NBA Chat With Yannis 3/8/13

Join senior NBA and NCAA analyst Yannis Koutroupis for his weekly chat this Friday March 8 at 11 am est!

  1. Cain

    Can you rank this PG’s now and in 3 years? Lillard, CP3, Rose, Curry, Irving, Westbrook (Still think is SG)

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Welcome everyone to this week’s draft. Let’s jump into the questions.

      Give me CP3, Westbrook, Rose, Irving, Curry then Lillard. Very close up until Curry and Lillard, little bigger drop off there in my opinion but not by much. Westbrook is not a shooting guard, unfair to call him that in my opinion. He controls the game. The game is always crazy when he’s controlling it, but he controls it nonetheless.

  2. steppx

    2 questions. Does Cauley Stein come out this year? And if so how high could he go (Im big on his upside) and does TJ Warren come out. Same question.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I haven’t thought so for most of the season, but now I’m betting that he does. He’ll be on my next mock draft and he’ll probably be no lower than 12. Definitely a lottery pick. I like his upside as well. Tough kid, good mobility. Great size. Not much to dislike there. Not as sure on Warren, who I also think has some potential.

  3. Cain

    What is more important to Paul George’s development learning a post-game or learning to draw contact? Can drawing contact be taught?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      That’s a great question. Both would be really great additions for him. I’m going to say that they’re both equally important and in my opinion yes both can be taught. Being able to draw contact is definitely a fine art. Getting stronger helps, but KD seems to do just fine with contact and he couldn’t bench 185 lbs. coming into the league.

  4. Jon

    How far has Tony Mitchell’s draft stock fallen this season?

    I saw plenty of publications with him as a top-5 pick pre-season. The assumption likely was that he would dominate a Sun Belt schedule and develop a perimeter game – neither of which really happened.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      He’s probably going to end up going somewhere in the same range that he would have went last year if he declared to be a part of that much deeper class. I’m thinking somewhere in the 18-25 range. The coaching change has been horrific for him. He hasn’t adapted very well at all.

  5. LA in LA

    Thursday someone asked Greene who the best player was the NBA. I was caught off guard as I thought it evident LBJ was. Which is why he’s winning MVP. That got me thinking that for at least 4 of 5 years, There was no question who best player was
    2008: Kobe
    2009: Kobe
    2010: 3 way tie toss up between LBJ/Howard/Rose
    2011: Lebron
    2012: Lebron (this season)

    Lebron won in 2011 and should win this year, yet somehow Kobe failed to win MVP even though almost every article said “Kobe’s the best player in league but Lebron’s most talented”…
    agree or disagree

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      The MVP is not the best player award. If it was Kobe would have more than one. LeBron just happens to be the best player in the league right now and the MVP. To me MVP has always gone to the most productive player on a contending team. The one who would be most difficult to replace. Kobe only has one cause his teams weren’t contending a couple years when he was killing it and then otherwise he’s had Shaq or Pau.

  6. LA in LA

    Unpopular opinion:
    I know I’m in the minority here but I actually find the Spurs fun to watch. I love the precision they play with, how TP penetrates because he’s amazing in the paint, TD game is very enjoyable despite complaints of him being boring, etc.
    On the other hand, I find the Nuggets offense to be boring, discombobulated mess. If they can’t get a transition bucket, I saw a stat that they’re FG% is like 30% in half court. A team that’s good in transition is only fun to watch if they have a half court game; the Nuggets have no post players (I think Miller can, but he rarely does) or real shot creators.
    Thoughts?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      You’re definitely in the minority in terms of the general public, but I think you may have more peers in the basketball community than you realize. You have to remember And-1 basketball took the world by storm for a little bit. People love highlight-reel worthy plays, but eventually fundamentals and execution will always reign supreme.

  7. LayHee

    In his chat, Lang Greene said if the NYC had Kevin Martin in place of J.R.Smith “the Knicks would be as good as the Clippers. That level.” He cites Martin’s high basketball IQ and Smith’s propensity to take the errant three or throw a silly jump pass. Do you agree with Lang and the NYK would be on the Clippers level with this player change? Why or why not.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      In my opinion they are on the same level already. If the Knicks didn’t have Smith I’m not sure I would say that.

  8. LA in LA

    I promise this ends with a questions.
    Kyler said yourself that Wade/Bosh/LBJ are likely to opt out in 2014 and resign for smart deals.
    IF Melo opts out in 2014, he’d only be doing it to get a long term deal.
    I highly doubt Kobe and Duncan, if either are still in league, leaves their respective team.
    Gay’s not opting out imo (assuming he’s not extended) because I think his next contract will be cheaper.
    Dirk said he’ll resign in Dallas.
    There’s probably less than 10% chance a promising rookie whose a RFA gets let go.
    So that means the best realistic FA will be Pau Gasol.
    So tell me why people in the NBA have so much excitement over the summer of 2014?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Because any time there’s any sort of activity people enjoy it. And, whose to say those guys don’t at least make it exciting by considering their options.

  9. LA in LA

    Give me your thoughts on what Doc said:
    “But while he doesn’t like judging current players against retired icons, Rivers did add that he thinks Kobe Bryant’s greatness sometimes gets overlooked.

    “I think because he followed Michael, he probably doesn’t get the due he deserves,” said Rivers. “What he’s doing right now, at his age, I watched last night because I watch most of New Orleans’ games for personal reasons, he’s playing at a different level himself.”

  10. Jake From State Farm

    What do you think about putting ads on jerseys? I personally HATE the idea. The Nba can put ads on the court, on the sidelines, all over stadiums, and a couple of other places to. But, in my opinion, the jerseys should be off limits. Its not soccer. Ads cannot be on a jersey. It would ruin it. So, what do you think about this?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Put a scrolling marquee on them for all I care, just make games affordable for parents to take their kids to.

  11. Jim in CyberSpace

    Serge Ibaka. He’s gotten lot’s of press these past few days? He seems to be contrite about the BG below the belt thing? Presti re-signed Ibaka…and shipped Harden for a reason…that say’s something, he’s harder to replace?

    Ibaka made Stoudemire look old? Complete with the Dikembe Mutombo no-no finger wave. Athletic…jump out of the gym, speaks several languages, hardscrabble family background. He’s quick on the up-take?

    How does an NBA GM figure out what an international player’s worth is? Akeem was part of Phi Slamma Jamma…everyone knew about Akeem when he was drafted.

    I’m not about to compare Ibaka to “The Dream”, But there are sleepers out there not from the USA that most North American’s have never heard-of. Did you “know” of Ibaka when he was drafted at number 24 in 2008?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      You have to do your homework, scout these international showcases heavily and be well connected overseas with people who get to see these guys on a day-to-day basis in order to properly evaluate them. Even then, guys fall through the cracks all the time. It’s part of what makes scouting so important.

  12. JP

    Hi YANNIS! How are you?
    I have some questions for you:
    1-In your opinion, which would be the ideal SG for Minnesota both in the short term and long term if they have the option to draft any of McLemore, Shabazz or Oladipo? Can you please provide the reasons of it?
    2-Which is your opinion of Tim Hardaway Jr? Do you happen to know which might be his ceiling?
    3-Which player could be this year steal of the draft?
    4-Would you move up if you are Minnesota to get more top picks?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      1 – McLemore. They have to have a guy who can hit shots alongside Love and Rubio and McLemore can do that as good as anyone at the shooting guard position.
      2 – Tim’s gotten better this year. He’s shown some upside after a mediocre sophomore campaign. I think he’s a rotation guy.
      3 – Tough to say at this point with still so much movement ahead of us. I really like Jeff Withey, though, and feel like he isn’t getting credit. If Miles Plumlee went late first round last year, Jeff should go in teens.

  13. Jim in CyberSpace

    Does CP3 re-sign with the Clippers? He want’s a ring? I know it’s LA, but Sterling is the Boss. 4th best in the West.

    I don’t think they make it to the WC finales…I think the Grizzlies are still better, even after the Raptor’s trade. I see it as a one shot wad year that falls short, and then CP3 takes his talent’s elsewhere? What Uni is CP3 in next fall?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I think he does. They’ve done enough to keep him from signing elsewhere, where he could only get four years. They may not get to the WCF’s this year, but they could and their future is bright.

  14. tim

    What in the world is going on with Beasley? Wasnt Phx supposed to give him a fresh start and help him thrive in a free flowing offense?? Guy has all the talent in the world but lacks the passion. At this point is it fair to call him a bust?

    P.S – this “LA in LA” asks the SAME questions to every analyst week in and week out, super annoying.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I don’t think it’s fair to call him a bust. He’s had a decent career, just hasn’t lived up to the expectations. It’s time to stop making him something he’s not, though. He’s not a top two option.

  15. JP

    Last question. And if you get two top picks. Would you draft both McLemore & Oladipo?
    Rubio with Barea-Shved-McLemore&Oladipo would be as sweet as it gets.
    Which is your opinion of Shabazz?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      This is indeed the last question. I’ll be back next week at the same time! They are not the same player, if Oladipo can guard the three, which many think he can, they’d be ok. However, personally I’d like someone with more natural size for the position than Oladipo has. I like Shabazz a lot. He’s a top five guy without a doubt. Plays hard and can score, should make a smooth transition to the pros.