NBA Chat With Susan Bible 11/12/11

Please join Susan Bible for her NBA Chat each Saturday at 11:00 am EST.   Susan is a Newlines Editor and a member of the fantasy team at HOOPSWORLD.  She covers the Oklahoma City Thunder and the NBA at large.  Drop in your questions now.

  1. LSO

    Seriously! Am I the ONLY one who is sick to death of the NBA Lockout drama? Are both sides so intent on their lines in the sand that they’ve forgotten who put them there? We do, that’s who. I’m one step away from not caring anymore.

    • Susan Bible

      And that, ladies and gentlemen, probably sums up the feelings of a great number of people across the land.

  2. Brian

    why would the nba possibly put that new d-league demotion/pay thing into their proposal. they have to know there is no way on earth the players will ever agree to a deal with that in it. the nba says that part is open for negotiation still, so why put that in in the first place. the nba is just adding more parts that the players will say still need to be negotiated on before they can accept a deal. the players will reject this offer next week and they will have to spend another few days negotiating and then the dec. 15 start will have to be moved again and more games will be lost.

    • Susan Bible

      That is a definite scenario. One thing I’ve learned during this process is to quit getting my hopes up. According to ESPN’s Ric Bucher, “the clause would give teams the right to send a player down to the NBA Development League at any time during his first five years, paying him a reduced contract while he’s there.” Apparently it would only apply to the 14th or 15th man. An as I understand it, this is part of a B-List that’s still negotiable. I just can’t wrap around how much the players are being asked to give up. Read this from Steve Kyler yesterday…breaks down the new proposal: http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-am-will-the-players-accept-the-deal/

      This morning, Stein’s been tweeting about other changes on the latest proposal, such as “Teams would only have 3 days to match offer sheets to restricted FAs like Marc Gasol/Arron Afflalo. Previously had 7 days” and “Teams can only add total of $3 mil per SEASON in trades. Previous max: $3M per DEAL”

      Have you heard that Isiah Thomas is angling to replace Billy Hunter? Tell me what you think of that in the comments section below.

  3. Chris

    Once the lockout ends, do you think players will hold it against the “hard-line” owners if they are unhappy with the deal? Might it mean players refuse to sign with those teams as free agents?

    • Susan Bible

      I believe that’s human nature…and I would add agents in there, too. But the passage of time usually leads to the dulling of holding grudges and hurt feelings. Not always, of course, but the right money or contract should outweigh it.

  4. Chris

    True or false: If the players don’t approve the current deal, the one they eventually approve will be worse (ignoring the fact that more games will be lost).

    • Susan Bible

      If you believe what Stern is saying, then true. He openly says the BRI offer will drop to 47/53 (and I realize that was supposed to occur last Wednesday if players didn’t take the 50/50 deal).

  5. Donald

    Susan, don’t you think the owners proposal is good overall for the game. The players want the power to determine where the best players play and want superteams in the big markets. You are fortunate to have a player of Durant’s principles or Oklahoma City would be the next city to be left out in the cold. This power must be taken away from the players or it will ruin the game.

    • Susan Bible

      I agree Oklahoma City is very fortunate to have a player like Durant (obviously for his court skills, and definitely for the type of person he is), but I’m not feeling the latest proposal as being good for the game. It’s not even the BRI anymore, it’s the systems…the player movement restriction. I thought Durant summed it up fairly well in a recent tweet: “Why cant players have freedom of movement? Teams trade players like cards, but you get mad when a player decides to go to another team. Double standard.”

  6. aslan

    Thanks for being Weekend fix on chats. Would MLE get J. Rich to Bulls? Put them over top?

    • Susan Bible

      You are welcome! I definitely have a Saturday thing going here at HOOPSWORLD, with the Chat and usually an article posted. The Bulls need a shooting guard, no doubt. They would gladly welcome Richardson’s average 2.4 three-pointers and 15.6 average points in 33.9 average minutes from last season. Richardson is just 30 and enjoying a string of good health in recent years. I think he’s a perfect fit in Chicago (perhaps putting them over the top), plus he seems very interested in landing there – with a contending team, even at the risk of losing money under an MLE – as well.

  7. Connor

    Good morning Susan! How’re you today? Do you think Jordan Hamilton would have been a good fit for the Thunder? Should they have drafted him? I was really happy he slid to them because OKC needs a backup 3 but they didn’t take him.

    • Susan Bible

      Doing great here! Funny you say that, I had 6’8″ Hamilton pegged as who OKC would take in the draft. One of the bigger needs of the team, I believe, is a backup to Durant…one who can defend and is unafraid to shoot the ball. I didn’t get the Jackson pick; I was certainly hoping by now that training camp and preseason would be over, games would be underway and we’d get that answer. Presti hasn’t made too many missteps; sure hoping this wasn’t one.

  8. Jeremy

    just wondering, since Stern claimed 22 of 30 teams are making a lost, cant players ask the teams to provide evidences, or hired consultants/auditors to go to every teams and conduct a profit and loss account?

  9. Adrian

    The word is Optimism, which coach gets fired first in this shortened season??

  10. LSO

    When I pose a question (early, like a day or so early) for your Saturday AM chat, I always get a comment that reads, “Your comment awaiting mediation.” What does this mean?

    • Susan Bible

      I honestly don’t know that answer, LSO. Perhaps a H/W editor can answer for us below?

  11. matt

    Where do u think myck kabongo will land in the 2012 draft. would love for a canuck to play for the raps. BUT jerryd bayless is a dependable starter with averages of 18 pts + 7assts/game. Jerryd is much better when starting as opposed to being a sub

    • Susan Bible

      I’m excited to monitor the playmaker this season. Sounds like a mid-first-round prospect, especially as 2012 looks weak for point guards. He’s just 6’1″ at around 170 pounds…and a true, unselfish distributor with enviable court vision and bball IQ.

  12. matt

    any chance your thunder will want Ed Davis for Air Congo? Ibaka would like playing in an international city (no offense to OKC) + Ed is the raps’ best player (so underrated in the media). Imagine a frontcourt of Serge/Jonas. I drool at the thought tremendous D.

    • Susan Bible

      Over my dead body :) Zero chance, but nice try.

  13. matt

    Bargs for George + Posey. WHY? George can play SF in toronto + will have freedom + fun with DeRozan on the wings. Raps save $$$. Bargs’ horrid D+rebounding gets covered by monster Hibbert, indy doesn’t have to get overrated PF in FA.

    • Susan Bible

      Throw in a pick and just maybe…

      Appreciate the questions this morning. See you next week!