NBA Chat With Yannis 5/25/12

Join senior NCAA and NBA analyst Yannis Koutroupis for his weekly chat this Friday May 25th at 11 am EST! As always basketball questions from all levels are welcomed.

  1. Steve

    Hey Yannis, If the Bucks sign a free agent big to try and fill the shoes left by Andrew Bogut, who do you think would be the best option?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Welcome everyone to this week’s chat! Sorry or the change in time, had to work around my trip to John Lucas’ training facility in Houston. I’m back home now and ready to chat!

      Chris Kaman would be a nice guy to pick up, although I’m not sure how realistic of an option he is. He’s the top unrestricted center in the league. All the other guys are restricted or have options that are sure to be picked up. If you can’t get Kaman, Marcus Camby would be a good backup plan.

  2. Jeremy

    Hey Yannis! If you’re the raptors do you take Damian Lillard to start at PG or Jeremy Lamb to come off the bench behind Derozan?? Please don’t tell me it’s Perry Jones at #8.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I’ve been going with Jones just because I feel like he’s the best player available. If they really want to go point guard, I don’t think eight is all that high for Lillard. Maybe a bit, but I don’t have him going much higher. I really think what they should do is try to trade down for Moe Harkless or Quincy Miller since they really need a small forward.

  3. Dave

    Who says no? (Salaries work)
    Thunder Get: Aldridge
    Blazers Get: Westbrook
    Thunder get an all star PF who isn’t a ball hog. It seems like he would fit with Durant better as he gives the Thunder what they need. Also this can let OKC secure Harden long term as they would feel better to let go Ibaka (when his contract is up). All OKC really needs is a point guard to run the offense. (Miller? Billups? Hinrich? Kidd?)
    Portland gets a young all star PG in Westbrook. They should let Felton go in free agency. At the 6th pick they should draft Drummond and at 11 the should pick the best talent available. Also with cap space to put players around Westbrook, they can be better than they ever were in recent times. (Reminds me of Iverson and the 76ers).

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      It’s not that Aldridge for Westbrook is laughable. In terms of talent, they’re close. But, why would the Thunder trade their second best player for a PF when they already have Ibaka? Just doesn’t make any sense for them.

  4. Robert

    Does Toronto have the pieces to acquire a SF such as Danny Granger or Andre Iguodala? Would the #8 pick and Ed Davis be enough for either of those guys?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      No, it wouldn’t. I don’t think they have the pieces, unless one of those teams falls in love with Bargnani. It’d have to be Bargnani+#8.

  5. Robert

    Which team would win between the 2010-2011 Cleveland Cavaliers or the 2011-2012 Charlotte Bobcats?

  6. OKC fan

    Well, Perkins was playing ok in the last game, but overall he feels like an overrated player. He go the aura of being a great defensive player, but he isn’t (Garnett and Ibaka are), and he is the worst offensive starting center in the league. I know, he set blocks that help kd and rw get easy buckets. But you could get the same blocks from a center ten times cheaper. Wouldn’t it make sense to amnesty perk in order to retain Ibaka and harden?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      He’s a great role player to have on a talented team with potent offensive weapons, which the Thunder have and the Celtics had when Perk started there. A lot of his value can’t be seen in the stat sheet. It’s with the mentality he instills on the team, especially defensively. I don’t think they’d amnesty him. They traded for him for a reason, and he’s brought exactly what they wanted.

  7. Bryant

    Dos Santos or Mir?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Dos Santos. Mir’s gonna try standing up with him at first and it will be his downfall.

  8. Davonte

    Who says no to this trade. http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=caeah5z NY unloads amare and gets two stretch playmaking 4′s as well as a young scoring combo guard for cheap. Orlando gets a defensive ace that is still capable of scoring 15 a night as well as a former lottery pick who is finally putting it together. look at his PER :) . And Amare to shoulder the scoring load

  9. Brad

    Better Player in 5 years Marshon Brooks or Jeremy Lamb and Why?

    Who has more potential and a bigger upside?

    Do you see any of them making the all start team in the future?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Tough to say. I’m inclined to go with Brooks because I associate risk with every rookie, whereas Brooks has proven he can produce in the league already. Stretch to say they’re future all-stars, but wouldn’t completely rule that out.

  10. Jay

    How exactly is Austin Rivers undersized? according to NBA Draft Net last summer he measure in at 6’5 200 pounds at 2011 Kevin Durant skills acadamey.

    All these guys are about the same height and size as rivers and they are are dynamic scorers.

    Dwyane Wade, Monta Ellis, Eric Gordon, Marcus Thornton, and Jordan Crawdford.

    I just dont get the talk on how he Beal and Waiters are undersized.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      We’ll find out how tall he is for sure in a couple of weeks at the NBA Combine, I doubt he’s really 6’5. And, I think it comes from the notion that most shooting guards are around 6’6, so the guys who are 6’4 or around there get labeled undersized.

  11. blue

    Can Damian Lillard start in the NBA next season? Is he talented enough? Can he be a dynamic scorer at the point guard position?

    Is he a future All Star?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Depends on the situation. If he goes to New Orleans, possibly. Probably in Portland too. I believe he is talented and skilled enough. By dynamic if you mean 25-30 a night, no. I think he’ll be able to put up 18-22 a game at his best. Won’t say he’s a future All-Star with how many talented PGs there are in the league right nwo.

  12. Dr. J

    As a Jazz fan I have been dreaming up trades to fix our big man log jam. But I’m stuck on one problem, Al Jefferson. Sure he has proven he can be a 18/9 guy. But can you think of any team that would give up anything of value for him?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      You could definitely get some value in return. I’m a proponent of trading Millsap and keeping Jefferson because you can play both Kanter and Favors alongside of him.

  13. Deven

    Hi Yannis. What are you expecting for the OKC-SAS series?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      A close, back and forth series that the Thunder eventually come out on top of. The Spurs are good, but I think that OKC’s defense is going to give them trouble and that they’ll be able to win the battle in transition.

  14. Omar El-Khodary

    What piece would best help Indiana next year? A deron Williams or Eric Gordon? Why wouldn’t Williams be intrigued by the high-rising Pacers rather than a building nets team?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      After seeing the Pacers this year, if you add Williams I definitely think you have a contender. That’s an interesting situation if it occurs. I think that’s definitely who they should go after. They’re much more attractive long-term than the Nets and Mavericks are, barring that the Nets don’t land Dwight.

  15. Peter

    Other than hoping adding Andre Miller or Billups this offseason for the Bulls as a stop gap for Rose, I really hope they trade Boozer. I think he still has value that you can get better pieces with. What do you think of either of these trades which are ordered in preference.

    1. Boozer, Brewer, and Watson for Amare. Amare doesnt fit right with Melo and your not trading him. Brewer be a good backup and stop gap till Iman gets back. CJ would be a solid backup. Boozer doesn’t mind taking a backseat with touches and Chandler could hide his defensive abilities. Amare under Thibs might be revitalized having to actually play defense. First he would be the main offensive option since Rose wouldn’t be back till 2013. Even then Rose is a willing passer much more then Melo. Second its a big market he could make huge endorsements with. Third you saw his MVP like year for first half last year pre Melo. Better then Boozer ever could be plus if ti doesn’t work out bc injuries we can Amnesty him. We were considering amnestying him anyways.

    2. Boozer for Ben Gordona and fller. As you could tell from the playoffs Chicago needs offense. Gordon could be an elite 6th man on the Bulls, Terry like. Getting back to NBA relevance might inspire his 2009 playoff play. Also Boozer would look good next to Monroe. A nice veteran presence on a young team and with Knight, Stuckey, Prince and Monroe could make playoffs with that trade. Thoughts?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Both of those teams are trying to ascend, I don’t think they’d view adding Boozer as a move that’s going to make them significantly better. Maybe Detroit, but I’d be concerned about my interior defense with Boozer and Monroe.

  16. Dan

    Is pau for deron a legitimate possibility? Also can Dwight for Bynum actually happen? Pau for iggy?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I don’t think Pau for Deron is legitimately possible. NJ would want, and could probably get, better. Dwight for Bynum is more possible, but still a bit of a stretch. Pau for Iggy? Probably the most realistic in the group.

  17. Gery

    I just want to point out that Miami beat Indy with turiaf and Joel and their only legitimate big man. Hibbert shoud ve had at least 20 and 15 and Dwest 20 and 10. I have a lot of respect for Miami but Indy had this series in their hand, They might ve been physical but mentaly they are really weak squad.Whats your take?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Miami’s superstars rose to the occasion. With the two guys they have, when they do that, they’re tough for any team to beat. LeBron and Wade can win series by themselves. Together? They can do so even easier, regardless of how beat up the team is.

  18. Marlon D.

    On the shoulders of D-Wades 41 points, the Heat advance to the Eastern Conderence finals for the 2nd year in a row. My money is on the Celtics to be there with them, what chances do you give the celtics at de-throning king James and going on to the NBA finals?

  19. Nick

    Do the Indiana Pacers have any realistic shot at landing Eric Gordon in free agency? If they offered him a Max contract do you think New Orleans would match it?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I’m not sure they would, nor am I sure they should. Even though he’s going to get a max deal, I’d be hesitant as the new owner of the Hornets if I want to be the one to give it to him. They’re a long ways off from competing, and if he doesn’t earn every dollar they could really be handcuffed for the next few years.

  20. Rory

    Hey Yannis thanks for the chat!!! Who do you see the Raptors taking in the draft if Perry Jones goes 7th to GS? Also do you see the Raptors making a pre-draft trade for someone like Gay?

    Thank you,

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      They could go in a number of different directions. I wouldn’t go with a wing there, unless MKG or Barnes surprisingly slips. As I recommended earlier, if I were them I’d probably trade down. I don’t think they need to trade with anyone with a big, long deal like Gay’s unless it puts them into contention. I don’t think Gay does that.

  21. Fraser

    Hi Yannis, love the chats. I was reading Chad Ford’s latest mock and he has the Raps picking Dion Waiters at 8. That is the first I have heard of him projected in the lottery. Is there a new development to raise his stock?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      They’ve done a great job of showcasing him out there at Impact and talent evaluators are starting to get a better idea of what all he’s capable of. While Syracuse was a great school for him to get exposure, there were questions there about his defense and offensive game. They’re starting to be answered, and he’s climbing as a result. Eight is high to me, but he believes he belongs in that range and I think Ford putting him there proves he’s not just overly high on himself.

  22. Jeremy

    Who of the draft prospects do you see moving up in the draft? Lillard, Lamb seem like prime candidates to move up in workouts.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I’m thinking more along the lines of Will Barton, Arnett Moultrie and Dion Waiters. Lillard and Lamb are pretty steadily projected to go 8-16. They’re jump won’t be that great, if there is one at all.

  23. Nick

    If you were Toronto would you deal Bargnani + 2012 pick to Washinton to get their #2 pick. A Valanciunas/Robinson combo would be deadly!

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I would not, but Robinson Valanciunas could be great I won’t disagree with that.

  24. Joe

    Hi Yannis, looking for your expertise regarding this power forward heavy draft.Who are the best 2 of these group entering the draft and will eventually be starters in the NBA-T.Robinson,Sullinger,T.Jones,Moultrie,Henson,Nicholson and R.White.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Robinson and Moultrie are my two favorites, although Sullinger will definitely go higher than Arnett. Here’s how I see them being ranked years from now: Robinson, Moulrie, Sullger, Nicholson, White, Jones. All serviceable players who are a big part of their team’s rotation.

  25. EMAN

    Hows it going Yannis,
    I think the Lakers would be more athletic as well as young if they traded Gasol for Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, or a Jeff Teague, what do you think? Then p/u Jordan Hill, keep Eyenga,and Sessions to back up the bench, and Jeff Teague to start?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      It answers some needs. I really like what Hill gave them this year. Think he’s worth keeping. Gasol has to go, especially if it means upgrading at point.

      That’s going to do it for me this week folks. Sorry I couldn’t get to all the questions. I’ll be back next week at my normal time!