NBA Rumors Chat With Steve Kyler 12/7/12

1. Jazzaholic

   Derrick Favors is out with plantar fasciitis. Foot problems is always a concern with big men. Is this the foreboding of future foot problems or just a blip?

   Have you had a chance to watch him play and your thoughts?

   • Steve Kyler

     Welcome in everyone… hope the week was good to you. I am chatting from the coldest media work room in the history of sports, so bear with me whilst I shiver and type. NOLA’s been good to me, so lets get after these questions.

     Plantar fasciitis is super common in sports, especially basketball where guys wear new shoes virtually every night. Bad shoes or taping can often lead to this. Its painful and nagging. I wouldn’t read too much into it. I worry more about guys with obvious structural problems, that has not been Favs issues. I’ll bet he changed shoe styles and messed up his foot… that’s a guess by the way.

     As for watching him play… He’s my guy, so I try and catch as many games as possible. He is such an interesting talent…

2. Peter

   Hey Steve! Spurs fan here. The Spurs are doing pretty well without their 2 main wing players in Jax and Leonard. The former has an expiring contract this year, do you think the spurs can deal him for a big? Would love to see Varejao or Josh Smith come to town……

   • Steve Kyler

     Your not getting either of those guys for luggage. Equally, I am not sure the Spurs are looking for help. The guy thats likely gonna be moved is DeJuan Blair… I wouldn’t expect much more than that. Ending contracts are not what they used to be unless you’ll take back ugly contracts in exchange

3. willie

   hi derrick williams for big baby any idea who rob likes in draft and in free agency monta at pg and tyreke at sg would be my backcourt of the future

   • Steve Kyler

     Way too early to zero on in likes and dislikes in the draft… gotta know where you pick and what your roster will look like… thats a huge unknown.

     I don’t think Minnesota would take the player or the contract.

4. willie

   if your rob who do you take zeller noel mclemore shabazz porter alex len what do you think of cj leslie

   • Steve Kyler

     You are assuming they can get at those guys. Today, based on record Orlando would draft 8th… most of those guys are long gone by 8.

     Of the bunch, I think Shabazz, Zeller and Len fit… not sure any of them are franchise guys. As for CJ Leslie… I have only seen a little of him this year. I don’t get serious about college guys until the tournament. I watch from afar and watch clips and tape on guys, but don’t into serious “draft mode” until February and March.

5. LA in LA

   Hey Kyler, 2 questions:
   1)I know yall wrote a Pau Gasol trade article, but I don’t believe y’all addressed a Gasol/Morris for Bargnani/Calderon trade? would both sides be interested? (I know they aren’t interested in trading him now, just a hypothetical).

   2)Who would the Nuggets trade Chandler for? another wing? a back up big?

   • Steve Kyler

     The Lakers are not there yet on trading Pau Gasol… they just aren’t… do teams smell blood in the water and see the inevitability of the Lakers dealing Pau… yes.

     As for Toronto… its gotten bad. They say Bargs isn’t available, but they have to do something. Not sure Pau is a better answer or fit. So there is that… will trading Bargs make you better and the answer is likely no.

     The Nuggets have a lot of similar guys, so I know they have a real cash issue in terms of what the actually pay out, so dumping his contract lines up with the problem. Not sure they want much in return.

6. Ap

   Can the Suns trade the contract of Channing Frye this year since he is out?

   • Steve Kyler

     Can they? yes… does anyone take him… unlikely.

7. tinolang manok

   Steve are dfish n kaman in friend mode already ? I remember kaman was so mad when dfish gave him a pick(bow) and called dfish a very dirty player? Hope all is ok now? And whats up oj mayo n dcollison…. Wow i guess teams scouted them?

   • Steve Kyler

     Players are players… Unless its someone hooking up with a wife or girlfriend, those kinds of things go away fast. We make more of it in the media than the players do.

     As for OJ and Darren… both are exceptionally good players, but there is a reason both were available to Dallas.

8. LA in LA

   I heard Lakers turned down a trade proposal of Pekovic and Williams for Gasol from Twolves and Bargnani, Calderon, linas kleiza.
   What do you think about each of those deals?

   And if you are Lakers GM, would you take them?

   • Steve Kyler

     I had not heard those details… what I can say if the word from the Lakers is they are not looking to trade Pau yet. They want to give everything a chance to work before forcing more upheaval.

     The Lakers are figuring things out and they believe the best player available to them is Pau… if that changes in terms of a trade offer, they might change their stance.

     I can tell you emphatically that I do not believe anyone that says the Wolves would or are considering trading Pek for anyone that’s not a major All-star in his prime… Pau is not that.

9. Wil

   Hi Steve, is it true Toronto offered Bargnani and Calderon for Gasol? If so, then the Lakers are crazy not to take that deal. Based on trades the last few years, I don’t see how you get more value for Pau, and it fixes three major issues: depth, stretch four to clear space for Dwight, and a legitimate PG. Of course, it doesn’t deal with the underlying defensive lapses, but not sure how they can address those going forward. Thoughts?

   • Steve Kyler

     Toronto is denying that they have offered anyone to anyone… as I said, Toronto is gonna have to do something. I don;t think the Lakers are nearly as ready to make a trade as we are being led to believe in the media. That is just not the sense I got from my talks about this issue.

10. Jay

    Could a three team trade between the LA Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Toronto Raptors happen? Which key players will have to go to each team in order for it to happen?

    • Steve Kyler

      I am not going to speculate on trade packages, because as I have covered all parties deny that there is anything more than normal business taking place.

11. art

    Steve, can you explain what vaugn is doing when on every play he sends Harkless into a deep corner, The guy is a slasher not a 3 point shoooter. He should be making hard cuts to the rim to devolope his strengths. Right?

    • Steve Kyler

      You should the expressions on players faces when I ask that same question. The Magic run an “action” oriented system, its about cuts and slashes… Jameer or E’Twaun makes decisions based on how teams react and in most cases the ball is going to the two guard… JJ and Aaron. Mo will get his looks off of effort and mismatches or defensive lapses. They don;t run things for him and they want him in the corner to strtech the defense.

      Until Mo earns the trust of the team in making big shots, he is not a part of the offense.

12. Deven

    What’s the latest on Anthony Davis? Will he return sooner?

    • Steve Kyler

      Talked with him yesterday… he is not yet cleared to practice, but he is running and working with trainers every day. He doesn’t look like he’s favoring it, but he and the team want to be a 100% so that he can finish the season and not be in and out.

      I would expect him back within the next ten days, and Eric Gordon maybe 10 to 14 days after that… both as very close to a return.

13. Deven

    Why is Pau always brought up in trade rumors?

    • Steve Kyler

      Ugly contract… declining skill set… bad knees and he not popular with the fan base.

      Having talked with the Lakers about it, they are not nearly as ready to dump Pau as the fans are, and he has a lot of supporters inside the locker room and in the front office.

      If the Lakers trade Pau, they want real value for him and no one is really offering that.

14. Deven

    Any chance the Bucks don’t retain either Ellis or Jennings next summer?

    • Steve Kyler

      Ellis can unrestricted, so its his choice. We’ve been told the Bucks would match offers on Jennings, but I think it comes down to how does he finish the season and what does he get offered.

15. Deven

    With Kobe now in the 30k club, what does that say about his already hall of fame career and his legacy overall? Maybe the greatest Laker of all-time perhaps?

    • Steve Kyler

      Kobe is good for about 2,000 points per season… so he’ll likely pass Wilt this year and Michael Jordan next year… that would make him third all-time in scoring.

      If he gets a 6th ring, its hard not to talk about him as one of the greatest to have ever played… not just best Laker ever… I think there is a real case for that now… passing Wilt and MJ and getting ring 6 all but cements it.

      Magic is more revered because of his personality. But career accomplishments, Kobe is right there now.

16. Roon

    The Cats may actually have an opportunity to make a deal involving either Gerald Henderson or Ben Gordon (especially if he becomes an expiring contract by voiding the last year of his deal). Both players could really provide a spark off the bench for a contending team anyway the Cats could get a 1st rounder for one of them? Who do you think could be the most likely one dealt?

    • Steve Kyler

      The Bobcats, specifically MJ really likes Gerald Henderson… so I wouldn’t count him out of the picture, but there is no doubting that Charlotte wants assets… so guys on rookie deals, draft picks and players they could ultimately re-sign are valuable.

      BG is more likely than anything because of the ending deal, but I can tell Charlotte wants capspace… they want to make a free agent splash and need the space to overpay someone.

17. Raps4ever

    Hi Steve, Since Andrea Barg, got drafted up to now he hasn’t shown any significant improvements. The most disappointing thing is that he has been consistently INCONSISTENT and very laid back. Why doesn’t BC, admit that it is not working out and he needs to pull the trigger soon. Another thing, why no NBA team is willing to give Abdul Jabbar, a chance to be an assistant coach? It would really help the Raptors tremendously if he were to be hired to be director of Player development instead of instead of Maglore.

    • Steve Kyler

      Can’t speak to why a person does or doesn’t except to say Bargs has played well at times and if you deal him now what do you get back? I think that matters more than cutting your losses… its about return and like him or not Bargs can be a good player. But for all the reasons you mentioned, that is why teams won’t offer top dollar for him in trade.

18. LA in LA

    Good thing the Heat are intentionally getting blown out by the Knicks so as to give the Knicks a false sense of confidence when they meet in the playoffs huh?

    • Steve Kyler

      Or that the Knicks are playing defense and Miami is sleep walking through December. Could be either.

19. barbershop chronicles

    If they were all rookies who would u pick,jlin , rfelton or dragic? Why?

    • Steve Kyler

      They are not rookies and who they are today is result of what they have been through.

      Dragic is impressive and Raymond is really playing well. He likes the Knick spotlight and lives up to it. JLin is who I thought he’d be… a solid back-up level guard. I was never on the Lin bandwagon. He’s a great kid that works hard, but there was a reason every team in the passed on him so many times.

20. Jim in CyberSpace

    What’s going on in Portland? Who is pulling the trigger for the Blazers? They are summarily dismissing long time Exec’s?

    • Steve Kyler

      On basketball stuff its Neil Olshey… on business its the new CEO… this looks like cost cutting and culture changing. Fire high priced people that are maybe a little complacent, replace them with cheaper more aggressive people.

      The Blazers are an odd bunch because of how Paul Allen has the team structured, lots of chiefs and “yes” men.

21. Zach

    Is it just me or does it seem like a Lebron return to Cleveland setting itself up nicely? In two years Cleveland’s roster is set up better to win than Miami’s. Irving and Waiters form a young backcourt for Lebron to play with and carry some of the load. Wade will be old and already has trouble staying healthy. Bosh is a superior player to both Andy V and Thompson but combined those two trump a front court in Miami. Miami will have to deplete its roster with the tax looming. Cleveland will two more years worth of high draft picks. Plus the whole returning home to win his town a title and repair his northern Ohio legacy I feel will be very appealing to him him and his wanting to be loved personality. Plus from a basketball perspective, a line up of Irving, Waiters,Lebron, Thompson and Andy V can win! I don’t know…maybe it is just me…

    • Steve Kyler

      It is just you… LeBron screwed the team on national television. There was a lot of deception involved in that whole thing and I am not sure that can ever be fixed.

      I think if LeBron says I want to be a Cav again in a real public way, maybe… but I don’t see the Cavs ever calling LeBron.

22. Steve

    Could the Cavs and Thunder trade Andy and their two seconds for Perkins and the Tor pick they just got. Then move Perk for a pick.

    • Steve Kyler

      Could?… sure. The Cavs view Andy V as an All-Star, so they’d want an All-Star’s return for him. Perk and picks is not enough. Equally, everyone overlooks how much Sam Presti likes Perk as a leader and a veteran on that team. He keeps them focused and fighting especially on defense.

      Also not sold the Thunder need much… they are winning games. if they could get Andy for just that, maybe they’d do it, but I don’t think you get Andy for just that.

23. Jason

    Steve, considering current team projections, it seems like the Cavs may consider shopping AV, not only as a goodwill gesture, but also with an eye on the big picture. If so, how feasible is this idea?
    SA: Varejao, Casspi (playing quite well), Leuer (cheap but talented in his rookie yr)
    Clev: Leonard (their 3 of the future), Splitter (his per game numbers are insane, gives them a half season to evaluate him next to the Defende minded Thompson) and Bonner (cap flotsam).
    It doesnt seem to be 1 team sided and gives SA some win now players and Clev some promise for the future.

    • Steve Kyler

      The Spurs really like Splitter and Leonard… not sure they’d trade them for a guy that is not in their system. if they really come apart or struggle that could change, but they like Kawhi a lot.

24. Bobcat Drew

    What is your take on the Bobcats? We going to make any trades or sit still and watch them grow? Gerald Henderson might be someone we can trade, Jeff Taylor has played very well in his absence.

    • Steve Kyler

      They are building, so yes… I could see a trade but they are not overly active on that front, its about building a culture and a work ethic and Mike Dunlap has done a great job in that department.

25. Mike

    Sorry but why would Pau want to stay in LA? They tried to trade him once, he is not part of D’Antoni’s game plan and worse he gets the blame when they lose? Why can’t he see the writing on the wall and request a trade?

    • Steve Kyler

      Pau’s not like that. Equally, the Lakers are not saying Pau doesn’t fit. They are saying he needs to get healthy and they need to try and find ways for it to work.

      No one is naive about this… Pau makes a ton of money and is in the back part of his career. Pau has a ton of miles on him and there are not a lot of teams that think he’s worth it. Why make it worse a demand anything? Why force a trade to Toronto or Minnesota?… there are not a bunch of teams clamoring for him.

      He has to get healthy and play well and then the market might open up with better options.

26. James

    What do you think Utah will do with their loaded front court? Trade Jefferson/Millsap and look for some underrated and young point guards?

    • Steve Kyler

      I have covered this a few times… I think they are gonna evaluate where they are closer to the trade deadline. if they are in solid enough team to challenge they’ll ride these guys out. If the playoffs are out of reach they make trades.

27. Massey

    Being Celtics fan should I be worried at all? Is Jeff greens improvement going to continue? And what would it take for rondo to be MVP?

    • Steve Kyler

      I talked with those guys about their struggles… 1st – they have a ton of guys still learning how to play “Celtic basketball”. They feel like the team they’ll be in January and February isn’t the team they are today, and its about getting comfortable with roles and routine.

      The fact that most of the team has the Flu hasn’t helped either.

28. Jake

    Where do you see the Timberwolves in one month with Ricky Rubio back in the lineup for a solid two weeks? AK47 has been impressive, Pek is solid, and Shved is showing he can play….where do you see them in the near future?

    • Steve Kyler

      When healthy… Minnesota good enough for the 6th seed in the West… not sure homecourt is possible, but Ricky will make the game easier, much like Rondo does.

      I have been told Ricky has really worked on his shoot mechanics with the down time, so it will be interesting to see if he can shoot the ball this year.

29. casey

    do you got any idea when the magic going to make a trade and for who?

    • Steve Kyler

      They don;t talk about stuff like that. Very compartmentalized like the Thunder and Spurs. The deals the Magic make will likely happen like the Dwight deal, you’ll hear the details a few hours before its official and it will be left field.

30. Eric

    Nice interview with ADavis Kyler. Why u making Kennedy take the credit tho? He aint get that one on 1

    • Steve Kyler

      I am the boss… so I get credit for everything we do… good or bad. AK wrote the story, so he gets the byline. I do that with a lot of our guys.

      I am the Rondo of HOOPSWORLD… I drop dimes and set guys up to score.

31. Daryl

    Is derreck williams a busy. Sure looks the cavaliers knw what they were doing in taking Irving. Irving wont stay a cavalier. Wher will he end up after his contracts are up.

    • Steve Kyler

      The way it works is the Cavs can basically lock Kyrie in for about 7-8 years… Its on them to create a winner that he’ll want to be a part of.

      As for Derrick Williams being a “bust” — he’s early in his career and he’s never had a real featured role, but keep in mind he burst onto the scene because of one season. He wasn’t a guy teams had their eye on. He was drafted because he was the hot guy at the time, not because he was viewed as a can’t miss guy.

32. Quai

    With Paul George putting up consecutive 20-plus point games, is he finally ready to be the main man for the Pacers?

    • Steve Kyler

      He wants to be… he’s finding his spots and I think in the long run that is good for the Pacers once Danny Granger gets back.

33. Celtics

    Do you think when Avery comes back, down the road after playing time conditioning, the get back to what made them so good after the AllStar weekend last season?

    • Steve Kyler

      maybe… but it will be more about comfort level with what guys need to do. They are still learning to play with each other for 48 minutes, especially on defense.

34. Alex

    What are the chances D. Rose comes back this year? If so, is he still the dominant force or will he change his game?

    • Steve Kyler

      I wouldn’t risk longer term injury. I think its gonna be hard to keep him out, but he and his people are taking the long-term view, so when he comes back he should be 100%, so its about when is he a 100%.

      As for game change… think about Chris Paul after his knee injury, he became more deliberate and focused… that could be a good thing. I also think derrick will be stringer because they work more than just the knee… they work his legs and his core, so he should be more durable after this injury too.

      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.