NBA Chat With Yannis 9/16/11

Join senior NCAA and NBA analyst Yannis Koutroupis for his weekly chat at 11 am EST on 9/16/11! As always basketball questions from all levels are welcomed.

  1. Mardy from BKLYN

    If the owners get their hard cap, will the Miami Heat big three be broken up? (If so, it’s clear what Dan Gilbert’s angle is – one of pure bitterness.) If not, that hard cap will actually prevent parity in the league as teams like the Knicks will no longer be able to form threesomes to compete with the Heat and existing big threes, like the ones on the celtics and spurs, age out. All in all I see a hard cap as at least as likely to prevent parity as cause it – depending on whether a hard cap means the dissolution of the Miami big three.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Welcome everyone to this week’s chat! Not as much movement on the labor front as I was hoping for, but there still does seem to be a small amount of reason to be optimistic about the season staying in tact. Let’s get to the questions.

      It definitely creates a much more even playing field, one where the people with quality basketball guys upstairs would thrive and the others would struggle. I can understand why the owners of teams who haven’t been that good recently want it. That’s very obvious. Plus, it’s definitely noticeable that teams who spend more money have a better chance of winning. Look at the Mavericks and Lakers’ payroll from the last three years. But, players have made it fairly clear that insisting on a hard cap will lead to the season being lost. I think we see an increase in the penalty for going over a certain threshold when it’s all said and done.

  2. Alex

    Lefraud James–incredible against Toronto in January, no where to be found in the playoffs once teams gameplan for him. Does this pretty much sum up his career?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Here are LeBron’s playoff statistics: 24 ppg, 10 rpg, 6 apg vs. Philly. 28 ppg, 8 rpg, 3 apg vs. Boston. 25 ppg, 7 rpg, 6 apg vs. Chicago. 17 ppg, 7 rpg, 6 apg vs. Dallas. So, to answer your question – saying that he was nowhere to be found in the playoffs does not sum up his career. In fact, it’s just a completely ridiculous statement. Miami was two games away from winning the NBA championship in this group’s first year together. If you want to hate LeBron, hate him because of how he carrier himself off the court, that’s fine you’re entitled to do so. But to act like he’s not one of the greatest players in today’s game, and of all time, is simply ludicrous. I’m not even biased either. It’s not like me and LeBron are friends. When I interview him I get the same, dull, short answers that everyone else gets. But the guy is phenomenal on the basketball court, and I don’t let my feelings for the way he is off of the court get in the way of noticing that. Neither should anyone else.

  3. nick Australia

    sup Yannis, I just wanted to know your opinion on the Laker situation. What do you think they need to prioritise in order to be major championship threats in the next season.
    I believe that the picks they got from the draft could do well at the point, i read an article where Erik said that one of them given another year in college could have been a lottery pick, so that is promising. I believe we need a strong athletic SF

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Luke Walton doesn’t fit the bill of a strong, athletic SF? Just kidding. Seriously, though, they have Matt Barnes and Devin Ebanks backing up Ron Artest at the three. I think they’re ok at that position. I like the guys they drafted too. Think that Morris could end up being quite nice for them down the road. Goudelock would have been perfect in the triangle, I’m curious to see if he can handle the transition well in Mike Brown’s offense or not. I don’t think the Lakers need to make any wholesale changes overall, though. If they can get better at the point, great, but I think losing was the motivation this team really needed.

  4. Kyle

    Hey Yannis, who wins and who loses in this trade? LAC gets Danny Granger and Kirk Hinrich, ATL gets Chris Kaman and Mo Williams, and IND gets Josh Smith.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      The Clippers win, and the Pacers lose. I don’t think Indiana agrees to that deal. They wouldn’t trade Granger for Smith straight up, they would want to have more talent come their way in return, understandably.

  5. Bill

    Lebron’s failure to step-up in the NBA Finals has been discussed over and over again. However, it seems like everyone is forgetting how Dwayne Wade choked in the conference finals against the Bulls and how Lebron carried them to the finals. Am I the only one who realizes James wouldn’t even have had a chance to fail in the finals if he crumbled in the conference finals like Wade did. Yet all I hear now is how Dwayne is the savior of the team. I believe this is a short sighted view from the media. A “What have you done for me lately” mentality? Agree or Disagree.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Check out my comment above on LeBron. He should have been better against the Mavericks, but look at what Kobe’s done in the Finals against the Boston Celtics in ’08 or against the Detroit Pistons in ’04. Even as disliked at Kobe has been in his career, nobody talks about his poor performances in the Finals like they do LeBron’s from this past year. I don’t get it, honestly. If his teammates make a few more shots Miami is the champs. I shudder to think what everyone would complain about then. I’m sure they’d find something, though.

  6. Bill

    If the Phoenix Suns didn’t cheap out and decided to guarantee years 5+6 for Amare Stoudemire. What seed would you predict the Suns making this year based on the core of Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, and Marcin Gortat.

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      They would be somewhere in the 3-6 range, depending on how healthy they stay and how good the team is around them. Sarver not being cheap is almost not worth talking about, though. He destroyed any chance that the team had of winning a championship by not being willing to spend money that he would have made back easily. It has to be maddening for Suns’ fans, I feel for them.

  7. Bill

    In his chat, Steve Kyler said once Boris Diaw’s current contract expires, he will be out of the NBA. Do you agree?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Only if he wants to be. But we’re talking about a 29-year-old forward who averaged 11 points, 5 rebounds and four assists last year. Talent wise he belongs in the NBA and there will be several teams willing to sign him after next season when his contract expires. However, he could opt to get closer to home and go play overseas. I’m guessing that’s what Steve was suggesting.

  8. erik

    Can 2011 nba draft picks play for D-League affiliates if NBA is still in lockout mode? It would help their development to NBA and make D League games more interesting to watch. Thanks

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      You’re right it would, but don’t expect. Money in the D-League isn’t good enough. I think those guys would also rather work out on their own instead of being on those long bus rides and living the unglamorous life of a D-Leaguer.

  9. Jhayee

    Rudy Gay,Brook Lopez,nets 2012 1st draft pick goes 2 orlado..
    Dan Gadzuric,Earl Clark,magics 2012 1st draft pick goes 2 memphis
    Hedo Turkoglu,Dwight Howard goes 2 net..
    memphis gets the cap space they need 2 retain gasol,magic get rid of hedo’s contact..

    tnx

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Who wants cap space in a deal where Brook Lopez and Dwight Howard are changing teams? Memphis gives up their best player for Dan Gadzuric, Earl Clark and a first round pick that’s going to be low?? No way they would ever agree to that. I know the Gasol trade jokes are right behind this answer, but that was different. They needed to rebuild then. They could have been in the WCF’s if they had Rudy this year. They’re not better without him. They just played really well in the playoffs without him.

  10. Jhayee

    Chris Kaman,Al-Farouq Aminu goes 2 sixers..
    mini 2012 1st DRAFTPICK,Nikola Pekovic,Dan Gadzuric goes 2 memphis..
    Rudy Gay,Hamed Haddadi goes 2 LA..
    Brook Lopez,Brandon Bass goes 2 minisota..
    Michael Beasley,Anthony Randolph,Andre Iguodala,Anthony Morrow,nets 2012 1st DRAFTPICK GOES 2 orlando..
    Hedo Turkoglu,Dwight Howard goes 2 nets

    tnx..

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I don’t even know where to start, so I’m just going to say that this deal would not happen.

  11. Mark

    If a hard cap comes into play this coming year, wouldn’t it be fairer to have a gradual hard cap implemented than just one all at once?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Yeah, and that’s how it would be. Teams would have until 2014, or whenever, to get to wherever the hard cap is.

  12. Jono

    Hey Yannis,
    Assuming that the NBA lockout ends, which teams after the trade period will be better than they were last year? for example heat acquire a centre, denver signs nene and gets david west etc

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      It’s really hard to say. I think that the HEAT, Mavericks, Lakers Thunder and Bulls are going to be the top five and outside of that anything can really happen. It’s plausible that another team could get into that mix.

  13. Dong

    Hey Yannis,

    What are your thoughts on Kenneth Faried? Will he be a contributor right away? What kind of stat line would you expect from him if he played 20-25 mins a game?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Anyone who plays as hard as he does is going to produce given the time. I’ve got some concerns, though. He’s undersized, which really makes me worry about whether or not he’s going to be able to defend in the pain. Also, he’s not the most well-rounded player offensively. He’s going to have to expand his game if he’s going to be able to be serviceable offensively. He’s not going to be able to score like he did in college by just being better and more athletic than people he was going up against at Morehead State.

  14. Bhagdeep

    Amir Johnson and Jose Calderon for Jammer Nelson and Ryan Anderson…who says no toronto or orlando?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Probably Orlando. Not that it’s a bad trade, but I don’t think it makes them any better. Johnson would be terrible in SVG’s system. He loves those floor spacing bigs like Anderson.

  15. Jim

    How do you predict BJennings stat line next year (if we can get to some NBA ball)

  16. Brandon Jennings

    Name your top ten point guards in the NBA

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I hate doing things like this on the fly because I know I’m going to leave guys off but here’s my quick top 10: Rose, Rondo, Williams, Paul, Nash, Parker, Westbrook, Wall, Jennings and Billups in no particular order. Didn’t include Monta or Tyreke because they’re more combo guards than true point guards.

  17. Jesse

    If the players decide to decertify the union, could the owners then void all of their contracts? It seems to me this could be to the owners advantage because they could void all contracts, set up a draft and re-draft their current players so they have their rights…then set up any cap system them want. No?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      Legally they could, but I don’t think that they would ever do that. Good luck getting the HEAT, Knicks, Lakers, Bulls and other teams with cores that they like signing off on that. They wouldn’t do it. I’m sure Dan Gilbert and Glen Taylor would love that idea, though.

  18. Suzanne

    What do you think the Nets need to do to keep DWill in NJ/Bklyn? Is Dwight a realistic goal?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      No, Dwight is not realistic. But he’d be so great there that you have to at least try for it. I think they just need to get another borderline All-Star player in there and he’ll probably be inclined to stay.

  19. alberto del rio

    good morning yannis. I seen in todays NBA AM article team G for iMPACT bball in vegas.do you of any link were i can view every teams roster? Thanks

  20. Nick

    Do you think the Cavs will trade Jamison, Davis, Sessions or Gibson? What do you think we can get back?

    • Yannis Koutroupis

      I think that they’re all available. They could get some good talent in return, you would think. All of their contracts have just one or two years left.

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