NBA Chat With Mark Nugent 1/26/12

1. Bill Ackerman

   Nugent!: What do you think of my Sixers? Despite losing to the Nets last night, do you see them taking the Atlantic and what do you think their ceiling is?

   • Mark Nugent

     I do think they will win the Atlantic. Boston is too old and slow and is going to be dealing with injuries all season. Plus they haven’t hit their second half swoon yet, and they could blow up the team. The Knicks are completely dysfunctional and need a true PG to run D’Antoni’s system. Baron Davis will help, but I don’t think he will be able to get them to the top of the division. The Nets and Wizards are terrible, so no worry there. Yup, Philly wins the division, it’s crazy to think how far they have come in a year or two.

     I think they finish with the fourth seed behind the HEAT, Bulls, and Pacers.

2. rodney

   the magic are currently 11,186,087 dollars above the cap.

   if dwight were to opt out that would free up 18,091 770 in cap space putting us at 6,905,683 dollars bellow the cap

   if the magic were to trade Nelson for Andre Millers expiring contract and allow Millers contract to come off the books that would free up an additional 7,807,728

   putting the magic bellow cap 14,713,411. if they were to use the stretch provision on j rich that would free up enough cap space for them to sign a major market free agent and re-up on howard since they have his bird rights similar to how Miami was able to sign both Bosh and James and then use there bird rights on Wade.

   my question is how realistic would this methodical plan be for Otis to do? and if the Magic had the financial cap space to sign a market free agent would Howard then decide to resign with the Magic?

   • Mark Nugent

     I don’t think this is realistic at all. I don’t think the Magic can get below the salary cap, they have to many untradeable contracts, and it doesn’t make sense to stretch out a guy like Richardson when you’d just have to replace him. Also, their is a cap hold on Dwight Howard that affects the salary cap. For exact numbers see Larry Coon. But it’s virtually impossible for them to get far enough under the cap where they could make a run at a free agent and keep Howard.

     Remember with the HEAT, they only had Mario Chalmers still under contract when it was all said and done, so they essentially started over.

3. eddy

   I’m not sure if you caught Obama’s speech on Tuesday. He said that America needs to be united and help each other.
   Anyways, what IF he passes an act for Lebron James to join the Wizards? (They need the help). Does he have the power to do that?
   The president deserves to be watching the best basketball, not these immature scrubs.

   • Mark Nugent

     No, he doesn’t have the power to do that. That probably breaks all kinds of constitutional rights. Plus Obama is a Chicago guy, so he’d pass a law to get LeBron and Howard to pair up with Rose.

4. Charlie

   Can we official declare the Los Angeles Clippers blew their chance at being a powerhouse team for years to come. If they had just played patient and didn’t trade Baron Davis + future first at last years deadline, things would be drastically different now. The pick turned into #1 overall = Kyrie Irving. They could have then built around the core of Irving, Eric Gordon, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, + Minnesota’s future first. Its not that they have a bad team now, but could have been epic for years. Agree or Disagree with the direction the Clippers took.

   • Mark Nugent

     I will admit the Clippers were more interested in saving money than building for the long-term in trading Baron Davis. But this isn’t surprising, their owner has a history of not spending and keeping his team at or near the minimum salary level or the salary cap. The chance for him to save money by trading Davis was probably very appealing, no matter what the cost was player wise. Even if that pick had not turned into Irving, it still would have been top 8 or 9, which would have been a player that could help. And who knows what the Minny pick will turn into that they traded? But that did bring in Chris Paul, so that one is probably OK.

5. Sweet Dee

   If you were GM of the Houston Rockets and were offered Pau Gasol for Kyle Lowry and Luis Scola, do you accept? Why or why not.

   • Mark Nugent

     No, not a chance. scola is as good as Gasol right now and Lowry is on the verge of being an all-star. I wouldn’t have done this in the offseason, and I definitely wouldn’t do it now seeing the guys play for the first month of the season.

6. Sweet Dee

   Los Angeles Lakers fans like to brag how well their team is run. So let’s just say it: that Lamar Odom trade was downright dreadful. They got no player in return, only an exception (which has a bunch of restrictions), PLUS you need to find another team willing to take salary relief back for a rotation player. If they had waited and traded Odom midseason they would have gotten FAR more value than they will trading this exception mid season. The Lakers are a business, so who cares Mr. Sensitive was upset. They shot themselves in the foot by rushing to trade Odom only 48 hours after the failed CP3 trade, meaning they couldn’t possibly have properly shopped him around the league in that timeframe. Agree or Disagree with the way the Lakers handled the Odom situation?

   • Mark Nugent

     I don’t understand why the Lakers traded Odom, it never made sense to me. I’m still shocked they decided to trade the sixth man of the year for nothing. Makes no sense.

7. Mac

   Which point guard is struggling more, and which one has a greater chance to turn things around: Jameer Nelson or Devin Harris.

   • Mark Nugent

     I think Nelson is struggling more, and Harris has a better chance at turning it around. Nelson, to me, hasn’t looked the same since his injury two or three seasons ago. He was an all-star and now he’s the fourth best player on his team after Howard, Richardson, and Anderson?

     Harris hasn’t looked the same either, but he’s shown more flashes than Nelson.

8. Charlie

   If you were starting a team from scratch, which center do you choose: Brook Lopez, Roy Hibbert, or DeMarcus Cousins.

   • Mark Nugent

     Hibbert. Cousins I believe is the most talented, but I don’t want to deal with the hassle of his off court issues, plus he doesn’t seem to be a team player. Lopez I like and I would have taken him pre-injury, but you never know how guys will respond after a major injury. So that leaves Hibbert. Hibbert is solid, and dominated the Bulls last night. He’s a third or fourth piece on a great team, but not really someone you can build your whole offense around.

9. Cricket

   In your opinion, who’s the better one on one defender: Paul George, Luc Bhah Moute, or Loul Deng.

   • Mark Nugent

     Deng. He beats players to their spots and isn’t afraid to get physical with guys. He also can guard three positions which I don’t think the other two can do. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of George and Bhah Moute, but I’ll take Deng.

10. AJ

    Do the Suns keep holding on to Nash if they keep losing? If not, what are some realistic packages that could be offered for him?

    • Mark Nugent

      I think they keep Nash this year and then he leaves as a free agent. He is making 10 million this year and it’s doubtful they could get much for a one year player who turns 38 soon, so they will likely hold onto him. He is the only reason anyone goes to Suns games. If I’m the Knicks I would offer Shumpert or Fields plus cap filler for him, but I don’t know that would be enough. If I’m the Lakers I offer draft picks, as many as it takes.

11. Dylan

    I think Paul Silas will step down either before or at season’s end. Do you agree?

    • Mark Nugent

      No I don’t. I think Silas knew what he was getting into and he will stay through this year and next year. Then he may retire or move on. Silas is a good role model for the young players and he won’t be worried about losing his job so he’ll play the young guys. It’s perfect for a team rebuilding.

12. Mike

    Denver has Wilson Chandler’s Bird Rights. Sacramento and Indiana have a lot of cap space. Toronto has about $6M of cap space and if they made a trade with less coming back would obviously have more.

    Where do you think Wilson Chandler ends up in March? What do you think would be a fair contract for him? What do you think would be considered too much to keep him in Denver considering they have Afflalo and Gallinari locked up at $18M per year between them?

    • Mark Nugent

      I think he likely signs in Denver for the remainder of the year and then becomes a unrestricted free agent this offseason. Chandler is restricted so the Nuggets can match any deal, and I doubt there will be too many teams lining up to throw big money at him.

13. Jazzfan

    If you’re the Jazz who do you trade Jefferson or Milsap? with Favors and Kanter on the roster doesn’t make sense to keep both, I think Milsap has more Value due to age and upside and his recent play certainly helps his stock but is he someone you really wanna get rid of?

    • Mark Nugent

      I don’t trade either right now. Kanter isn’t ready for big minutes and Favors is only 20. I’d wait until the offseason and see what type of value I could get for either one. I’d be more inclined to trade Milsap, because Jefferson can play both the four and the five and although I love milsap, he’s still an undersized four.

14. Charlie

    If you were an owner of a NBA team, who would you rather have locked up in a contract for the next 3-4 years: a good young point guard (Kyrie Ivring, Ricky Rubio, John Wall) or a great coach (Phil Jackson, Jerry Sloan, Rick Adelman).

    • Mark Nugent

      PG. There are good coaches out there who aren’t even head coaches. Ron Adams comes to mind. It’s a lot harder to find talent then a good coach. Even a great coach like Jackson or Sloan can’t win without some talent.

15. Cricket

    The Indiana Pacers remind me of the championship Detroit Pistons team of old. They have no stars, but have 5 quality starters that each contribute in their own way: Collison, George, Granger, West, and Hibbert. Do you favor balanced teams such as this or was the Pistons an anomaly and only stars win championships. star.

    • Mark Nugent

      Stars win championships, but you also have to have balance. Even the HEAT, although they are top heavy have some solid pieces around the big three. Haslem is solid, Miller is solid when healthy, Battier. Even Joel Anthony is a good 15-20 minute a night center. The ideal way to build a team, in my opinion, is one super duper star like Durant, one all-star like Westbrook, a third banana who is on the cusp of being an all-star, like Harden, and then solid role players like Perkins, Ibaka, Thabo, and Collison.

16. Cricket

    If you are a Washington Wizards or Toronto Raptors team, it is clearly more advantageous to tank this year (in a deep draft) than to try and win a couple of extra games (as you have no shot at the playoffs). Knowing this, what are some subtle ways teams can purposefully tank without alienating their fan base?

    • Mark Nugent

      I don’t think you can. But what I do if I’m the Wizards is try and trade some guys like Blatche and I play the young guys for the future. The Raptors have a legit shot at the playoffs, so they won’t be tanking. However, I also would play some guys more, like James Johnson to see what they have in him. Teams that tank rarely, if ever win the lottery. They may end up in the top five, but karma seems to keep the teams that tank from winning the Lottery.

17. The Waitress

    The Minnesota Timberwolves were so adamant to not give Kevin Love his 5th year, that they agreed to make the 4th year of the deal a player option (not team). This means Love can conceivably leave the team in only 3 years when the owner could have locked up his best player for the next 5 (which Kevin wanted). If you were the owner, would you have negotiated similarly to give yourself financial flexibility in the future or would you have given Love the max at 5 years?

    • Mark Nugent

      No, I would have given Love the full five years. I think he is one of the top 10-15 players in the league and is going to get better. I would have locked him for as long as I could have.

18. The Waitress

    Who has contributed more to Golden State’s slow start this season: the injury to Steph Curry or the inexperience of head coach Mark Jackson

    • Mark Nugent

      Curry’s injury. He is their only real PG and they need him to distribute the ball otherwise it turns into 1 on 5 with Ellis shooting every time down the court.

19. Drew

    Now that we have KLove locked up what SG can we get between Ellis, Mayo,Young and Derozen? And what would it cost us. Keeping in mind we have 1st’s from Utah and Memphis to offer up along with Beaz,Wes,Darko,Luke.ect Basically everyone but Love, Rubio and ideally not DWilliams

    • Mark Nugent

      I think the ‘Wolves would be wise to go after Mayo. He is a decent defender, can light it up from the outside, and has done a good job accepting he’s not ‘the man’. I think they should offer Beasley up and if that doesn’t work they should just wait and sign him to an offer sheet in the offseason. The Grizz have too many long-term contracts so I doubt they will match a reasonable offer for Mayo.

      I don’t think the Raps are trading DeRozan and the ‘Wolves won’t offer enough to entice the Warriors to trade Ellis. And I’m not sure what Young your talking about, but if it’s Nick Young, you don’t want any part of him. He is a shoot first ask questions later player, and he won’t fit with what Minny is trying to do.

20. Al

    Wolves need a 2. Mayo needs to be a starter. Cooler heads would suggest being patient, but I’m a strike while the iron is hot type a guy. Plus, with K-Love being able to opt out in 3 years, we need to keep things moving.

    Is trading Luke, Randolph and a 1st to Memphis for Mayo really that bad of a deal for either team? Do you think Memphis would even take it? Another option is Beasely and the pick.

    It’s a high price but there are not a lot of quality 2′s out there

    • Mark Nugent

      I think the grizzlies are interested in making a deal for Mayo, but I think they want a big and a first rounder. I’m not sure Randolph would qualify the way he plays. If I’m the Grizzlies I wouldn’t trade Mayo and I’d just ride out the season, but if they are going to trade him, they could do a lot worse than Beasley or Randolph and a pick.

      For Minny, I’d love to see Mayo with the ‘Wolves. That seems like a perfect fit.

21. Chosen One

    Who are your picks to finish as division leaders ?

    • Mark Nugent

      Bulls, HEAT, Philly (this was the Knicks in preseason, but they are terrible, and I still think the Celtics are in for a major drop), OKC, Clippers, and Dallas (I still think they turn it around)

22. Chosen One

    Right now in the West,Lakers are eighth and the Thunder are first. How fitting would it be for the Thunder to win this series, kind of like a passing of the torch to the next Western Dynasty

    • Mark Nugent

      I do like those stories, the passing of the torch and so forth. I don’t expect the Lakers to stay in 8th, I think they finish in the top 6th, likely at number 6. But the way they have played it’s very possible they finish 8th, or do we dare even say it, miss the playoffs? I doubt that happens, but they are one injury away from being in the lottery.

23. Man Mitch

    Wat PG in the league would u rather have on your team if u were starting a franchise and why?

    • Mark Nugent

      Rose is the best PG in my opinion. He can score when needed, is unselfish, and will do whatever it takes to win. After that I’d still have to take Chris Paul. He’s a close second, but his injury history does scare me.

24. Cricket

    Who is the more frustrating player for a coach: Tyrus Thomas or Anthony Randolph?

    • Mark Nugent

      Probably Thomas. thomas has shown glimpses of what he could be during games. He has had some good weeks when he was with the Bulls where I thought he’d turn into an all-star. Randolph has never really lived up to the hype and looks completely lost most of the time out on the court. When I watch Randolph I have zero hope that it will one day work out. When I watch Thomas, sometimes I still think he could put it together. To me, it’s much more frustrating when you still have hope a guy could put it together, even though deep down I know he never will.

25. Mac

    Currently, the NBA rules are set-up in a way where a 7 footer is more likely to slide in for a charge then go up for a block (as he is more likely to get the call). I personally believe this is awful (you may disagree). But if you were in charge, what rules could you implement to encourage big men to actually play like big men.

    • Mark Nugent

      no power forward or center can take a charge on a PG or SG. That would solve most of the issues right there. But really what I’d do is just enforce the charge call correctly. a Player taking a charge has to be in place before the offensive player leaves the ground. Once he’s in the air, if a player slides under him it’s a block. it’s really pretty simple, but the refs never call it that way. Also, if a player passes the ball in the air, and there is no contact, then a defensive player slides in front him, but the offensive player doesn’t have the ball, that would be a block. this is called a charge all the time, and I would change that immediately.

      The NBA wants charges called this way, otherwise they would instruct the refs to change the way they are calling them. If I was in charge, Derek Fisher would never pick up a charge, because he is the biggest offender of sliding under players after they have already left ground, especially when on the pass. It’s very sad to me.

26. Cricket

    If you were a NBA owner, who would you rather have as your center: Darko Milicic at 5 million a year, Brandon Haywood at 8 million a year, or Emeka Okafor at 12 million a year

    • Mark Nugent

      Can I choose none of them. I wouldn’t want any of them at those prices. The only guy I like is Okafor, but I like him at about 7-8 million, certainly under 10.