NBA Rumors Chat With Steve Kyler

HOOPSWORLD Publisher Steve Kyler will hold his weekly chat at 10:30am EST on Thursdays. Drop in your questions regarding NBA trades, the NBA Draft, roster moves or questions about your team.

  1. Prodigy J

    Laker question is raja bell going to be laker

    • Steve Kyler

      Welcome in everyone, lots to get to so I won’t waste a bunch of time on chit chat…

      No. He couldn’t reach a buyout deal in time to be playoff eligible, mainly because he couldn’t get assurances he’d be signed after clearing waivers. I think a lot of people link the Lakers to things the Lakers have no interest in. Every time a player is linked to LA, I text my source and get the same reply… ‘we’re not making any changes’.

      I think Raja would have loved to have been in LA… I think there are a number of Laker players that would have loved it, but what everyone keeps over looking is that the Lakers really don’t want to pay anymore luxury tax than they have to and with Dr. Buss gone, that’s going to be a prevailing concept in LA going forward.

  2. LA in LA

    I know Jack McCallum is a veteran writer who’s won multiple awards but his recent SI article ranking Lebron among “Lebron-like players” (meaning no bigs or pure PGs like Stockton) is bad. I had many problems with it but the one I wanted to ask you about is when (He rates them on 9 categories) he says Lebron, for his career, is a better scorer than Kobe.PPG wise he is but if your going strictly off PPG, you could make the (wrong) argument that Dwight Howard is a better offensive player than Al Jefferson when everyone knows Howard’s post game is lacking while Jefferson is low post beast who has a solid shot.
    He also discounts Lebron taking more FGA AND playing 3 more mpg for his career…

    • Steve Kyler

      Not sure if this a question. I am not the editor at SI, nor do I read much of what they produce… outside of Chris Ballard, Ben Golliver and Ian Thomsen… there isn’t anything there for me. So Not sure what your asking, but I’ll give your rant a go.

  3. 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?

    • Steve Kyler

      The Spurs are only about basketball… that is it. Nothing else really matters to them as a franchise. That is fun to watch. There are no agendas. No one who is force fed touches to keep him happy. A coach that tells you exactly what he’s thinking and a group of guys that leave their agenda at the door.

      Its purity and I not only like that… I love that.

  4. LA in LA

    1) I think Shane Battier is more important than Chris Bosh to the Heat, and definitely equal, especially since acquiring the Birdman. 11 of the Heat’s 14 losses have come either when Battier wasn’t playing or when he shot below league average (35%) from 3. Also, they’re 33-2 when shoots at least 40% from 3P. And for some reason he, rather than Cole, is usually left open despite shooting 42%.

    2)Also, i wrote this to Ingram and he agreed and said he could see Bosh being shopped. I understand Bosh contributes in ways more than stats tell, but at some point $17 mil per year is a lot for a 3rd man who’s best skill is scoring but is the team’s 3rd best and used scorer and 2nd best skill is rebounding, which he only grabs 7rpg.
    Once luxury taxes kick in he either has to go or get his salary cut in half, I think.

    • Steve Kyler

      1 — There is no possible way Shane Battier is more important than Bosh. The HEAT were actively looking for a replacement for Battier last off-season because he had dropped off so much. I think Shane has fit in better this year than last, but Bosh is an All-Star big… I think we’re getting a little crazy about Shane.

      2 — Here is the great thing about opinions… everyone has one. If the HEAT win another championship, I doubt seriously that they are doing anything with their core – if they get bounced for some reason all bets are off.

      LeBron, Wade and Bosh all have opt-outs in July of 2014… all three likely opt-out and sign smarter deals to stay together. I think anyone that believes Micky Arison is going to break up a championship machine doesn’t understand Mickey. is this group together in 2016? I doubt it. But is this group together if they repeat? Absolutely. They are playing the best basketball of anyone in the league and sent three guys to the All-Star game, that is the dream scenario for an owner.

  5. Art

    Steve who do you think the Magic look to draft assuming they get the #1 pick?

    • Steve Kyler

      I think you have to win the draft lottery first… then you have to start working guys out.

      Not sure why anyone believes that a draft pick or even a real list of possible guys exists somewhere. The Magic will be like the Spurs, Thunder and Rockets and look at maybe 65 guys this summer to make sure they come out with the best guys.

  6. Luke

    Is Jo Noah your favorite to win defensive player of yr or who else is on your list

    • Steve Kyler

      Larry Sanders sits at the top of my list.

      Noah, Chandler, Ibaka… all deserving, but what Larry Sanders is doing in Milwaukee is INSANE… he could win Most Improved and Defensive Player of the Year.

  7. Lost Orlando Fan

    1) If Josh Smith came knocking and wanted to join the youth movement, would Orlando give him a chance?

    2) If #1 was true, would hawks accept Big Baby as part of S&T?

    3) If #1 and #2 was true, and Magic drafts a decent PG, will they make playoffs next year?

    • Steve Kyler

      1) If Josh Smith came knocking and wanted to join the youth movement, would Orlando give him a chance?
      — No. Magic are not ready to capitalize on a high dollar free agent, maybe in 2014. Josh isn’t leaving Atlanta for a lottery team unless a Max deal and Orlando can’t offer that without a sign and trade.

      2) If #1 was true, would hawks accept Big Baby as part of S&T?
      — Why? Would have to say no. No reason, no fit, there are better places to put two years and $13 million.

      3) If #1 and #2 was true, and Magic drafts a decent PG, will they make playoffs next year?
      — Lets have a moment of honest between friends. Let’s call it an intervention. NONE OF THIS GOING TO HAPPEN.

      Orlando is going to suck again next year, its all part of the plan to stock up on as much talent as possible, get serious cap flexibility for a MONSTER 2014 Free Agent class. Orlando isn’t going to go all in on Josh Smith and remove themselves from the Jabari Parker/Andrew Wiggins/Harrison twins draft. Its going to be like this for one more year. July 2014, that’s when you can start asking who will Orlando unload money on, they’ll be out from under what they owe to Gilbert Arena, Stan van Gundy and Otis Smith and they’ll have tons of capspace to make smart decisions and add players that fit their system and concept.

  8. Alex in Burbank

    Steve, if the NBA starts adding ads to jerseys. Does this mean, jerseys sold to us will have them as well?

    • Steve Kyler

      Yes.

      It would be a small placement, likely on the shoulder.

  9. APHX10

    Steve hello.

    With Miami and Toronto Harlem Shake videos hitting youtube I think it’s only right TEAM HOOPSWORLD does their version of Harlem Shake next on Hoopsworld TV.

    • Steve Kyler

      Would you think less of me if I told you have never once seen the “Harlem Shake”?

      Ask Alex Kennedy (@alexkennedyNBA) and Yannis Koutroupis (@yannishw) that one, I am sure they can work something out for you. I hear Yannis can really get down.

  10. Charlie

    Preseason, there were some very strong opinions from readers on Hoopsworld about how great the Philadephia 76ers were going to be this year. Many analysts on this site had to defend their opinion the team would be a 5-6 seed at best. And low and behold 60 games in, the team has definitely underachieved (which could have been predicted given Bynum’s injury history the 3 years prior to his breakout year in the shortened season). Question: As a writer on this site – does it bother you that you get attacked on your opinion. When proven correct – we simply don’t hear from those same “what are you talking about!!” guys. When proven wrong – everyone and their brother can point to your argument and carve it to pieces. Which means many people will only remember the wrong opinions – not necessarily the right ones. And if you ever wrote an article on all the correct predictions you made – people would call you pompous. Your thoughts.

    • Steve Kyler

      As a writer you can not keep score, especially not when its your job to be on the bleeding edge of news.

      I get crushed on twitter because I don’t “break enough news” there… My job is to be as informed, as active and involved as I can be and try to bring you accurate, credible and well sourced and thought out materials.

      There will be days when I am stellar at this and there will be days when I am terrible at this… I accept that as part of the job. I never get too high when we win a story, I never get too low when we miss. I hope that we’re right more than we’re wrong. I hope that we’re fair and honest. I hope that we’re smart and informed. Beyond that, I live and work in a world I do not control, no matter how much I try and I accept that.

      The 76ers have had a tough season, not sure anyone expected Andrew Bynum to not play at all and I am not sure anyone saw Doug Collins imploding as he has under the pressure. Show me anyone who wrote that was going to happen… its hard to be a fortune teller.

      But really and honestly, you can not have longevity in this business and pretend that you have a batting average of 1.000, not even Adrian Wojnarowski who is the best hitter in the game – by far – doesn’t get them all right.

      Be fair in what you write, Be researched in what you write about, ask smart questions and be humble all the way through… thats how I approach what I do. I can’t really speak to anyone else.

  11. Dennis

    If you were GM of the Cavaliers and had the options to change draft picks – Tristan Thompson for Jonas Valanacious or Dion Waiters for Andre Drummond / Harrison Barnes. Are you satisfied with the #4 picks or do you make the change to either? Why or why not.

    • Steve Kyler

      Here is the thing… those players are a product of the situation they are in. If Lawrence Frank isn;t coaching Drummond does he become what you think of him as a player?

      Look no further than Tobias Harris and Orlando. Go back and read the commentary about Harris as a player on the day he was acquired. Putting it nicely, he wasn’t well thought of, in Orlando he’s become a stud.

      I don’t think you can just change guys and think you get the same results… how differently does playing with Kyrie Irving change things? I like where the Cavs are headed. I think they need a game changing big man, Anderson Varejao’s blood clot issue is scary – Alex Kennedy went through something similar this summer and spent almost 100 days in the hospital. Its not a trivial thing.

  12. Sweet Dee

    In China, Eddie Curry averaged 23 points and 10.1 boards in 29.6 minutes for a playoff team. Is any team going to take a chance on him? How about next year? If you were a coach/GM would you?

    • Steve Kyler

      I don’t think anyone has ever doubted Eddy’s ability to play… its Eddy’s work ethic that’s keeping teams from committing to him. I think much like this year, a team or two will call, invite him to camp and see if he fits, but putting up monster numbers in China when you are by far the biggest skilled guy there isn;t a huge accomplishment. Everyone knew Eddy could play. I am just not sure NBA teams want him in their locker room.

  13. Deven

    Why haven’t the results for week 18 for the Pick’Em Game been added yet?

    • Steve Kyler

      Something happened when we imported the Week 18 games… the developer is working on it.

      Greg Wells won Week 18, and was the only winner. Marjan Damjanovski and Hannibal Viesca, still sit atop the season long game with three weekly wins each.

  14. Ted Doo

    Hey Steve, great site! 2 questions. 1) Why doesn’t the league call Lebron for traveling when he takes 3 steps? Video replay of the game winner last night, he picks up his dribble and clearly takes 1, 2, 3, basket. I’m sure others do it too but what’s the league’s thinking on not calling it? 2) How would OKC be different (better/worse) if hypothetically they kept Harden and traded Westbrook?

    • Steve Kyler

      1st — I have given up on traveling. Its a loosely called rule to say the least. My comment on officiating is basically this… we have the benefit of the wide angle view. Either on TV or in the stands. Refs don’t have that. They can’t review something until they call it and if they don’t see it, they can’t call it. It;s easy to say the “replay clearly showed” but the refs don’t have that luxury. They have to call what they see and when you are as close to the action as they are things get missed especially with moves to the basket, the NBA lets a lot more of that go.

      2nd — Trading Westbrook was never an option. However part of trading Harden was related to Westbrook. Both need the ball to be aggressive and effective, which is why they were rarely on the floor together. Its also why Russell has exploded this year along with Harden in Houston, both can have the ball more. Its also why Kevin Martin has fit in so nicely because he can play effectively without the ball. So you get Russell with the ball more, Martin gets him space because of his movement and shooting ability. Its an understated part of the trade.

  15. Devin Brooks

    Steve, Detroit Pistons has a lot of money to play with this summer.. Can you give me three guys that you might have heard or believe Joe D would go after in trades or free agent.. I know Jose Carlderon is one, but give me three more you think.. thanks

    • Steve Kyler

      First… not sure you can do that… just pick three guys and throw money at them. Joe has said its not going to be like it was with Ben Gordon and Charlie V.

      I think you are going to see Detroit play this smart, get flexibility, grow their young guys be opportunistic about adding guys in free agency. I don’t think they give out a max offer sheet. The future of the franchise is already on the roster and they are going to have to start paying them fairly soon.

      I think they’ll do a smart deal with Jose, and I think they’ll look for the right veterans to come in and give their bench and young guys mentors and leadership.

      Guys… I am out of time. Thanks for all the questions. Make sure you are following me on Twitter (@stevekylerNBA). See you all next week.