NBA Rumors Chat With Steve Kyler 12/15/11

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. dzei

    what do u think if kings s/t dalembert to dallas for odom??? add salmons perhaps…

    • Steve Kyler

      Welcome in everyone… hope the week has treated you well… lots of questions in the que so I will try and bounce around to get as many in as I can…let get after it…

      They could… however because the Kings renounced Sammy’s rights they can only sign him to what they have available under the cap with the Marcus Thornton signing and the Chuck Hayes deal they have room, just not tons.

      Also Dallas took Odom because he’s a vet that fits their culture and he is only guaranteed $2 million next year… Dallas is make a push for Deron Williams… a long term deal with Sammy impacts that.

  2. Bill

    I read your chat last week and was APPALLED that you came out as pro-nepotism. Did you not study the fall of Mongolian, Roman or Russian Empire? Or even just old time Chicago politics.

    Given your rational agents. journalists, refs and other related family members should be at the top of each team’s hiring list.

    And a stink nose to you for not calling more teams on this.

    • Steve Kyler

      Sorry… applauded?…

      I think we spend too much time thinking of reasons someone shouldn’t get a job, rather than exploring the reasons they should.

      If the person is qualified, I have no problem with the hire. I don’t care if that hire is woman, a minority or a person with disability… are they qualified for the job.

      Sports is a specific industry, where the margin of success and failure is small… I don’t have a problem with an owner like Micky Arison putting Nick Arison in as CEO… Nick went to Duke and has been around basketball his entire life. He has been working in the HEAT front office for years and he has been a key part of the HEAT and I am sure Micky trusts him.

      He is qualified for the job… lets focus on qualifications for the job, if someone is not qualified, I have an issue.

  3. Brendan

    Who is the best NBA comparison for Anthony Davis?

    Do you see the upcoming draft being as strong as 2003?

    • Steve Kyler

      Yes… this is an EXTREMELY good draft class.

      Anthony Davis is a tough one… some have said Chris Bosh… some have said Anthony Randolph… Brandan Wright… John Henson… he is freaky long and crazy athletic.

  4. Will

    If Dwight isn’t moved by Xmas, might we see an “arms race” of teams trying to clear room for 2 max players to pair D12 w/ Deron or CP3 next year?

    • Steve Kyler

      Yes… Dallas is already doing it and once the order of things becomes clear in the first month of the season you may see more.

  5. Will

    With Butler now at the 3 for LAC, which teams seem like the most realistic trade partners for Iguodala and the Sixers?

    • Steve Kyler

      Houston… Orlando… Utah… off the top of my head.

  6. Doug

    Hi Steve – Why would the Pacers amnesty James Posey? They did not need the cap room to chase Crawford and don’t appear to have much else in the works. Posey at least is a solid locker room guy and some ok play on the court. I don’t understand why you don’t keep him at least for any future trades that might/might now arise as an ending contract. Hearing anything if the Pacers are more or less done with their offseason? Seems like we have a decent team.

    • Steve Kyler

      Posey is in the last year of his deal, so unless the Pacers really need the cap money and I don;t think they do… it may be smarter to save the Amnesty… they have until tomorrow to decide.

  7. Jason

    Are the Bulls better with Rip Hamilton and keeping their bench in tact than they would be with a sign and trade for Crawford or Afflalo? How improved are they now?

    • Steve Kyler

      Yes… Rip is a great fit.

      As for how they are better… Rip is a solid defender. he can create his own shot and is great off the screen, almost the best in the game.

      Crawford would have been more expensive and Affalo almost impossible to get… I think in the long run Affalo would have been the better fit, but he too would have required more than a two year deal.

  8. Walter

    What happened between the Magic and Rafer Alston? It seems that if a point guard helps lead a team to the Finals, there better be a big reason for his unceremonious dumping. Also, word is he is trying to get back in the league. Worth a look by his old Orlando team?

    • Steve Kyler

      Skip happened… Rafer is a tough player to coach because he wants to play and when he doesn’t he is hard to manage. He wanted nothing to do with coming off the bench, so the Magic moved him.

      As for back in the league… he basically walked out on the HEAT when they opted not to play him and his story about a sick sister turned out to be hinkey – team just don;t want that kind of drama, so very doubtful.

      Skip is 35 now and coaching a high school team in Texas (Christian Life Center), so I doubt seriously he’s looking at offers.

  9. Ron j

    Does the bulls not being on dwightd list say more about.howard that hes concerned with more than just winning if you look at the teams on his supposed list the bulls have the most to give up amd still have a good team and chicagos a big market + he would have a younger and better pg in drose to play with

    • Steve Kyler

      I think you guys are making too much out of this…

      Who’s team is the Chicago Bulls?… Derrick Rose’s. Anyone else coming in is playing for DRose’s team… Dwight’s not looking for that kind of situation.

      Half of Dwight’s issue is how he is presented by the Magic, he wants what Derrick Rose gets, he wants what Kobe gets — joining Rose in Chicago is like LeBron joining Wade in Miami… Its Wade’s team and thats not the situation Dwight is looking for.

      Anywhere Dwight lands he wants to be the focal point… he could do that with Deron Williams because he’s just not likeable… Kobe is almost finished so maybe that works… and in Dallas Dirk would gladly let Dwight have the spotlight for another championship.

  10. AJ

    Do you see a some moves being made as a result of Paul trade? Okafor or Kaman to Houston or Portland, Mo Williams somewhere, possibly Lakers? Will Ariza be on the block for the Hornets?

    • Steve Kyler

      Maybe… but honestly New Orleans is set up nicely in terms of salary going forward… Kaman is an ending deal… if they could move Emeka for a better combination of players I think they might.

      Player   2011-2012
      Chris Kaman  $12,700,000
      Eric Gordon  $3,831,184
      Carl Landry  $8,500,000
      Al-Farouq Aminu  $2,755,560
      Emeka Okafor  $12,492,500
      Trevor Ariza  $6,790,640
      Jarrett Jack  $5,000,000
      Marco Belinelli  $3,377,604
      Quincy Pondexter  $1,153,800
      TOTAL $56,601,288

  11. dyrese

    hey steve,now tht paul is being traded to the clips can the knicks try get jarret jack for something cheap like 2 nd draft pick and cash?

    • Steve Kyler

      Unlikely… Hornets have no point guards other than Jack… Gordon could play some, but I doubt they move Jarrett unless it part of a bigger deal to offload Okafor’s deal.

  12. Jake

    any update on jonas jerebko?

    • Steve Kyler

      what are you looking for… he signed a four-year $18 million deal before camp opened with the Pistons… He scrimmages, joked that he was a little nervous getting out on the floor after missing so much time to injury.

  13. mark

    Can you please please please talk to Eric Pincus about his terrible chat responses? Far more often than not, he responds with three words or less without giving any kind of explanation as to why he’s giving that answer. No other HOOPSWORLD writer does that.

    • Steve Kyler

      Welcome to life with Eric PIncus… seriously… if you have an issue with EP direct it to EP (epincus@hoopsworld.com)…. but more importantly, if you don’t like his chats don’t read them.

      The idea behind them is to give you more access to who they are as people… what you see with Eric, is who he is… so you are asking me to change Eric Pincus and thats something I can not do… been trying to change Bill Ingram for year.

  14. Raph

    What’s the deal with Dwight Howard? Is he going to be traded prior to the season? And if you had to choose, where would you say he’s going to be before the 2012 season?

    • Steve Kyler

      I doubt serious Howard is traded before the season… Magic feel like they can make it work with him.

      Where he ends up I think has more to do with where the Magic are in the standings in 60 days.

  15. AJ

    Any rumors on K. Martin or Scola being traded now? Also, would Portland really move Wallace for picks?

    • Steve Kyler

      Houston is trtying to repair the relationship, but they still need a big and teams have interest in Martin for sure.

      As for Portland… my Blazer sources called Wallace a heart and soul player for them… very very reluctant to move him especially with Brandon Roy gone and LaMarcus Aldridge having missed all of camp to a heart issue called Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome. They did a procedure on him last week that should clear things up, but its doubtful you trade one of your best players when you have a guy on the shelf with a heart problem.

      I wouldn’t hold your breath on Gerald being available.

  16. Derek

    Hi Steve, can you clarify what Howard means by changing the “Culture” of the team and city? What is he talking about? This is getting ridiculous, now he’s saying he’s not a “happy camper”!!

    • Steve Kyler

      This will be a daily story — Dwight’s not happy… Dwight dogged it in practice…. take all of it with a grain of salt.

      As for the change in “Culture” I don’t want to speak for Dwight, but my read on that comment is he believes the team needs to stop treating its players like hired hands… they want commitment, but don’t give it back… thats what has to change… and thats not an Otis Smith issue, its a franchise issue.

  17. Will

    Why don’t the Magic trade D12 if he doesn’t want to be there?

    • Steve Kyler

      Because he has not ruled out staying there… teams don’t make decisions like trades based on what unnamed sources say in the newspaper.

      They sat Dwight down and he opened the door for them to keep him — as long as that door is open, he’ll be in Orlando.

  18. B-Man

    do you think shawne williams will be starting in nbew jersey or be comming off the bench in favor of damion jones?

    • Steve Kyler

      I think he could start… not sure what they promised him other than cash.

      If you are asking me with Damion Jones beat out Shawne, I don’t think so… Shawne is a savvy veteran.

  19. spurs,mavs,jazz hater

    Do you see my rockets making a push to get Emeka or Kaman from the hornets?Rockets have the young talent and draft picks that dave stern is looking for.

    • Steve Kyler

      I know they had eyes for Samuel Dalembert, but thats a lot of money for an average guy.

      I could see them trying for Oak or Kaman, if they offered up Kevin Martin, I think they could get one.

  20. Alex M.

    No one has said what type of impact Dwight possibly not representing Orlando in the All Star Game will have on the city. Your thoughts??

    • Steve Kyler

      All-Star is before the trade deadline… equally… players play for their conference not their team and All-Star is a such a league wide event the building will be jammed regardless.

      Let me call it now… JJ Redick or Jason Richardson for the three-point shoot out.

  21. CJ

    Any word on Michael Redd? Do you see the clips signing him or possibly New York?

    • Steve Kyler

      Word was he in Indiana today… not sure if he signs, but I heard he was meeting with them.

      Knicks, Wizards and Celtics have all called on him.

  22. reza broomand

    are the Lakers looking at anyone else..or talking with any other teams than magic

    • Steve Kyler

      Like most teams with needs… they are waiting for options to shake lose… its a sellers market right now, so would-be buyers are waiting for better deals.

      Anything done now will be at a hefty premium

  23. richard

    with shawne gone and davis allegedly out 8-10 weeks what are the final moves for the knicks?

    • Steve Kyler

      Not much… veterans minimum guys or someone who will take their $2.5 million exception… they have almost no trade assets.

  24. Corey Ellis

    Which free agent deal was the biggest head scratcher? Which deal did you have to do a double take to make sure you read it correctly?

    • Steve Kyler

      Sacramento signing Marcus Thornton to a $31 million deal… Orlando and four-years for Big Baby Glen Davis…

      Those two jump out because not sure there were other suitors driving the price up.

  25. Taylor

    Any chance Roy ever plays again? If so possible places?

    • Steve Kyler

      Unfortunately I don’t think so… but we saw Allan Houston try again… Penny Hardaway tried again and Jonathan Bender tried again.

      Doctors reportedly told him if he kept playing he may not be able to walk later in life and that hit home pretty hard for him… not sure he takes that gamble.

  26. JC

    Do you think Chicago chose Rip over Crawford for strictly basketball abilities? It seems like Chicago could have offered him the same deal he got from Portland so it couldn’t be a money issue.

    • Steve Kyler

      Jamal wanted a lot more than he got from Portland at the time and really the only way Jamal got to Chicago was via sign and trade.

      When Rip bought himself out — he gave up $10 million to get out of Detroit — Chicago turned all of its attention to Rip.

  27. A-Train

    Where will Affao end up?

  28. matt

    Take Dwight off the Magic and they are worse than my raps.

    • Steve Kyler

      Thats an obvious comment… Dwight Howard is a top 5 player… take Derrick Rose off the Bulls and they won’t win 60 games… take Kobe off the Lakers and they are a mess… every team drops in the toilet without their best player.

  29. Alex

    Now that Clippers trade the wolves pick, do their own pick goes to the celtics if the clippers fail to make the playoffs?

    • Steve Kyler

      No… you can not go 2 years in a row without a first round pick… called the Stepien Rule…

      According to our Pick Debt Log:

      “Boston Celtics: Receives 2012 first-round pick (top-10 protected through 2015) from the L.A. Clippers via the Oklahoma City Thunder via the Kendrick Perkins trade on 2/24/11.”

      We’ll see how this shakes out, by rule the Clippers would need to buy a pick to honor this debt… as long as you have a first round pick, even if its another teams, it satisfies the Stepien Rule.

      Guys. I am out of time. Thanks for all the questions. I may not chat next week due to some radio commitments, but I will do my best. Until then, I am about 300 followers away from giving away an iPad2 to a random Twitter follower, so make sure you are following me (@stevekylerNBA).