NBA Chat With Stephen Brotherston 1/28/13

1. jaimeson

   What ya think of the new Pelicans unis/logo? Would’ve like to see more retro vibe(Jackie Moon!) & keep w/ the Mardi Gras green/purple/gold scheme. Thank God it wasn’t a mean roided-out pelican! Worst unis ever? TOR w/ the Barney-esque dino. UTAH w/ the purple/white mountains. CLE w/ the teal graphic ball & hoop. Or any team that switches to green for ST. Pattys.

   • Stephen Brotherston

     Welcome to this afternoon’s chat.
     Due to the bad weather/traffic conditions, today’s chat will start and end early.
     I will be heading down to the ACC to cover the Raptors v Warriors game.

     I like that the team picked a state bird, used the flour de-lis, and referenced the Crescent City – It is very appropriate for a team that says it is part of the state/city to reflect this in their uniforms. I am a fan of the Pelicans name & all 5 logos they trotted out

     I dislike most alternate green unis – they tend to make a team look like bizarro world Celtics.
     Yellow is definitely not my fav color for unis – Lakers being the exception.
     I would like to the Raptors go back to the original Toronto NBA team nickname – Huskies – and I liked the alt uni Huskies Toronto featured a couple of years back

2. alexander

   LBJ for D12 .Who says no

   • Stephen Brotherston

     Everybody except the Lakers

3. JJBB

   While many of Eric Bledsoe’s numbers are outstanding it’s time for a reality check. This is a guy that has had the benefit of practicing with one the best point guards in the history of the game for the past 2 years. While his periferal numbers look great his assist/turnover rate remains identical to his rookie year at 1.50, which is substandard for a point guard to say the least. His assists per game at a starters load of 35 mpg is 4.9/game, worse than his rookie year of 2010/11.
   Do you see Bledsoe as ready to be a starter on a good team?

   • Stephen Brotherston

     I really like the improvements to Bledsoe’s game – He was a walking/running/ out-of-control turnover machine – now he’s starting to figure out how to play and be effective.

     Right now, Bledsoe is a very good backup PG – but there is no reason to believe he is not going to keep getting better – where he tops out is most likely up to him – so much ability, but like many young players his development needs to be between the ears.

4. Steve

   Is it really true that Raptors would trade lowry over Calderon? I mean Lowry’s a good player if you give him the minutes and starting role plus he’s our future. So are the Raptors thinking of a win-now situation or are they thinking about getting another pg for the future?

   • Stephen Brotherston

     As Lowry has had – bone-bruise in his foot, injured his shoulder, now has a sore back – seems like a solid rationale to expect a trade.

     Really its more like Lowry has the better contract, is an impact PG and the Raptors are looking to add a star/ future star – they aren’t going to hold anyone back if they can achieve that goal. They looking to dump anyone either.

     Win now vs future – neither – get an impact player

5. willy

   Celtics get:
   Demarcus Cousins
   Marcus Thornton
   Isaiah Thomas
   Thomas Robinson
   Kings get:
   Rajon Rondo
   Courtney Lee
   Jared Sullinger
   1st rd draft pick
   http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine
   who says no and why?

   • Stephen Brotherston

     At the moment the Kings are in the process of being sold and no one is going to make a major move in that organization.

6. LA in LA

   What is the NBA’s obsession with the summer of 2014? The highlight players are Lebron, Wade, Melo, and Bosh, too name a few but all of those guys being available depends on player options being invoked and honestly, how likely is it any of them leaves their current situation?
   2015, with Kevin Love, Rondo, and Aldridge (to name a few) is far more promising summer.

   • Stephen Brotherston

     Because pro teams sell hope as much as their current situation – its all about the marketing baby! Gotta sell tickets. Really very few teams will benefit from FA moves, same as always – but it could happen….. it is exciting to contemplate

7. LA in LA

   Someone writer was speculating on possible Gasol trades and threw one out that was Ellis and Gooden for Gasol but said from Lakers perspective it’d be rejected because they want cap space in 2014. Couldn’t you just swap Ekpe Udoh for Gooden and add another wing player like Dunleavey?

   • Stephen Brotherston

     I believe the Lakers have the SG spot kinda covered, not looking for another small guard, so Ellis? Gooden isn’t playing, not sure why you’d take him without some kind of sweetener. Lakers could use depth at forward & center – but productive depth

8. Nuno

   who can the blazers target to improve their bench? and how (trade/free agents) ?
   to improve their bench, without losing flexibility for next FA season…

   • Stephen Brotherston

     Blazers are in a great position – they don’t have to do anything now – they are over achieving – but that does put them in a good spot to take advantage of opportunities at the deadline, if they are enticing enough

9. Stephen Brotherston

   I enjoy your insight on hoopsworld tv, is it possible for you to do more in the future?

   Also, when is bargnani projected to return and how should casey use him when he returns?

   • Stephen Brotherston

     Thanks.
     Hoopsworld TV has been a fun project.

     Casey said Bargnani & Valanciunas both had scheduled tests “soon” and Bargnani was ahead of Valanciunas – NO PROMISES WERE MADE – but both guys are real close.

     Initially, I’d expect Bargnani to come off the bench until he’s back in game shape, then it’s a we’ll see situation. BUT Ed Davis does much better against 2nd unit guys, so it’ll be no surprise if Bargnani starts pretty quickly, but is featured less in the offense.

10. Wil

    Hi Stephen, I am a bit concerned about Indiana long term, as they have to either over-pay an aging vet (in West) or risk losing a cornerstone piece for nothing. How about a trade of Millsap for West (with a pick tossed-in). Indy gets the inside track to retain Millsap while Utah stays on track for the playoffs, plus another pick.

    • Stephen Brotherston

      Every team that can’t afford luxury tax has the same problems – build talent only to watch guys like Cuban buy it from you.

      Nothing wrong with Millsap for West – other than why bother? Millsap isn’t going to be any cheaper in July – luxury tax still isn’t going to be a place the Pacers want to be.

11. Aristotle

    Heya Stephen

    “We are pretty much the worst team in the NBA.” Andrea Bargnani

    “I made up my mind, I want to be the guy, I’m here, this is my team,” Jose Calderon.

    Since both comments were made the one thing you can’t criticise the Raptors about is their effort. So…

    Is Bargs eating his words or did his frustrations finally spit out what he wanted from the team all along and we’re about to witness a change in him too?

    Calderon is giving it his all, but how safe is he really in Toronto despite wanting to be the guy?

    • Stephen Brotherston

      1) When Bargnani was supposedly misquoted as saying the Raptors were the worst team in the NBA – The Raptors were dead last in the NBA

      2) Calderon would have given you that quote at pretty much any time in the past 7 seasons – this is his team – just ask him – he likes/loves playing here. He really is a team guy

      Don’t read anything into those 2 quotes

12. Aristotle

    Hey Stephen,

    I have the Lakers at 24-30 at the All-Star Break. What record do you have them at?

    • Stephen Brotherston

      without checking the sched, hard to argue with. Lakers have the talent to win 10 in a row but haven’t convinced anyone they’ll bother

13. Dyaptor

    Hi Steve, I think BC, made a HUGE mistake by extending DD’s contract too early. I have been observing DD, and every time the Raptors, play again above 500 teams he always disappears. Holiday, and Steph Curry, were both drafted same year, both have improved significantly and even made the all star team. When is BC, going to learn from his mistakes. Before that, was Bargs, now he can not trade him for a good player. when is this going to stop.

    • Stephen Brotherston

      That was the going rate for an extension – but I’d go with might have “jumped the gun” over “huge mistake”

      DeMar seems to have hit a “rookie” wall in January – which is something of a surprise, but Casey has been playing him huge minutes and maybe its time to take that down a notch.

      I liked the improvements to DD game – no its not enough – but the trend is right. Colangelo bet DD keeps improving this season, next season and the season after that – there are signs Colangelo is right – but if he’s wrong, you will be able to label the deal as a mistake.

14. CH

    Gay & Rondo -> LAL, Gasol & Nash -> BOS, Pierce -> MEM
    BOS can salvage the season, MEM can contend this year and cut Pierce next year if they want to save money, LAL can scrap this season/build for Dwight/experiment playing Kobe at PG full-time (Kobe, Jodie, Metta, Rudy, Dwight lineup?)

    • Stephen Brotherston

      Don’t think you can put the Lakers and the Celtics in the same room without a fight breaking out – so not very likely

15. Ron

    As we get closer to the trade deadline there will be many rumors what do you think of this trade scenerio.

    Toronto Gets:
    Wilson Chandler
    Timofey Mozgov
    10 million Trade Exception

    Denver Gets:
    Andrea Bargnani

    http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=b9t6m33

    • Stephen Brotherston

      1) What’s the trade exception for? (can’t be used in combination with players – doesn’t look like its needed)
      2) How does the trade significantly improve Toronto – doesn’t Denver have basically the same guy in Danilo Gallinari

16. LA in LA

    Last week we put the nail in the Lakers, and looks like they responded with 2 wins over (current) playoff teams, holding both under 100 pts and 45 FG%, while scoring 100 and shooting at least 53 FG%. Call me naive but I think they’ve turned it around. I think they can win 8 of their next ten before All star break (vs N.O., @PHX, @MIN, @DET, @BK, @BOS, @CHA, @MIA, vs PHX, vs LAC.) which would make them .500

    Thoughts?

    • Stephen Brotherston

      Lakers have the talent – no one has doubted this – can they play together? 2 wins in a row at home doesn’t really signal anything has changed – Lakers have been terrible on the road

17. LA in LA

    I think Pelicans are getting too much flack. They say it’s not intimidating but how intimidating are Lakers, Nets, Bucks, or Pacers? If you think about it, most NBA team names are either stupid (Clippers) or ill fitting (Wizards).

    • Stephen Brotherston

      No one anywhere at any time has ever been intimidated by a team’s colors or logos – they’re playing basketball not war games

18. Paul

    Kyle Lowry and Linas Kleiza for Eric Bledsoe and Caron Butler. Would it even be considered?

    • Stephen Brotherston

      Only if Paul will be out for a long time – and maybe not even then

19. Huni

    As the C’s are interested in Lowry do you see them part ways with KG if the Rap’s add Bargnani too?

    • Stephen Brotherston

      Kevin Garnett has a No Trade Clause – odds of him coming to Toronto = zero

20. Jeff

    Hi Stephen,

    I love following your chats. The Raps rank 10th in the league in assist and 12th in points per game. However, they are 28th in rebounds per game and 22nd in points allowed. Although this team needs a SF/a go to guy, I think this team equally needs a centre who can rebound/defend and help mentor JV. If we improved our rebounding, we give up less second chance points, which equals to a much improved points allowed per game. Your thoughts?

    When can we expect JV and AB to return from injury? Thanks

    • Stephen Brotherston

      JV & AB are within 2 weeks – hopefully sooner

      Raptors need more rebounding – need some height too – really do miss their rookie center

      Raptors have decent guys at every position – incl SF – could use a go-to-guy/ star at any position.

21. Marry Mana

    Hey brother! What contract do you see ed davis getting? Will he get an early extension like demar? Will Bryan overpay?! Help me I’m scared

    • Stephen Brotherston

      In Toronto – the risk of overpaying always seems high. Ed has earned a deal like Amir got. & yes, you have reason to be scared

22. Gerald

    Once again the only trade Raptors should make should be to free up cap space get picks and only make a big trade if you can get a star pg like a rubio other than that this team has enough in it to get to the 8th spot just need to close out games still half the season left. Need to Start Ross

    • Stephen Brotherston

      Ross doesn’t have to start – but it is time to start ramping up his minutes – which is happening.
      No need to trade for cap space – Toronto is not a FA destination – have to trade for talent & draft picks

23. Ray

    If you had the chance to own one team in the league, and don’t choose based just on Forbes value scale, which would it be and why?

    • Stephen Brotherston

      Right now the Thunder would be the most fun team to own – Great fan support – college atmosphere – great young players – will be a contender going out 4+ years

      If I don’t have to pay for it – the Lakers are a cash machine – that’s the business to own

      That’s all for today – weather dictates heading out early to make sure I can get to the pre-game media availability tonight at the ACC.
      Thanks for all the great questions and comments