NBA Chat With Mark Nugent 7/26/12

Join HOOPSWORLD’s Newsline Editor Mark Nugent for his weekly chat this Thursday at 6pm EST.  Mark is based out of Chicago and covers all things NBA so get your comments and questions in early.

  1. Lorie

    two questions for you. 1.) any word on what’s going on with Phil Jackson to Portland? 2.) do you have any idea who’s going to be coaching the Blazers this upcoming season?

    • Mark Nugent

      The latest rumor I read on Jackson was that he was interested in some form of front office job with portland. But what that was is up in the air and whether or not the Blazers were interested was also up in the air. I don’t see him doing anything with Portland, I think it would be interesting if he’d coach them, but I doubt he does that.

      I have no idea who is going to coach them. Apparently they’ve narrowed it down to four.

  2. Jag

    Hi Mark,

    Greetings from Manila, Philippines!
    Why are we seeing a lot of sign and trade deals this offseason?
    Thank you.

    • Mark Nugent

      That’s nothing new, we see that every year. In a lot of situations it’s beneficial for both teams. We will continue to see sign and trades as long as it’s allowable.

  3. Jake

    What are your top 5 Jerseys of all time? My favorite has to be the Alex English nuggets jersey.

    • Mark Nugent

      I’m not sure, but Number 1 is Jordan’s powder blue UNC jersey. That thing is awesome. I also like LeBron James high school jersey, that’s pretty cool. Oscar Robertson has a throw back jersey that is very cool as well.

  4. Naj

    Do you think the bulls will consider or sign Malcolm Thomas? That guy have a lot of potential he will be a great addition in frontcourt.

    • Mark Nugent

      Thomas was arguably the biggest free agent standout in the summer league, he is going to draw a lot of interest and rumor is he will get a camp invite from the Bulls unless he signs with someone else before that.

  5. Rick

    I like what the Warriors have done recently but their front office scares me. The owner’s 24 year old son carries a lot of weight, the head coach and owner seem to be frauds (shades of Jimmy Swaggart and Vince McMahon, respectively), the GM was promoted from being a sports agent and too many chiefs and not enough indians. As far as corporate governance only the Bobcats look worse.

    • Mark Nugent

      I don’t see a question in there. I’ll say I really like what the Warriors have done over the last 12 months.

  6. Looking at Home court advantage

    Well Mark, I think it may be time for people to start worry about the Utah Jazz. There made it to the 8th seed last year with dominant bigs, and weren’t even supposed to make it out of the lottery. They were the worst team in the league in 3pt shooting, but then this offseason added Mo, Marv and now Foye who all shot 39% from 3 last year. Combine that with Gordo who shot above 40% the second half of the season, Burks who is showing he indeed as some James Harden in him, and Favors who clearly is ready to start and punish, and you have the makings of a SERIOUSLY scary team!!!
    Where do you see them (I see 4-5th seed) finishing, do you like this team and anything else they should do, thanks!

    • Mark Nugent

      I definitely like the Jazz and think they are a playoff team for sure. I see them finishing in the 8-6 range maybe 5th. OKC, Lakers, Clippers, and Spurs are definitely better, in my opinion. So then it’s down to the Mavs, Nuggets, and Grizz. I think the Grizz are better but the Jazz could beat the Nuggets and Mavs and end up 6th. I’d probably pick them 7th just to be safe. The West is still crazy tough.

  7. Rob

    With the way evan turner improved last year do you think this year he can average 18pts and 6 boards per game

    • Mark Nugent

      I think he’s capable of that. The issue is the Sixers have Holiday and Iguodala who both handle the ball which probably means less shots for Turner. I think the Sixers will only be as good as Turner, but that’s likely the 8th seed.

  8. LA in LA

    Are you buying that the magic will hold onto Howard until next summer? I think they are bluffing. The offers likely wont get any better,, since only teams under the cap who could get him in a S&T are Dallas (no assets) or Hawks (no young players besides Teague; with howard wouldn’t have good draft picks)

    • Mark Nugent

      There is no way I would ever trade Howard for the deals that are rumored to be going around right now. I’d much rather hold onto him, make the playoffs this year, and then let him walk. None of the rumored deals offer anything of any real substance, this is DWIGHT HOWARD!

  9. Paolo

    5 lebron vs 5 ginobli who will win

  10. mojart

    ur thoughts on the hornets offseason?if all of them stay healthy….playoff contender or still lottery team?thanks

    • Mark Nugent

      They are still a lottery team. They need more talent. I like what they are doing, but they have another year or two before they are serious playoff contenders. They need another big to play next to Davis, I think Davis is a PF, so they could use a true center to play next to him. If Rivers is a stud and Davis dominates on D then who knows, but I expect them to be a lottery team.

  11. new orleans fan from manila

    my friend said to me dat it wil benefit the most if anthony davis stay here and play in summer league dan joining the olympics because he has no playing time der….in ur opinion wat wil benefit the most for him?

    • Mark Nugent

      Disagree. Playing with the stars of Team USA will really help him. It will teach him how to be a pro and what it takes to be a star in the NBA. You can’t get that in summer league.

  12. JM

    Hi,
    Do you think Lowery is an upgrade over Caldaron? Can they play together is a small lineup for 10-15 min a game?

    • Mark Nugent

      Lowry is a big upgrade over Jose. And they can definitely play together for 10 minutes a night if need be.

  13. Charlie

    What did you think of Bryan Colangelo giving Landry Fields a 3 year / 19 million dollar deal? Maybe overpaid but fills a void. Anyone else on the free agent market you would have preferred?

    • Mark Nugent

      They definitely over paid for Fields. I would have taken Mayo or Lee over him. And then moved DeRozan to the 3. Not sure Fields starts anyway with DeRozan and Ross.

  14. Gustavo A Thomas

    CH bulls moves this off season are. A) for basketball reason B) for economic reason C) No sense reason? What you think?

    • Mark Nugent

      The Bulls made these move to try and avoid the luxury tax while still being competitive. They aren’t pushing all in with Rose injured, but they could avoid going over the tax, at least for now, and still field a decent bench. I think they had a terrible offseason and got considerably worse. Letting Asik go for nothing was inexcusable.

      I also don’t think they will end up paying the luxury tax, they have like 10 months to get below the luxury tax and I bet they do it.

  15. JJ of Blueberry Bay

    Dwight Howard managed to fool us for a number of years with his aw shucks and humour but the depth of his self absortion is now becoming clear.His edict to make something happen with the Nets or Lakers with no regard for how it may impact on Lopez,Bynum and others puts him right at the center of his universe. Will he play for Orlando if not traded prior to the start of the season or will he take his ball and run crying home to mamma?

    • Mark Nugent

      He is a basketball player and is trying to do what is best for him. When you go for a job interview do you worry about taking a job away from someone else? I don’t. I want that job. It’s the same for Howard. He wants to play in Brooklyn, why should he worry about Lopez? The way he has handled all this is terrible, but I don’t fault him for wanting what’s best for him, I fault him for wanting everyone to like him. Either be the guy that stays with one team and is loved and adored by fans, or come out and say that you want to go somewhere else and don’t give up your leverage by opting into your contract. His messing with the minds of fans is what I think he did wrong, but I don’t think he did that on purpose. I think he starts the season with Orlando, but who knows at this point.

  16. Sed D Cain

    Should the bulls try to sign kenyon martin or dasagna diop to be there back up center instead of nazr mohammed and or you hearing anything about them signing another pg maybe jonny flynn or e’tuan moore.

    • Mark Nugent

      No more mediocre bigs please. I do see them trying to sign a third string PG and maybe Malcolm Thomas, but that’s about it.

  17. Zach Kuzmanic

    Who is pursuing E’Twaun Moore? You know, that physically gifted point guard who played key rotation minutes for the Celtics in stretches last season? Any chance the Bulls go after the guy who simply tore up their rookie point guard during the summer league?

  18. nick

    Who will be the three worst teams in the NBA next year?

    • Mark Nugent

      Bobcats, Suns, and either Rockets or Kings.

  19. RoB

    sup Mark! i’m bummed about Sweet Lou leaving Philly but I do wish him the best. Do you think he’ll fit right in with the Hawks? How different do you think are the hawks and the sixers from before? Any chance of seeing J-Smoove movin outta ATL? (I think he’s thinkin ’bout it though) Thanks!

    • Mark Nugent

      Josh Smith is likely going to spend this year in Atlanta, but I would be surprised if he is back the following year. I think Williams will fit very well coming off the bench or starting in the backcourt with Teague. Most likely off the bench though. That was a good signing for the Hawks, but they are now a fringe playoff team and are clearly starting a rebuilding after trading away Joe Johnson. I think the Sixers will have a better season than the Hawks.

  20. Jason M.

    Any potential landing spots for Blatche? Very good talent but a ten-cent brain unfortunately. I could still see him contributing though.

    • Mark Nugent

      I haven’t heard anything about Blatche yet. His market is going to be very small. I think he’d be a good bet on the Spurs. He definitely needs a veteran team with a solid coach.

  21. Jason M.

    Eric Maynor v. Reggie Jackson, who will ultimately be the better player? Either of them have a future starting for a team?

    • Mark Nugent

      I think both will be career backups and I would say Maynor will have the better career.

  22. Hunter

    Do u like what the Wolves have done this offseason??

    • Mark Nugent

      I think Kahn is sacrificing a lot of the future to try and save his job and make the playoffs this year. I am not a fan of them giving up any first round picks or trying to over pay for average talent like Nic Batum. So I’d say no, I have not been a huge fan of their offseason. They are definitely better, but it cost them a lot in my opinion to get only a few games better.

  23. Gustavo A thomas

    The worst guy for CHICAGO C BOOZER or AL CAPONE? What? Both guy robbed Chicago.

  24. Charlie

    If you were a NBA GM, which center would you prefer: Robin Lopez at 5 million a year, Omar Asik at 8 million a year, DeAndre Jordan at 10 million a year, or Javale McGee at 11 million a year.

    • Mark Nugent

      I’d take Asik. I think Asik is the best on defense (although the others make more spectacular blocks, Asik is better as a team defender) and none of them are great on offense. Asik might be the worst on offense, but at the price I think it’s worth it. Also, I think Asik has the highest upside.

  25. Frank

    If you were the GM of Minnesota, would you offer Andrei Kirelenko a 2 year 20 million dollar deal? Does he have NBA game left and worth the money. Or are these funds better off used elsewhere? Justify your position.

    • Mark Nugent

      There is no way I would pay AK 10 million a season. None. That is absurd and only happens when a GM is worried about his job. If they were willing to spend this much they could have signed Courtney Lee or OJ Mayo or who knows who else. I like AK, but that is a crazy amount of money.

  26. Mac

    If you were starting a team from scratch, rank your preference for shooting guard: Dion Waiters, Jeremy Lamb, DeMar DeRozan, Austin Rivers, and OJ Mayo.

    • Mark Nugent

      Starting from scratch? I guess I’d take Rivers first and Lamb a very close second, then I’d take OJ Mayo, Waiters and DeRozan. I will say I think Rivers could be a huge bust, but he also could be a star. Lamb has Ray Allen potential written all over him.

  27. Sweet Dee

    Many experts have a differing opinion on the job Danny Ferry is doing in Atlanta. Some are impressed he was able to shed the contracts of Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams, giving the team lots of cap space in 2013-14. Others have criticized these moves as Ferry gave up two starters (one a 6 time all-star) for little return, meaning its difficult to argue the Hawks won’t be worse next year as a result. What side are you on and why?

    • Mark Nugent

      I think Ferry has done a great job. The Hawks never should have signed JJ to that huge contract in the first place, so trading it was nothing short of amazing. The Hawks were constructed to only be a playoff team, they would never be a serious threat to win a title. This gives them a chance to rebuild around Horford, Teague and maybe Smith. Plus they are likely still a first round playoff team, which isn’t much worse than what they were last year.

  28. Murad Houry

    Projected 10-man rotation for the Bulls this season? Thx

    • Mark Nugent

      with Rose out. PG-Hinrich SG-RIp SF-Deng, PF-Boozer, C-Noah. Bench-Taj, Teague, Butler and Belineli and then if they need a center Nazr, if not then I believe it will be Vlad.

  29. JM

    How far does Lithuania make it in the Olympics?

    • Mark Nugent

      Not very. They are a fringe second rounder, ie the medal round. I’ll be a little surprised if they make it out of the round robin play.

  30. JM

    Hi,
    Is Lowery an improvement over Calderon, and do you think they can play together for 10-15 min a game?

    • Mark Nugent

      I answered this already. Yes, Lowry is a big improvement and yes they can play 10 minutes together night, but they probably won’t need to.

  31. Yong

    Who is better as 6th man for the Lakers, Odom or Jamison?

    • Mark Nugent

      If Odom has his head on straight, it’s Odom. He is a rare talent that can lead the fast break or post up PFs and Cs. I like Jamison off the bench, but if Odom is right he can be a difference maker.