting up there in age–Duncan, Nash, Nowitzki–and what’s left over doesn’t really put together a super tasty squad. Tony Parker and Manu, fine. Pau Gasol, fine. It’d be hard to argue about Luis Scola and Alford, too, but what about Marc Gasol and Andrew Bogut and Luol Deng and a bunch of mid-tier international-born players that aren’t really All-Star material? Do we just lump them with the group because we need a World team?

     I like the idea in theory, but in practice it seems like it’d be a mistake. LeBron, Kobe, Durant, Dwight, and D-Rose would DESTROY any international team every year. Not interested in such a lop-sided game.

7. devonte wilson

   what are the chances the knicks get one of these guys that i think has value: terrico white, Dominique Jones, or armon johnson

   • Joel Brigham

     Terrico White and Armon Johnson are pretty inexpensive, and I think that combined with their upside doesn’t give Detroit/Portland a whole of motivation to move them. Dominique Jones is just getting going on his rookie deal, which could make him a little more reasonable to deal, but probably only as a part of a bigger package.

     The overlying theme here is that helpful, young, inexpensive guys like that are great assets to a team, but none of them are off limits by any means. I don’t see a one-for-one happening, because what’s the point? But as part of a bigger trade, why not? Any of them would be equally attainable, but I don’t think any are really the guys that push New York to the next level.

8. stuknchicago

   Do u think NJ would take Boozer off of our hands & give us Humphries, vujacic, & morrow 4 him? Or maybe for Rip str8 up?

   • Joel Brigham

     The New Jersey trade doesn’t seem particularly likely, I’ll be honest. Humphries and Morrow are on the way up, and Boozer is on the way down. Now, if they lose out completely on the 2011 free agency class and don’t get someone like David West or Jason Richardson, then maybe they’re desperate enough to try and land a big fish via trade. But I don’t know how many people really consider Boozer a “big fish” at this point. He’s bigger than than any of the players you offered up, I suppose, but still don’t know if Jersey wants to throw their Deron Williams eggs into the Carlos Boozer basket. There’s got to be a better way to try and keep him with the Nets than that.

     As for Rip straight up, I could see why Detroit would give that some consideration, but if I’m the Pistons I’m more concerned with just turning the team over to the kids and start the rebuilding process. Stuckey, Jerebko, Daye, Monroe, and now Brandon Knight is a pretty solid core. Taking in an older player like Boozer (for four more years) when Rip and Tayshaun and Big Ben are all on their way out seems a little counterproductive to the rebuilding process.

9. Steve H

   Hey Joel- Read that Tim Duncan is working out in Austin with 10 Thunder players. Should I read anything into that?

   • Joel Brigham

     I’ve by “reading anything into that” you mean is Tim Duncan considering forcing a trade to Oklahoma City, then no, I wouldn’t read anything into it. After this season, however (if there IS a this season), Duncan’s a free agent and can do whatever the heck he wants. I don’t see him dumping on San Antonio, though. They’ve still got a pretty strong core in place there, and he’s the sort of player you expect to go through his whole career in the same uniform. I somehow doubt he retires as anything but a Spur.

10. luvabull

    I`m a huge fan of Jimmy Butler game. What does the players think about him? Was he a steal at the 30th pick?

    • Joel Brigham

      I can’t say much for how the guys feel about him since, you know, we’re still in the midst of an offseason that could potentially be 15 months long. That being what it is, I don’t have a whole lot of an idea for how the guys feel about him, but I can say that anybody who’s worked closely with Jimmy the last few seasons has been really, really impressed with the kid. He hasn’t had an easy life by any stretch of the imagination, so he’s had to work extra hard for everything he’s gotten.

      The way his game has been put to me, at least how it translates to the NBA, is that he’s good at literally everything and great at literally nothing. It’s good to know that he doesn’t really have any glaring weaknesses, but it’s also a little disconcerting to think that he’s got a relatively low ceiling. Still, the 30th pick in a weak draft like we just had isn’t going to project to be a superstar. That’s why they go 30, I guess.

      I like him, and I think with only Luol Deng really playing extended minutes at the three, Butler will get a chance to play a little. Not a ton (Bulls still have to find ways to play Kyle Korver and Ronnie Butler), but he’ll see the floor. Hoping for a hard-working, fundamentally sound kid who knows his place and wants to win. From what I hear, that’s Jimmy Butler in a nutshell.

11. Eric P

    Joe man I dont want you to throw up. But Mike Dunleavy is a UFA and would be a great pickup for the Bulls. He can shoot over 43% from 3 , plus he has the handles of a guard

    • Joel Brigham

      Despite the fact that I cover the Pacers as well as the Bulls, I actually had never thought of this option. But it makes sense, especially when we consider the huge man-crush the franchise had on Dunleavy back when he was drafted in 2002. I mean, the Bulls HAD to take Jay Williams in that draft, but I remember there being talk that they were giving serious considering to trading for a second lottery pick and making a run at Dunleavy Jr, too.

      However, just because it makes sense doesn’t mean I didn’t throw up anyway. Because I did. Shame on you for suggesting this right after lunch.

      I just don’t see him as a big enough upgrade over what the Bulls have already got in place, though I’d be okay if the Bulls let Bogans walk and picked up Dunleavy for a bargain price. That feels like lateral movement though, not forward movement like the team needs to get any deeper in the postseason than they did last year.

12. Robby Davis

    How do u invision the Blazers playing this year? They got Felton in the trade, and hes more of an up tempo guard that will fit nicely with Aldridge, Batum, and Wallace. But what if Roy comes back and he plays like his old self? What sacrifices will be made since Roy is one of the best 2 guards when healthy?

    • Joel Brigham

      As a coach, I think you have to watch how much you play Brandon Roy even when it seems like he’s healthy. Those knees are like bone rubbing on bone at this point, so you’ve got to pace him if you want him around most of the year and then another 10-20 games in the postseason. He’s never going to be “his old self,” by the way. He’ll have flashes like he did in the Dallas series last year, but those will get fewer and farther between.

      Felton helps, though. Dre Miller was great last season and a huge reason the team thrived even in the midst of so many major injuries, but he’s getting up there in age, and moving him out for a quicker, younger point guard was a great move for them. I like the way the Blazers look this year, but I think we all like them heading into every year. It’s just a matter of them actually living up to the potential for once.

      Greg Oden would be helpful too, wouldn’t he?

13. Eric P

    Who is the better player and why ( Non biased here

    Taj Gibson or Tyler Hansbrough?

    • Joel Brigham

      Hard to answer because of my bias, but even with that I think Gibson is and will continue to be the better overall player. Hansbrough will have more games where he explodes for huge numbers, but Gibson (with reasonable minutes) is going to be more consistent. I see more of a ceiling for Taj, too, which plays into things as well. I need a full year of healthy Hansbrough before I make this call, but for now I’ll say Taj.

14. Eric P

    I know hindsight is 20/20 and its popular to bash the aqusition of Carlos Boozer, but can you imagine if the Bulls kept that money and started Taj? Not a big dropoff, and some would say an improvement

    • Joel Brigham

      Like you said, it’s easy to say that now, but none of us knew that Taj would break out quite like he did towards the end of last season. Defensively we all knew Taj would be better, but I think we thought that Boozer’s offense and experience would be just what the doctor ordered for this group. It wasn’t, and the defensive issues were a huge part of it, turns out. I like Boozer as a guy, but he had a hard time living up to his paycheck last season. Keeping the money (or even spending it somewhere else) would’ve likely been the smarter choice, but at the time most of us felt pretty good about the Boozer signing. His deal wasn’t anywhere near as big as the other “top” free agents’ was, and the years (5) were fewer than most, too. In that regard, the Bulls made a comparatively safer signing. It’s just that so far, they haven’t gotten a very solid return on their investment.

15. luvabull

    i love noah but i thinks he`s injury prone just like boozer. with that being said id go after howard. noah/boozer/deng/taj for howard/turk/reddick/anderson
    magic and bulls well still be competitive teams

    • Joel Brigham

      The last couple of seasons he’s had some injury problems, but he’s still plenty young enough to make full recoveries, and he’s adding more weight in muscle every offseason. He’ll be more durable in coming seasons, I’m willing to wager.

      Even taking that into consideration, there’s no reason not to include him in a trade for Dwight Howard, though I don’t know why Orlando would trade the best center in the league for the Bulls starting lineup minus Derrick Rose. It’s a solid group of guys you suggest sending out, but what are they without Derrick, really?

      As for the Bulls, whoever the trade and whatever they give up would be worth it to build a team around Rose and Dwight. It wouldn’t matter much who else played around them, they’d find a way to make it work.

16. gordon

    Hi Joel.. how ya?? Who do you think will win if Nike NBA star Vs Adidas NBA star? That would certainly be an interesting match and a boast to both brand!!

    • Joel Brigham

      Fun idea. I’d have to look at the rosters for Nike and adidas before making a call, but I think we’d all dig watching that scrimmage.