NBA Chat With Mark Nugent 11/2/11

1. Cain

   What do the Pacers need to do to become a threat in the East again?

   • Mark Nugent

     I believe they need to get better defensively, and the need another consistent offensive threat to go along with Granger. I like Hibbert, Collison, George, Hill and others on the team, but none of them can score consistently on offense. they have been rumored to be targeting David West in Free Agency, and that makes a lot of sense. He is a good pick and roll player, a good rebounder, and at least an average defender at his position. The biggest problem they have though, is the Bulls and HEAT are likely to be better unless the Pacers can add a true superstar, and I don’t see that happening.

2. tony

   Clearly the union is divided. I believe deal in two weeks. Am I nuts?

   • Mark Nugent

     You are not nuts to believe that there could be a deal in two weeks or so, but I don’t think so. The latest proposal from the owners was for a 50/50 split of BRI, but significant changes to the system. All of the system changes that were discussed over the last 2-3 weeks, was based on the players taking only 47% and the owners taking 53% of the BRI. That’s according to David Aldridge at nba.com. If that’s true, the sides are waaaaaay far apart.

     I don’t believe a deal will be made any time soon. I think at earliest games will start on Christmas day, but more likely in 2012.

3. paul in chicago

   If it were possible to amnesty Boozer and get somebody like Richardson, Craford or Affalo would you do it?

   • Mark Nugent

     No. Boozer is injury prone, but he is a solid PF and can score from the inside and outside. He is a perfect fit for the pick and roll/pop with Derrick Rose. Also, I believe the Bulls could add Richardson or Afflalo via the Mid-Level exception, and I don’t think Crawford is a good fit for them.

4. Dong of Dayton

   Hey Mark,

   Jared Dudley played well last year when given starter minutes. With Vince carter likely out, do you see him making a big improvement this year?

   • Mark Nugent

     I don’t see him making big improvements, but I do see him playing a lot more minutes. I think at best, Dudley is a fringe starter and would be perfectly suited to be a sixth man.

5. Rob

   Wondering…If Chris Herren had kept his head on straight what kind of NBA player do you think he could he have become?

   • Mark Nugent

     Not sure I remember actually seeing him play. He was a 2nd round draft pick back in the day, and wasn’t that highly sought after. From what I’ve read he probably would have made a solid career in the NBA, but it would have been as a bench guy.

6. Angry James

   Who proposed the Amnesty and strech clauses? It seems to me that it is just another way for the big spenders to unload their bad signings and make room for even more expense. If the owners are losing so much money then why would they do that?

   • Mark Nugent

     The Amnesty will help teams get under the luxury tax under a new CBA. It is necessary because teams need to be able to get under the new tax so they can save at least a little money. The stretch clause is meant to help teams get out from under bad contracts. Players that were signed and then weren’t living up to their deal.

     As for if this helps owners save money, it will depend on what they do with the money they save from the luxury tax or stretch clause. If they turn around and spend it terribly then they will cost themselves more money. If they save the money or spend it wisely then it is beneficial to the team.

     As for who proposed it first, I have no idea, but the players and most owners seem to be for both clauses. Some small market owners are upset by the amnesty clause, and they should be. they’ve pinched pennies to be under the cap, and now big market teams are allowed to buy their way out of trouble.

7. likeabull

   who say no brewer for dudley

   • Mark Nugent

     I’m assuming you’re saying Ronnie Brewer for Jared Dudley. I think the Bulls would say no. Dudley is a solid all-around player, but not great at anything. Brewer is a slightly below average offensive player, but is an all-NBA type defender. I don’t think the offensive upgrade would be worth giving up the defense. And remember, Brewer can score, he just can’t shoot the three.

8. Rudy

   The Oakland Raiders once traded their head coach for four draft picks. Can this be done in the NBA? If so I now understand what the Warriors are doing. If not why would a supremely confident owner like Joe Lacob acquire all this management talent?

   • Mark Nugent

     I’m not sure if teams can trade a coach for picks or players. I imagine they can, but most likely the team would just want to get out from under the coach’s contract, and so if he was willing to agree to be let out of his contract, the team would just let him go for free.

     GS is surrounding rookie head coach Mark Jackson with veteran coaches that have been there before. It’s a pretty standard approach whenever a team hires a rookie coach.

9. like a bull

   3 way trade bulls get monta/wright grizzles get deng/asik warriors get rudy gay.bulls get 2guard/ grizzles get a center and sf replacement in deng warriors get a star in rudy gay

   • Mark Nugent

     Bulls aren’t trading away Deng. Thibs loves him. Plus Deng and Asik for Monta and Wright is way to much.

10. like a bull

    whos a better fit jr smith/shannon brown?

    • Mark Nugent

      for the Bulls? I would say Smith, except he is a bit crazy. Smith is an offensive stud who can score from anywhere on the court and is actually a decent defensive player when motivated. Brown is undersized and athletic, but not overly skilled offensively or defensively. He is a backup, whereas Smith could be a starter or at worst a sixth man.

      But I don’t want either for the Bulls. Smith is too crazy and I don’t think Brown is better than what we have now.

11. like a bull

    rank these 2 guard? whom fit long term?
    willie green/shannon brown/jr smith/cdr/belinelle/crawford/jrich/. do we over value asik and taj? cause trading for a 2 guard seems impossiblr

    • Mark Nugent

      My rankings for the Bulls? That’s what I’m assuming. Richardson, Crawford, then a huge huge gap, and it’s Smith and everyone else.

      The Bulls might overvalue Asik and Gibson, but talented big men are very hard to come by, especially on cheap contracts. I think if the Bulls made either of these players available I think they could land a pretty solid 2 guard. Maybe OJ Mayo, or someone along those lines.

12. GarPax

    Houst needs a Big. From Chi: Asik + Charlotte pick + whatever filler choice for K Marten. IF not would you do Asik & destroy for Courtney Lee (Houst)? Would Bulls? Would Rockets?

    • Mark Nugent

      I would do Asik and filler for Kevin Martin. I doubt the Rockets would. If the Bulls had to include the Charlotte pick, I would probably still do it, but I wouldn’t feel as good about it. I think the Rockets should definitely make the Asik and Pick trade for Martin. The Rockets need to rebuild and having a true young center like Asik to help start the rebuilding process would be huge, plus getting Martin’s contract off the books could help as well.

      I would not trade Asik for Lee and neither will the Bulls. Rumor was the Rockets asked for Asik for Lee at last year’s deadline and the Bulls said no.

13. GarPax

    Rank order on attainability and fill role: Lee, Richardson, OJ Mayo, other?

    • Mark Nugent

      I think Richardson is the most attainable right now, because he is a free agent, might sign for the MLE, and would definitely be the Bulls starter.

      Lee might be a tough player to acquire. The Rockets are asking a lot and I doubt the Bulls would be willing to pay that price. I assume he’d start at the 2, but he might not finish the games. Lee isn’t enough of an upgrade for the Bulls to trade away anything significant.

      Mayo would most likely start for the Bulls, the question is whether or not the Grizzlies will make him available. It seems the Grizzlies will have to move one of their perimeter players, but which one is up in the air. If they want to re-sign Marc Gasol, they need to clear out at least one contract, even if it’s a little small.

14. luvabull

    who says no brewer/dend/watson for ai/meeks/williams

    • Mark Nugent

      probably both teams. No reason to trade AI for Deng. which is what this really boils down to.

15. Roger Bedford

    If the celtics amnesty KG , can they re-sign him afterwards for a lesser ammount?

    • Mark Nugent

      no. If a player is amnestied he probably won’t be allowed to return to that team for at minimum a year, it might be even longer.

16. Dave

    if the cap stays around the rumored $58m, would it then be possibe for my heat to amnesty mike miller, trade haslem, house & Joel for draft picks, and then we sign gasol to a $9.5m offer sheet?

    In the new CBA, can a team use the full mid-level exception even if it will put them over the cap? (

    • Mark Nugent

      the HEAT can amnesty Miller whenever the CBA gets settled. But chances are they won’t, because the amount of money they will have under the cap won’t land them the type of player they need, mainly a center.

      Marc Gasol is going to sign a much bigger deal then 9.5 million. He’s looking at 12-15 a season.

      If a team is under the cap, they don’t have any exceptions.

17. jaimeson Trocheck

    No season this year, do Cavs get top pick in next years draft? Lottery again for bad teams? Lottery for entire league? Are trades that included picks in next years draft still going to available?

    • Mark Nugent

      If there is no season, the NBA will probably do something similar to what the NHL did. They took the last three years and combined the records and did the draft based on that. I imagine that’s what the NBA would do. If that happened the Cavs would have two 60 win seasons added in. They wouldn’t even be in the lottery, if there was one. It’s also possible the NBA just lets all the incoming rookies become free agents, or they do a full lottery where all the teams have an equal chance at the top pick. Bottom line, no one knows what will happen with next year’s draft, let’s just hope there is a season and then we don’t have to worry about it.

18. Dave

    Do you see Dwight teaming up with Dwill in Bklyn?

    • Mark Nugent

      That would be my guess. I think he plays out the season, if there is a season, in Orlando. Then he heads to the Brooklyn Nets in the offseason via free agency.

19. Steve

    Mark,
    What was your funnest moment playing basketball?

    • Mark Nugent

      College 3-on-3 and intramurals. We won a lot of titles in college. My freshman intramural team was probably the most fun. We beat a bunch of juniors and seniors and our team was only freshmen. It was great. I played small forward most of the time, i’d post up the little guys and take the bigger guys out on the perimeter.

      I also love playing in the classic 2-on-2 games with my three buddies. We’ve been playing them for 15 years. So we all know each others moves, so it comes down to who is in better shape at the time of our games, and who is hitting their shots. It’s good times.

20. Mario

    Hey mark what’s up. I think everyone is forgetting about if rip hamilton gets amnestied is he a better fit than all the names mentioned in the chat today

    • Mark Nugent

      I disagree with you there. Hamilton would be a decent fit, but please remember he turns 34 in February. His skills and speed are declining, he can’t get out and run with D-Rose, and he can’t create his own shot. Jason Richardson or OJ Mayo are the perfect fit of the most likely options right now for the Bulls. Martin I think is a true long shot. Lee isn’t an upgrade, Afflalo is likely to stay in Denver, and Smith is crazy. I’m rooting for Richardson or mayo.

21. Shay

    why would dwight howard team up with dwill when he can team up with drose and immediately when a title? im sure bulls would amnesty boozer and get rid of the 3 contracts of brewer, korver, and watson!

    • Mark Nugent

      If the Bulls can wait a year, and amnesty Boozer next year, then this scenario is possible. The only thing is, the only way the Bulls would amnesty Boozer after this season is if he played terribly, sustained a major injury, or the Bulls had a promise from Howard that he was going to sign with them.

      Please remember, players going to a new team isn’t always about winning or money. Sometimes it’s about the city or playing with a certain teammate. It’s impossible to tell right now where Howard will end up, but one thing is certain, he’s already talking about leaving the Magic.