NBA Chat With Yannis 1/13/12

Join senior NCAA and NBA analyst Yannis Koutroupis for his weekly chat at 11 am EST on Friday January 13th. As always basketball questions from all levels are welcomed.

  1. knicks fan

    the knicks need a sg is there anyway they could get martell webster from minny?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Welcome everyone to this week’s chat. Let’s get right to the questions.

      The biggest hole that the Knicks have is at the point guard position. That’s where the real concern should be at, not shooting guard. I don’t see Martell Webster changing their fortunes very much at all. He wouldn’t be overly difficult to acquire from Minnesota, but the Knicks are sorely lacking assets. They’re going to have to figure out a way to make it work with what they’ve got. Honestly, it looks like the table is being set for a D’Antoni dismissal.

  2. MagicJoe

    If Otis is replaced who do you see as a good fit to replace him? and does +rlando have a shot at Josh Smith?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      For some reason Smith isn’t on the hot seat. There haven’t been any names mentioned as a replacement. Maybe they promote from within. All I know is whoever goes into that position is going to have their hands full and a tough task ahead. That fan base is going to be pretty upset after the inevitable departure of Dwight. I can’t see Atlanta letting Smith go for anything that Orlando has to offer. It’s not like they’re going to get Dwight for him, and who outside of him is worth Smith?

  3. Jeremy

    if you are the gm of the team, who will u pick? a center with a lot of potential but is injury-prone, or a center with a lot of potential but has character issues? both have the potential to be top 5 centers in the league.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Give me character issues. Those are easier to fix than being injury prone. You’re basically asking me if I would take DeMarcus Cousins or Greg Oden now knowing what we know and of course, I’m taking Cousins all day.

  4. Jimmy

    Yannis, whats your thoughts on Vinny D’s performance as coach? The Clips offense seems similar to that of the Bulls when he coached there – a bit stagnent that generates limited gaps in the oppositions D. Quite often they seem to rely on Griffin/Paul brilliance to score.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      VDN is in an ideal situation with a ridiculously talented team that is going to make his job easier. All he has to do is manage their personalities and utilize everyone’s skill sets properly. I’m not going to judge him too much right now because he had very little time to work with the team and the blockbuster trade happened in the blink of an eye. It went down and then they were playing their only two preseason games. As long as he gets them to the playoffs that’s all that matters. Their biggest jumps will come starting next season.

  5. Jimmy

    D-Rose misses a game and Boozer steps up to score 4 pts vs the worst team in the league (Washington)? What happened to this guy? He used to rule

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Looks like Carlos was expecting the lockout to last longer than it did. I think he’ll get it together, but he’s obviously not the same player he was last year.

  6. Hicksy

    Greetings from Australia!! With the SPURS need for a big why sign Doigu he plays what 7 mins then cut him why?Attitude/workrate etc

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      If you don’t play defense for Coach Popovich, you will get run off in no time at all. They had Malcolm Thomas playing well in the NBDL and are in love with his collegiate teammate Kawhi Leonard. Figured why not give Thomas, who is younger and better defensively than Diogu, the shot.

  7. Glen Taylor (Juan Pablo)

    Imagine I’m the owner of TWolves and I tell you that I want to have just 12 players in my roster. I want to keep the players you will see below as well and fill the team with very good players or young players with all-star potential at least (even if I have to trade for draft picks and get them via draft).
    Starters: Rubio-___-Williams-Love-____
    Bench: Barea-____-Webster-Randolph-Tolliver
    Prospect: Lee – ____ (combo forward-center).
    Which players would you pick considering the current style of play and all players available to trade (Ridnour, Ellignton, W Johnson, Beasley, Milicic, Pekovic, Miller and draft picks)?
    I´m not sold on any of the those tradable players.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I’d like to see them make a run at Chris Kaman. They’ve wanted a true back-to-the-basket center alongside Love for a couple of seasons now. I’m not sure what you can get for the guys you left of your list. An All-Star caliber player seems like a stretch. Personally, I’d keep Ridnour around because I think that Barea is going to be used a lot more at the off guard position when healthy. They need to improve at the shooting guard position, perhaps they do that in the draft with a guy like Terrence Ross or Austin Rivers if available.

  8. Anthony

    Can Atlanta make a serious run with Horford on the sidelines? Do they have any options at this point, or is it already time to start thinking about next season for them?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      They can’t make a serious run, if you consider that finishing in the top four and being strong in the playoffs but they can still make the top eight I believe if everyone steps up and picks up the slack for Horford. It’s still too early to write off the year, but losing Horford hurts. There’s no denying that.

  9. keo

    Good morning yannis ,
    I was reading that rasheed Wallace wants to return to the nba …what teams do you think can use him? I personally think he should come back to the celtics for a 1 year deal since he owes them a year for leaving them and the fact that they Went to the finals together.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      That’s the most logical destination, but do the Celtics even want to do that? They’re old enough already. Perhaps the Spurs give him a look. They made him an offer before he chose the Celtics over them. I think the Bulls also give him a look.

  10. Alex in Burbank

    Yannis,
    I know you guys are probably tired of Laker questions but me being from L.A. that is exactly what I have. I poligize in advanced. Help me understand one thing. Under Phil Jackson the Lakers were an awesome offensive team and a so so defensive team. Under coach Brown it’s the opposite. We have the same core pretty much minus Odom, why did we improve so much defensively but are now lacking offensively? I know coach Brown preaches defense but how can these same players lack offense when they were top 5 last year? I’m stumped!

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I grew up a Laker fan, so I don’t mind talking about them at all. I still keep a very close eye on them. Last year’s team ran, and most importantly intimately understood, one of the most complex offensive systems the game has ever seen. They knew the ins and outs of that system completely. That’s not the case with Brown’s offense, which is more traditional and easier to defend in my opinion. Once they get used to it, they should be fine. They have three players capable of giving them 20+ on every given night in Kobe, Pau and Drew. Kobe, as he’s proven the last two games, can also go for 40+. The offense will come. As for the defensive being improved, that’s Brown’s specialty. He’s brought some philosophical changes that have helped the Lakers a lot and focused on it more than Phil did.

  11. HoBo

    Waz up Yannis, can any team that wants talk to Wilson Chandler? Cavs need to get Kyrie a running mate under 35.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      From my understanding, they can talk to his agent but he cannot agree to anything until his contract in China expires in March. He’d be nice in Cleveland, I’m curious to see where he ends up.

  12. Jaimeson

    Any way Cavs can get ahold of Joe Johnson? W/ Al done for year, ATL’s season is over. Trade exempt? Jamisons expiring? Sessions was rumored to be moved? Or is Joe on the downside & Cavs seem to be going young? They do need a wing scorer tho.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Why would they take on that monster contract? Atlanta is going to end up amnestying him before they find someone willing to trade for him.

  13. Zac

    Sheed is possibly coming back! Will teams that need a big man to play a few minutes a game and are in playoff contention. Celtics, Hawks, Magic, Bulls, Blazers who takes a chance on him?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Just went over this below. Rasheed had no interest in playing Atlanta in the past, I don’t think he would now. He’s not going to want to go to a situation where he’s going to be expected of a lot because he’s been away from the game for over a year now. I can’t imagine him being in the kind of shape where he’d be willing to play 20+ minutes right away. Orlando doesn’t seem likely either. I didn’t think of the Blazers earlier. That could be an option.

  14. JazzFan

    Considering the Jazz took the Lakers down to the wire in OT and was on a 5 game winning streak do you think the Jazz can realistically make the playoffs this season?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Sure. They’re in 7th place right now. Based off of that it’s hard to say that it’s unrealistic for them to make it. Memphis is the only team I could see taking that spot away from them and they’re without Z-Bo for awhile.

  15. Zac

    This offseason what moves do you see the blazers making with cambys contract expiring does he get traded or does it expire? Also do you see Luke Babbitt getting amnestied to make room to sign another player that is more productive?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I expect Camby’s contract to just expire. Portland used their amnesty, even if they did have it though there’s no way they use it on a rookie contract like Babbitt’s. It wouldn’t be the difference in them getting a big name guy or not.

  16. Bobby

    With the Magic playing well, should they still look at trading for another player or stay the course with the current team that they have?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      They’re going to have to trade Dwight, it’s as simple as that.

  17. Jon in PDX

    Happy Friday Yan- If you were the Blazers do you try and keep both Gerald Wallace and Nicolas Butum? If not who do you keep and why?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Wallace is the better one right now, but he may end up becoming overpriced and Batum has the higher upside right now. I go with Batum.

  18. Jon in PDX

    Should the Blazers think about trading for a full time Center like Chris Kaman? There could be a possibly trade with Gerald Wallace for Kaman? I would hate to lose the heart and hustle of Wallace but the Blazers need a better big man then another SF. Thoughts?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Good idea in theory, but the Hornets aren’t easy to deal with. Not sure that they wouldn’t put an outrageous price tag on Kaman.

  19. Jasper

    Could the mavs possibly sign both DWill and Howard as reported by a few media outlets, is there a legit possibility to clear enough cap sapce?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Doubtful. Both could be traded by the deadline, which would kill that plan. It’s a lofty dream for Cuban.

  20. Richard

    do u see chicago making any moves to go after another 2 guard? rip is hurt and im guessing there wishing they would have signed J Crawford. I hear Mayo is being dangled out there to NJ any chance Chi gets involved for him or any other player/position

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Chicago would probably love to add a guy like Mayo, but the Grizzlies do value him to a certain extent. Not sure if Chicago could get him unless they were willing to give up Omer or Gibson.

  21. Coop

    As a Bulls fan I feel like we are still missing a piece to win it all. Do you think this current roster has what it takes to win a championship?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I do not. I think they’d lose to Miami again. Maybe it’s their reserve perimeter players that need to be upgraded.

  22. Josh

    The Jazz are winning the games they should be winning. With that said, at the deadline do you think they trade Al, Milsap, Harris for young guys and picks?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I think Milsap gets traded, maybe with Harris is a bigger deal but I see Jefferson sticking around. That contract isn’t easy to deal.

  23. Bryan

    pacers finish where?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I actually think they stay put at 5th place.

      That’s going to do it for me this week guys. Take care, I’ll see you next week at the same time!