NBA Chat With Yannis 10/12/12

Join senior NBA and and NCAA writer Yannis Koutroupis for his weekly chat this Friday October 10 at 11 am est!

  1. Deven

    Hi Yannis. What are the chances Manu retires after this season?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Hello everyone! Let’s get right to it.

      I think they’re slim. If he’s healthy, he’ll be back.

  2. Deven

    Which team(s) are you most concerned about heading into this season based on what you’ve seen in the preseason so far?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      None, it’s preseason. Nobody is putting forth their best effort at all. Concern doesn’t form until well into the regular season.

  3. Deven

    Do you think the Spurs have what it takes to get to the Finals this year?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I don’t think they have enough. They have to play perfectly, which doesn’t happen often in this game.

  4. Sweet Dee

    The Toronto Raptors somehow managed to be ranked in the top 10 in defense under Dwayne Casey last year. With a full training camp and the additions of Jonas Valancious, Kyle Lowry, and Landry Fields do you think this rank can be improved? Preseason, where would you put Toronto defensively as a team?

  5. Dennis

    Looks like Markieff Morris will get a big opportunity to play in Phoenix this year with Channing Frye out for the season. How many minutes per game do you expect him to play this year? And do you think he will be able to live up to his 13th overall pick status of 2 years ago?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I think he can, he looked good in summer league. They need to play him at least 15 a night, more if possible.

  6. Mac

    I am concerned at the quality of the Memphis Grizzlies bench: Josh Shelby, the oft-injured Jarred Bayless, Quincy Pondexter, I play no defense Mau Speights, and Hamed Haddidi is not the strongest second unit? How do you rank the Grizz bench and do you think this lack of depth will impact their standings.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      It definitely could. It means they have to stay healthy and out of foul trouble. I think they’re still top eight, but their bench either has to really step up or they have to make some moves.

  7. LayHee

    How worried are you about the John Wall stress fracture in his knee. Seems like a bad thing to have right before a grueling 82 game season. Would you steer clear of him in fantasy pools as you are concerned about this being a reoccurring injury during the year or do you believe he will come back to play at a high level for the rest of the season despite this minor set-back.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      This is a bad time of year for him to get hurt. Especially with all the pieces Washington added around him. Considering the depth at point guard I’d stay away unless it’s real late, but I’m far from a fantasy expert.

  8. Ricky

    Tyreke Evans is in a contract year this season, asked to play out of position at the SF spot. If you were a betting man would you side with him coming back strong with all the work he put in the summer or is there a greater possibility he struggles and is eventually traded during the season.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I think he has a good season. He’s too talented to have another season in which he takes a step back.

  9. Julian

    Damian Lillard looked like an absolute stud during Summer League. But this was against 2nd level talent/ back-up point guards. How do you think he will fair against all the starting points guards this year. And how many turnovers do you believe he will average this season playing all those minutes in Portland.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I think he’ll be middle of the pack this year, but inconsistent overall. He’s still a rookie coming into the league at a team where point guard play is supreme. He has his work cut out for him.

  10. Bubbles

    This may be a make or break type season for coach Ty Corbin. He now has had 1 ½ seasons with Utah as Jerry Sloan`s apprentice. What do you think of the job he is doing so far? And did you rank Utah as a playoff team this year with him as coach. Why or why not.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I think he’s done a fair job, they definitely overachieved last year. I do not rank them as a playoff team, think there’s eight better teams in the West.

  11. Cricket

    How do you think Kevin McHale will handle all the rookies and young players this year? He doesn`t come off as personable and having to balance the minutes of these players may prove difficult. Do you think we will see cohesion this year with the Rockets or can you forsee some bickering/an unhappy lockeroom?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      No, I think Kevin is coaching to survive. I can’t see him lasting past this year.

  12. Charlie

    Kirk Hinrich is asked to hold down the fort until Derrick Rose returns this year. But with averages of only 6.6 ppg, 2.8 apg in 26 minutes last year in Atlanta should have Bulls fans worried. Are people remembering Hinrich of a few years ago or do you expect him to be able to return to form and keep this team at 500 or better until Rose returns?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Yeah, Nate Robinson and Marquis Teague could become real important if Kirk can’t bet back to where he was.

  13. Roger

    Lets say it is Game 7 of the NBA Finals, which player would you pick in their primes to lead your team, Kobe Bryant or Lebron James?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Kobe because of his desire to take the shot, fearlessness as hatred for losing.

  14. LA in LA

    If the Pacers ever decided to trade Granger, do you think they could get an All-star or a borderline All-Star back?

  15. LA in LA

    Mike Brown has not been playing DJO much at all this preseason. I know it is only 2 games but he only played like 15 minutes in 1 game and didn’t play against Portland.
    Is this a good or a bad sign?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      It’s good prep for what his role will be if he stays with the team.

  16. Charlie

    Caught the Piston’s game yesterday and will have to peg them as the surprise team in the East. They have a pretty decent bench and Andre Drummond looks better than expected. I bet they finish ahead of both the Wizards (Wall injury) and Cavaliers (everyone not name Kyrie is terrible). Thinking about 10th in the East, which puts them much higher than expected. Agree or Disagree with the Piston’s as a surprise team this year?

  17. Sweet Dee

    In his chat, Bill Ingram claimed some D-League teams would wipe the floor with the Memphis Grizzlies second unit: Josh Shelby, Jarred Bayless, Quincy Pondexter, Mau Speights, and Hamed Haddidi. Agree or disagree with this statement?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      D-League teams rosters aren’t set. I’d have to wait and see. My preliminary answer is that I disagree. If they were better they’d be in the league.

  18. Frank

    After Jerome Jordan put up some solid numbers in his first preseason game. I have to wonder why a Houston Rockets team, who has very little depth (if any) at the center spot, would waive this guy? Questions: Why was he waived? And what do you think of Jerome as a player? Will he get run in Memphis this year?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      A numbers game. They acquired him looking to flip him, got him frustrated when they wouldn’t let him play for their summer league team at first, and then when it was clear a deal wasn’t happening they let him go rather than seeing what they had. Had they done that, I think he would have stuck.

  19. Eldad

    Hey Yannis, do you know if your coleague Eric P will continue with his weekly HW chats now that he accepted a position with LA Times?

  20. WIZARD

    Why former lottery picks terrence williams and jonhy flynn doing in detroit who already has 15 guaranteed contracts?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Best situation they could find. It’s slim pickings out there for those two right now.

      That’s going to do it for me folks. I’ll be back next week at the same time!