NBA Rumors Chat With Steve Kyler 12/01/11

HOOPSWORLD Publisher Steve Kyler will hold his weekly chat at 3:30pm EST on Thursdays. Drop in your questions regarding NBA trades, the NBA Draft, roster moves or questions about your team.

  1. Jason (Miami)

    Steve,
    How if at all, does the Amnesty Clause help the Orlando Magic keep Dwight in 2012 as well as signing CP3 or Williams to run the team?

    • Steve Kyler

      Welcome in everyone… there are already 102 questions in que, so I will guarantee I won’t get to them all… but thanks for all the questions in advance, I will do my best to bounce around the list to get as many of you in as possible… lets get after it…

      The Amnesty clause isn’t a tool to help teams keep players… its a tool to help teams mange costs and fix broken or bad economic rosters… to that end the Magic could use it to clear out Gilbert Arenas’ deal, but dumping that deal alone won’t help Orlando land Chris Paul anymore than it would help them keep Dwight Howard.

      The issue with both players is they both feel they have given all they can give to their respective teams and its now time to move to bigger markets were they can be elite stars and have a chance to compete for championships every year… thats what both want, and Orlando’s problems are not solved by one action… they are where they are after a series of bad decisions.

      Could Orlando swing a crazy series of deals to radically re-invent themselves? maybe, but Amnesty would be the smallest part of it.

  2. Otis Smith

    Could I take the Nets offer (w/out Dwight extending) use the amnesty on Gilbert, trade contracts like Jameer Nelson’s and Brandon Bass, let Richardson walk….and then sign Dwight Howard and either CP3 or Derron Williams as free agents in 2012?? We would still have Anderson, Reddick, Lopez, our mid level and 3 early to mid first rounders to build on. Dwight gets to finish what he started with a superstar PG and a world of futur potential!! Brilliant or Fantasy??

    • Steve Kyler

      The day Dwight leaves will be the last day Dwight wears a Magic uniform… “could it happen” sure, but it won’t play out that way.

      Honestly, this isn’t about the Magic as much as it is about Dwight wanting a much bigger stage for all the things he wants to do in life.

  3. Hammer

    With a such a short free agency period do you think teams will be unwilling to sign restricted free agents to an offer sheet? Can a team afford to be left hanging for 3 days with the risk of being matched and left behind in the mad free agency rush?

    • Steve Kyler

      If you want the guy, the calendar has little to do with it.

      What you may see a lot of is guys taking their Offer sheet and getting into camp and hitting unrestricted free agency next year… Playing the waiting game on other teams could be dangerous.

  4. rodney

    with the clippers saying there willing to give anything outside of griffin dont u think that the magic should call there bluff? a trade of dwight and hedo for deandre jordan, aminu, gordon,kaman gomes, and the wolfs pic would be a steal would it not?

    • Steve Kyler

      Deandre is a free agent, he’d have to agree to the deal… But yes, thats a ton of value.

      Not sure Dwight would extend in LA with the Clippers… that would surely be a requirement for that level of trade.

  5. Ron j

    Im hearing all these possible destinations for dwight with brooklyn being the best to team with d will is it true he has 0 desire to play in chicago because I believe a drose and dhoward tandem is better than the nets and I believe the bulls have better pieces to offer

    • Steve Kyler

      Dwight hasn’t named teams to anyone I know… a lot of that is media speculation… but I would say that Dwight wants to a huge stage were he is the center piece… not sure that happens in Chicago.

  6. Derek

    Hey Stevie! Long time no talk. I hope all is well.
    I would imagine Otis is going to spend as much time as is allowed in an attempt to lure another big name to Orlando, then once those options are exhausted will be forced to trade Dwight for the best possible deal.
    Just curious if you’ve heard anything coming out of the Magic Kingdom with respect to Otis’ options/plan? Thanks.

    • Steve Kyler

      Otis wants to talk to Dwight first… its easy to get caught up in whats reported and you know as well as I do whats reported isn’t always wants said.

      I still believe in Dwight’s heart of hearts he wants to win a championship in Orlando, but I think he’s arrived at where most of us already are… Miami is the better team in the East, Chicago and New York not far behind, so that championship isn’t happening.

      Dwight has a choice… stay and be a fourth/fifth see and never get your ring… or leave, watch your brand explode and maybe find a situation closer to a title than Orlando.

      I do think Orlando is going to exhaust all avenues to make trades to improve, but only if Dwight says he’ll stay if they can get back to elite in the East.

      The upside for the Magic is Luxury tax isn’t going to impact them for two years, so they can go nuts this year on tax to try and win now.

      That might be too little, too late, but it stars with what will Dwight say to Otis, from there things get put in motion.

  7. dyrese

    i think the knicks will convice tyson chandler to sign a 2yr deal because cp3 is on his way to nyc is this possible?

    • Steve Kyler

      They have no cash… Tyson won’t sign for an exception.

      Too many teams will offer him major dollars and he has his championship.

  8. jeff

    millsap and a 1rnd pick for granger, george takes his place and the pacers pick up crawford in free agency? sound like a sound plan?

    • Steve Kyler

      The Pacers have ZERO interest in trading Danny Granger.

      Don’t be surprised if the Pacers PF addition is Carl Landry… The Pacers would make a pass at Marc Gasol and maybe Tyson Chandler, but they like Tyler Hansborough and they want to use him going forward bringing in a 40 minute per game starter isn’t what they are looking for.

  9. Joe

    I think Chris Paul signing with the Knicks would be huge mistake for him if he is looking to win a championship.Carmelo and Amare just don’t play enough defence for the Knicks to be much of a threat come playoff time.Do you agree/disagree?

    • Steve Kyler

      Not sure defense from Melo and Amar’e matter… its about other guys… however one Knicks player said to me that Carmelo has been working on defense all summer and the quote was “those mothf@#%kers won’t say anything about us defending this year.”

      Remember, Kobe wasn;t much of a defender when he was in scorer mode either, its really been the last four or five years that Kobe;s gotten up for defense… sounds like Melo is starting down that path too.

  10. Azzar Nadvi

    Hello.
    what do you feel about this. Tyson Chandler expects to be on a new team. Lakers are always a compelling destination. Can the Lakers sign him, than trade bynum/pau and metta plus a pick for chris paul? new york cant offer anything and he doesnt want in with the celtics. this might be their best offer.
    Paul Bryant Lamar Pau/Bynum and Chandler sounds like a destructive starting group to me.
    if not possible… is it worth it to sign AI to a one year minimum contract to help with the PG need?

    • Steve Kyler

      Again… Tyson Chandler has his championship… he;s not taking a discount… there are enough teams that will over pay him.

      Could your scenario workout… maybe, but again I doubt New Orleans makes that deal…

  11. CJ

    You know its kind of funny that even though a large bulk of the lockout touched on the fact that players were getting overpaid, Nene is rumoured to be offered ALOT more than what his talent should draw. Looks like nothings really changed.

    • Steve Kyler

      The length of deals is shorter… but stupidity will reign when it comes to valuing players… that will always be the case.

      I think Denver is smart to offer $9 million… thats about what Nene is really worth. The problem is New Jersey may meet his asking price and I think Houston would to.

  12. Kevin

    Who says no? (Using 150% trade restrictions)

    ORL gets: Chris Kaman, Mo Williams, Emeka Okafor, Trevor Ariza, A. Aminu, minny 2012 pick+future picks

    LAC gets: Chris Paul, D. Howard, G. Arenas, Chris Duhon, Q. Richardson

    NOH gets: Eric Bledsoe, Eric Gordon, D. Jordan (s&t), Randy Foye, Ryan Gomes

    • Steve Kyler

      Not the worst deal I have seen… I think you are in the right ballpark that taking on Arenas would be keep to getting Orlando to the table…

      How ironic would it be that Orlando ends up with Emeka Okafor?

  13. rome

    rondo, green for beasley,rubio,hayward, brad miller… plausible???

    • Steve Kyler

      Green is a free agent so he’d have to agree to that deal… if he would thats not a terrible deal.. not sure Bostons gets enough proven value back… lots of question mark guys.

  14. Brendan

    Can teams amnesty players they have traded for if they haven’t used it already? i.e. could a team trading for Dwight Howard take Turkalu or Arenas back and then waive them?

    • Steve Kyler

      Might have to hang on to them for one year, but it would seem you could.

      Those specifics have not been made clear.

  15. Russell

    Is there any non-Dwight rumors involving the Magic? Any FAs they are looking at?

    • Steve Kyler

      Free agents… Grant Hill, Arron Afflalo and Shane Battier seem to be the kind of guys they have eyes for.

      Keep in mind, beyond the Dwight Rumors, the Magic feel like they have a contender… right or wrong… Daniel Orton is going to be the backup center… they have two quality forwards in Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson… the Two guard spot is little soft with only JJ Reddick as the real option there, Gilbert Arenas is supposedly healthy as is Jameer Nelson…. Quentin Richardson is under contract as is Chris Duhon, you have Justin Harper and swingman DeAndre Liggins as the two rookies… Earl Clark would like to come back so there are not a lot of pressing needs expect getting a gauge on Dwight.

  16. willie

    hi would otis make this trade howard turk for alfourq deandre kaman gordon or howard turk for harden westbrook ibaka

    • Steve Kyler

      Doubtful…

      Deandre is a free agent so he can not be traded without agreeing to a new deal in Orlando…. I doubt Dwight agrees to a deal with the Clippers too.

      I do not think OKC would make that trade… although Howard with Durant would be nasty…. I don’t think Dwight agrees to an extension in OKC… I think he’d extend in Orlando before OKC.

  17. Walter

    If the Magic trade Howard, are they going to blow up the roster? As a fan, I would rather live through a couple of years of poor play with the exciting potential of young FA’s and draft picks, than getting someone else’s older players and becoming perenial first round fodder. Whats your take?

    • Steve Kyler

      Hard to say… they have a lot of pieces that only work with a power center in the middle, so you’d think they would… but one thing has to happen before the others and thats getting an answer from Dwight.

  18. Alec

    Hey Steve, a couple months ago I criticized you on the new beta site. After a while you get the hang of it and it actual looks alot better in my mind then I had it pictured back then. Anyways, since the new cba is going to pass, when will we get the full cast back?

  19. Merlin

    Hi,
    I heard there is a clause in the new CBA that allows owners and players an early exit in 6 years. From the players point of view, I don’t get why they would want that clause in the CBA. I can’t imagine the owners saying “ok, you’re not getting enough money, we’ll give you s.th. back” if the players opt out in 6 years. On the other hand, I can clearly imagine the owners wanting even more in 6 years. Can you explain why the players would want this opt out clause in the CBA?

    • Steve Kyler

      There is an opt out after year 6, because the TV deal will be up at that point.

      If there is a huge jump in rights fees the Players will have the option to re-negotiate their end… Keep in mind the NBA leveled the playing field tremendously, so in six years the Players may have more room to bump up slightly than they did this year.

      I think the next deal is easier to reach because the bar is so much more in the owners favor, giving them a small BRI bump or massage the rules a little bit makes sense.

      Also keep in mind a lot of owners didn’t get what they wanted and in six years the now 69-year old David Stern is likely out of the NBA, so you may have a new commissioner and a new business landscape.

  20. Shawn

    Hey Steve , im very excited the NBA is back. Im a kings fan , and was wondering your thoughts on them this season. I think they are one(good)player & Coach away from being a playoff team.

    • Steve Kyler

      Maybe… they need a lot of guys to grow up fast, but they have a ton of talent… I think its more coaching and management than anything else.

      Geoff Petrie is just as much of the problem as Paul Westphal.

  21. Blake Griffin

    Hey Steve you kind of look like that guy from the movie The Shining. Lockout makes jack a very dull boy! anyways, if my team signs cp3 i will dunk twice as a much as last year, if my team signs dwight we will smash on any frontcourt in the league, who should i play with dwight or cp3 and why ? Thanks

    • Steve Kyler

      Wow… never been called a creepy psycho killer before… thanks I guess,.

      Not sure you will get either… now let me preface three things.

      #1 – Neil Olshey is a solid GM and Andy Roeser is as good a team president as they come.
      #2 – Clippers have a lot of promise.
      #3 – Even being the 2nd team in LA is better than being the first team in a lot of other cities.

      Now the cold hard truth…
      #1 – The Clippers are still owned by Donald Sterling and he does not have a good track record with a number of agents and he still makes the hiring and firing decisions.
      #2 – Vinny Del Negro is the head coach… see #1
      #3 – Yes Blake Griffin is an attractive asset to play with, but is he a complementary player to Dwight Howard? He is to Chris Paul, but is Vinny the right coach?

      The Clippers are an attractive destination for a lot of guys… Micheal Beasley… even Tyreke Evans, but the Clippers are not title contenders now, and both Howard and Paul are looking for bona fide title teams.

      The Clippers weren’t a playoff team last year… in their franchise 41 year history they have made the playoffs 7 times…. as a franchise they are 1207-2123 —> thats not exactly the kind of history thats get you arguably the best players at their position in Howard or Paul.

      I know Clips fans won’t like that… but its the reason they won’t get major guys, they need to grow them like Blake Griffin.

  22. Wile E Coyote

    It is really, really galling that we lost part of the season for competitive balance, and the minute the season restarts all the news is about stars going to big markets. Puke.

    • Steve Kyler

      Its because the owners caved to the Players demands for freedom of movement.

      There is no franchise tag, not home team incentive and no restrictions on tax and trade until Year 3… thats when Competitive Balance kicks in after the last wave of major players lands elsewhere.

      Guys—- I am out of time. Thanks for all the questions. Make sure you are checking out the 2011 NBA Free Agency Diary for all of the latest news and notes about free agency and make sure you are following me on Twitter @stevekylerNBA