NBA Chat With Joel Brigham, 9/6/12

1. rob

   What are your thoughts on the sixers this year? ESPN has them winning 50-55 games and do you think they can over take Boston (took them to 7 games last year).expecting gig things from Holiday and Turner

   • Joel Brigham

     Good afternoon, HOOPSWORLD Citizens, and welcome to another edition of my weekly chat. I know it’s really, really hard to concentrate on basketball right now, what with the NFL season now officially underway and all. Personally, I’m all sorts of geared up for fantasy football. Got a good night out of Tony Romo last night, and now I’m trying to decide between Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck for my QB2. Totally open to suggestions on that.

     But that’s enough football for now. This, after all, a basketball chat, and despite all the airtime the NFL and MLB are getting right now, there still really is plenty for us to chat about in the world of hoops. Might as well start with the Sixers, right?

     I don’t think my opinion of Philly is quite as high as some others. I’ve got a buddy who’s really good friends with someone on the Philly coaching staff, so I can’t get him to shut up about how great his Sixers are going to be this year. But I’m just not sold. I see Andrew Bynum, and I see Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner and all the other promising young guys on that roster, but what I don’t see is very much veteran leadership. Losing Elton Brand and Andre Iguodala also means losing the majority of the maturity in your locker room, and I’m just not comfortable with Turner and Bynum as the dominant personalities on the roster. Those are two pretty enigmatic dudes, both of whom could stand to grow up a little from a personal standpoint.

     I see them winning some games, and maybe with homecourt advantage, but 55 wins seems high. Eastern Conference Semis seems like a reasonable expectation for them again this year, but as a higher seed than last season.

2. Cain

   Would Tyreke Evans be a good fit in Indiana? He would be surrounded by good outside shooters in Hill and George giving him the oppurtunity to create.

   • Joel Brigham

     Indiana is really built around a team-oriented offense, and team-oriented anything has never really been Tyreke Evans’s strong suit. On my life, I’ll never understand why so many fans think Tyreke is an answer for their team. I get several questions every week about the guy from all sorts of different parts of the world, and my answer is always the same: I do not think he is very good. I do not think he is a particularly great fit on any team, especially the one he’s currently on. He needs a garbage team with carte blanche to do whatever he wants with the rock. If he’s got to share, though, it won’t work for him.

3. paprika

   I find this weird, teams who are contending who need a legit big didnt go crazy on kaman which gave dallas a steal. Why didnt the celtics, hawks or the heat didnt try? Just imagine how scary boston would be with kaman instead of the jet? And i guess the hawks aint ready to part qith the idea of josh and al small ball running game right?

   • Joel Brigham

     Well, I can tell you why Miami didn’t get him. He got an $8 million deal from Dallas. The HEAT couldn’t have come anywhere near affording that. Atlanta seems set up with their own frontcourt and probably aren’t going to be major contenders anyway this year, and Boston’s investing their money in A.) Keeping their guys in Boston, and B.) Younger kids with long-term potential to help keep the team strong when the big boys retire. I just don’t see Kaman as a guy who fits into that particular plan.

     So to summarize, obviously Kaman still has something to give, but he’s getting up there in age and not a lot of teams seemed particularly interested in splurging on him. Dallas did because, I think, they were tired of getting spurned by every other free agent they spoke with. Kaman liked the situation there, so it was a good fit.

4. Rory

   Joel, love your chats, big OKC fan, was interesting seeing all that drafft day hooray about he thunder acquiring Brad Beal! if harden and OKC cant get deal done, do u see similar draft day trade for Shabuzz Muhammed?? alotta scouts tabbing him as JH 2.0 (lefty, similar height/build, high volume scorers) would allow us to avoid luxury tax, and resign maynor and hope he, jones and shabuzz can carry the bench for another couple of years?

   • Joel Brigham

     Well there’s certainly no question that OKC’s dealing James Harden is going to be one of the major stories of next offseason. I get them waiting on him, but it certainly creates a fair amount of anxiety for the fans. Ideally, they’d find a way to keep him there, but at some point holding on to that many All-Stars gets to be too steep, and if there’s a way to bring in a younger, equally talented two guard like Shabazz, I don’t think the fan base there would be mad about it at all.

     That said, Shabazz Muhammad is a much bigger talent than Brad Beal, so while I could see the latter getting tossed around in trade offers, the team that gets Muhammad (or at least looks slated to get him based on draft order) is probably going to be reticent to move him. James Harden is going to cost a whole lot more than Shabazz, but you’re getting a known commodity in Harden versus a rookie, which is almost always uncertain.

     Whatever happens, I think we can trust Sam Presti to do the right thing. He seems to know what he’s doing.

5. LA in LA

   Hey Joel what’s up, keep up the good chats. Got a question about Dynamic Duos:
   Why do you think many people constantly discredit Kobe for playing with Shaq and not being the primary option, but no one ever lets the fact that Kareem and Magic played together stop them from both (generally) being considered top 5 players all time?

   • Joel Brigham

     That’s a fair point, though I think before it’s all said and done we’ll be talking about Kobe as one of the top five players of all time, too. He’s going to be on the top of some very serious career stat lists, and could conceivably end up with 7 championships. Eight maybe. Who knows? In any event, he gets crap for playing second fiddle to Shaq for the first three because he was, in fact, second fiddle to Shaq for the first three. That’s a fair statement to make. But by the time this is all said and done he’s going to be one of the all-time greats. Not MJ, of course, but you know, pretty good.

6. Charlie

   Mike Woodson did a great job at the end of last year finally turning around this overhyped Knicks team. Do you think this success will continue next year or do they have too few players who are dedicated to defense to be a home court team. Only defenders are Brewer, Shumpart (out till new year), Chandler, and Camby. Everyone else is either older than my grandmother or could care less about that side of the ball (ex. Amare working on POST moves in the offseason = really??? – that’s where you think you need the most work?). Your thoughts.

   • Joel Brigham

     I don’t see the Knicks as a championship contender, but that’s mostly because the gap is so huge between where they are and where Miami is. They’re going to remain so much better than everybody as long as LeBron stays in the zone he entered during the 2012 playoffs, and that sucks for the Eastern Conference the next several seasons.

     But yeah, the Knicks are old and don’t generally care about defense. That’s a problem. Shumpert was among their best and now he’s not likely to play most (if not all) of this upcoming season. Chandler was DPOY, but one good defensive player does not make a good defensive team. I think Camby and Brewer help, but neither is elite defensively, and since no one else on the roster seems to care about D at all, I wouldn’t look for this group to be smothering anybody. It’ll be better, but you’ve got 3 of the 6 oldest players in the league on that team. That stat alone doesn’t inspire much confidence in where things are going this next season.

     Sorry to be Debbie Downer. I’m just not buying into the Knicks any more this year than I did at the start of last year.

7. Mac

   How well do you think Keith Smart will do controlling everyone in Sacramento this year. This team usually has a “me first” attitude. With knucklehead Cousins and Tyreke Evans in a contract year, difficult to believe this will change. And out of 30 NBA coaches, where do you rank him? Top 10? Top 15? 20? 25?

   • Joel Brigham

     That is quite a collection of knuckleheads, isn’t it? But I loved the Aaron Brooks signing and the drafting of Thomas Robinson, and I’ve always been a Marcus Thornton fan. There’s enough talent on this roster now where there’s no excuse not to win some games. They don’t have to make the playoffs to impress me, but I do expect some improvement, and for his sake I hope Smart is the right guy to inspire that.

     He’s not an earth-shattering coaching talent, so I don’t have him ranked particularly high on my mental list of current NBA coaches. I think most are more accomplished than him, so I’d have him pretty low. In the bottom third, for sure. At least for now.

8. Dennis

   Seems many are high on the Memphis Grizzlies coming into the season, with arguments of a healthy Zach Randolph and a tough frontcourt. However, their bench looks awfully thin. They replaced OJ Mayo with Jarred Bayless = downgrade. And only have Mau Speights (doesn’t play defense) Haddidi, Pondexter, and Shelby (lets see if he can replicate Summer League) coming off the bench. And this is with an already thin/non-scoring backcourt in Tony Allen and Mike Conley. With that bench I can’t place them any higher than the #6 seed in the West this year. Over, under, or the same for you? Justify your decision.

   • Joel Brigham

     Man, you’re going to make me justify my decision? Tough crowd

     I’m not high on that bench, either. Didn’t like the draft pick (Tony Wroten), and losing Mayo obviously hurts them. Selby looked GREAT in summer league, but we don’t even know for sure what new ownership is going to do with all those big contracts. Could Gay be traded at some point? I mean, all that matters in where I project these guys.

     The Lakers and Thunder are better, obviously, and I’d pick San Antonio and the Clippers over them, too. This means no higher than 5, but I definitely think they at least make the playoffs. The starting lineup is at least that good.

9. T.J. Wilson

   Do you think point guard Ty Lawson will have a breakout year and possibly become an all-star this season. Also, do you think he will ever blossom into a elite PG like Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook or Rajon Rondo?….Call me crazy but I think he can.

   • Joel Brigham

     I don’t want to call any of my readers crazy, because that wouldn’t be very nice of me.

     But, you crazy.

     Lawson’s going to be good, but I don’t really seem him as an All-Star. At least not yet. Some guys need to retire I guess to give him more of a chance. But you can all but slate Steve Nash and Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook into that All-Star game, and you can’t count out the possibility of Jeremy Lin getting voted in as a starter just because of his ridiculous international popularity. And let us not forget Tony Parker, either. Way too many good point guards in the West for Lawson to get a crack. Don’t count on him making it this year. It’s a crowded party already.

10. Kevin Kolb

    If a team is willing to take a chance on scal, I predict 65 points per game, 50 assists per game, 55 rebounds per game, 40 blocks per game, 55 steals per game. Do u agree????????

    P.S.
    Hi

    • Joel Brigham

      I obviously agree.

11. keo

    I ask Lang this question last time and he told me to ask you

    remember last off season you guys did top 5 players in the history of each team?
    can you do top 10 players of each position of all time?

    • Joel Brigham

      That is my department, yes, and I wouldn’t say it’s out of the realm of possibility. That’s something I’d need some serious time to put together, though, and with less than a month before the season (and loads of season previews coming you guys’ way shortly), I’m not sure I’m ready to deal with that. Maybe something for August 2013?

12. keo

    paul pierce and fab melo or sullinger for josh smith and s/t tmac.

    i think it will work for both teams do you think so?

    • Joel Brigham

      I don’t think Boston would do that Paul Pierce. It’s not an unfair trade, necessarily, just doesn’t seem to really help either team a whole lot.

13. Charlie

    In your opinion, who wins more regular season games next year: Dallas Mavericks or Memphis Grizzlies. And what is the number #1 factor for making this decision?

    • Joel Brigham

      I think those guys end up right next to each other in the standings next season… 5 and 6 seed… But I couldn’t tell you who I’ve got stronger feelings about. Dallas has loads of talent but it’s kind of a weird mix. Memphis is more together as a team at this point, so I’ll say they look like the slightly stronger team, though not by much.

14. steven Chao

    Hey Joel, thanks for the opportunity to ask you questions.

    My question is simple, presently, which team do you think has the strongest bench?

    • Joel Brigham

      Miami, obviously, since they’re bringing Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis off the pine. Udonis Haslem is no slouch, either. I like Boston with Jeff Green, Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, and Jared Sullinger. San Antonio is always strong with Manu, Stephen Jackson, Gary Neal, and Tiago Splitter. I’d say those are my top three in some order, probably giving the edge to San Antonio. Thunder are strong too, though. So are Pacers and Nuggets and Clippers.

15. mario

    Joel how you doin buddy tell whats your take on the bulls whats the grand plan for the team what are they planning to do with the roster the next couple seasons

    • Joel Brigham

      Ugh, I was hoping to get through this chat without having to answer any depressing questions about the Bulls, but that obviously couldn’t happen thanks to you, Mario. So first and foremost, thank you.

      As for what the Bulls are doing, they’re obviously trying not to get killed by luxury tax and, at least for this year, taking on low-dollar, short-term veteran deals to keep things somewhat interesting while Derrick gets his knee right. I think they’re hoping for some maneuverability by 2014, and they obviously want to have the flexibility to hold onto Taj Gibson. I think that’s what they do, and eventually amnesty Boozer. Then we’ll see what kind of space there is for the summer of 2014 to keep building around Rose.

      That’s as good a guess as I’ve got for you know. I shall immediately return to not thinking about the Bulls for at least several more months. Talk to me about them again in March.

16. Rick Lindo

    I am a huge Knicks fan and I keep hearing that my team is going to be either 4th or 5th in the East. Am I biased that I see only Miami “slightly” better than us on paper?

    • Joel Brigham

      Slightly is a massive understatement. I think Boston and Indiana are better. Wouldn’t shock me if Nets ended up better, too. To me, 4 or 5 seems just about right for them, though I can certainly appreciate the rose-colored glasses of the hometown fan. No reason you can’t hope they do better than that so you can write back to boneheads like me and say, “I told you so!” I, of course, will forget this conversation about three minutes after chat ends, but you’re still welcome to gloat come April. In fact, I encourage it.

17. beach

    Should the heat sign blatche and fill their need for a center ?

    • Joel Brigham

      Blatche isn’t a center. And ew, no. It’s Andray Blatche.

      SI is saying that the Nets might be close to signing him (for what must be a minimum deal), but that Miami is still in the mix, too. I personally don’t really see him making a big influence on the league where ever he ends up, but that’s just me. Don’t see him as a real game-changer for any team. Not sure there are really any of those left at this point.

18. Matt

    If T-Mac had the work ethic or heart say as Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant, would he have become possibly one of the best players of his generation? He was unbelievably talented no question about that.

    • Joel Brigham

      You’re absolutely right, but the work ethic always was the problem. Sometimes when things come so easily for athletes their whole life, there’s no reason to get any better. But work ethic is what separates guys like Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, and Derrick Rose from the rest of the pack. God help the rest of the league had T-Mac figured out how to work his butt off every offseason. But he never did, so he never got the most out of his prime. Didn’t even get a playoff series win out of it.

19. Jarred, Canada

    Hey Joel, I’ve been watching Chris Paul since his days at Wake Forest and feel he is the Best point Guard in the world when healthy. What separates him from other point guards as the best,and do you feel he has the potential to win a Championship someday ? i dont see it happening in Clipper Land

    • Joel Brigham

      What makes him better than everybody else (because I agree with you that he’s the best) is that most point guards are either great scorers (Westbrook, Rose) or great distributors (Rubio, Nash), but Paul is one of the rare players who can both take over a game when he needs to and make all of his teammates better through distribution of the ball. But he’s the scariest fourth-quarter PG in the game today, and he’s an absolute monster. LAC could be a good spot for a championship for him if they got a new coach, but it’s not happening under Vinny Del Negro. He’s got one more year in that uniform to decide it can work, but he can always hit free agency and sign with a different team if he feels like there’s a better shot at a ring somewhere else. I’m with you, though, would love to see him win one.

      Alright folks, that’s my hour! Thanks to everyone for the great questions, and I’ll be back next week for more of the same. Have a great weekend, and enjoy Week 1 of NFL Football. NBA Basketball will be here, too, before we know it.