NBA Rumors Chat With Steve Kyler 2/9/12

1. russell

   What do you think of lakers trading bynum to the bucks for jennings/ bogut ? if bogut were to come back before the playoffs

   • Steve Kyler

     Welcome in everyone… we’re 35 days to the trade deadline, so things will start to get serious in the next few weeks. There are lots of questions in the que, so lets get after them.

     There are a couple of things on this one… first Jim Buss runs the Lakers on the basketball opts side. Jim has a real affection for Andrew Bynum as he was Jim’s first real draft pick. I think Jim values Bynum too much and as a result I don’t think he’ll green light a trade involving Bynum unless it insures a home run return.

     As much as the Lakers need a point guard I doubt seriously they’d give up Bynum for Jennings and Bogut – who can”t stay healthy. I also don’t think the Bucks would give up two assets for Bynum who’d walk away when his contract is up.

     No deal.

2. Kevin

   Isn’t it funny how everyone say LeBron is the greatest player on earth, but if they had to choose one player to take the last shot, everyone says Kobe? That’s funny to me.

   • Steve Kyler

     A couple of thoughts on this…

     LeBron is a freak of a player… his combination of size and skill is unheard of in NBA history… whats he’s doing this year is out of this world good.

     That said, he’s not nearly as clutch as say Kobe or DWade… Dwight Howard is not clutch… that does not make him a bad player.

     For the first 40 minutes of a game, I want LeBron… for the last eight I want Kobe Bryant.

     LeBron is still growing and maturing as a player… think about about how people viewed Kobe six years ago… he was selfish and immature and a ball hog… LeBron will get to Kobe status soon enough, because he is not that far away as a player.

     Kobe is a killer in the final minutes of games and that has more to do with how good Kobe is than anything LeBron has control over.

3. Jonathan C

   Rajon Rondo + Brandon Bass for Pau Gasol & maybe a second round pick. Who says no?

   • Steve Kyler

     Today… The Celtics.

     But Boston has a real tough choice to make. Is 7th place good enough?… Given whats on the roster now, the only real moveable chip is Rondo and while Avery Bradley is no Rondo, he is serviceable.

     Adding Pau to the Celtics could push them into the top of the East, but there are no guarantees. The Celtics have to decide if the time is now… if it is than trading Rondo makes sense… If the thinking is we’re not good enough to win a title, then staying the course make sense.

     Moving Rondo is selling the future for today – not sure Boston is there yet.

4. Bhagdeep

   Hey Steve,
   What about this trade between Raptors and Lakers close to the trade deadline. Toronto sends Barbosa (7.6M), Bayless(3M) and Amir (5.5M) to LA for Steve Blake(4M), Josh McRoberts(3M), Trade Exception(8.9M) and 2 first round picks in 2012 draft (LA and Dallas Pick)? Lakers get backcourt help and scoring off the bench with bayless and barbosa (both expiring deals) plus a solid big in Amir Johnson. Toronto gets 2 late first round picks for next years draft that they could flip for a mid rounder to grab a PG like Teague or Kabongo in addition to their own high pick. Toronto also clears up a logjam in the frontcourt next year when Jonas comes over by shipping out Amir. Barbosa is probably going to want to walk away at the end of the season to go to a contender anyway and bayless doesn’t seem like the long term PG toronto is looking for. These 3 guys would fix alot of LA’s problems and help them contend while not making them give up their bigger trade chips.

   • Steve Kyler

     That’s not a terrible trade, however I don’t think the Raptors get nearly enough back.

     Couple of issues… first thats a lot of new faces in new places with very little practice time… that could be more destructive than helpful.

     second, I continue to be marveled at how the Lakers picks are supposed to be valuable? –> the Lakers pick is going to be a late 20′s pick and it looks like the Dallas pick will be too. Not sure that attractive to the Raptors who would be giving up core guys for non-core guys in return.

     Its not a terrible trade, however I don’t think the Raptors get enough back

5. Ryan

   Who says no to this three way trade scenario between the Raps, Jazz and Hornets?

   NOH receives Al Jefferson (from Utah)

   Utah receives Chris Kaman (from NOH), Al Farique Aminu (from NOH) and Jose Calderon (from Toronto)

   Raptors Receive Minnesota’s 2012 1st round pick and a $9.8M TPE

   Hornets get a big upgrade at centre. The Jazz get out from under Jefferson’s contract acquire a big expiring deal and a talented young player. The Raps get the TPE they need to sign Chandler and a potential Top 10 pick in a very deep draft.

   • Steve Kyler

     David Stern says no… I think Utah does as well.

     Al Jefferson is owed $14 mil this year and $15 mil next year. The Hornets are trying to close a sale and long term contract debt changing the valuation. Once a new owner is in place something like this might make sense, but you don’t take out a $15 million mortgage while trying to sell your house.

     On the Jazz side, they are winning games… I am not sure they will upset the apple cart for whats likely a lateral move with Kaman… a non-factor move in Al-Farouq… Landing Calderon is interesting, but unless you move out Devin Harris that a lot of money owed to point guards

     Also the Hornets want draft picks… so moving the Minney pick is likely a non-starter.

6. Vlad

   I think Rubio deserves a spot on All-star team this year. People just need to watch the Wolves when Rubio sits down. It is a totally different team. While Oklahoma is not even loosing that much with Westbrook resting. Also Rubio is a superb PG defender! He doesn’t gamble for steals. He gets then within the defensive team flow. Ricky would make the all-star game a lot more fun. Your thoughts?

   • Steve Kyler

     I love Rubio… was thoroughly impressed with him as a player and a person… but All-Star?… No. Do not agree.

     Offensively Ricky is the 23rd best point guard eligible player in the league at 11.2 points per game. He is shooting 37.8% from the field, 33.3% from NBA three. He is handing out a ton of assists, but his individual numbers are not good enough to trump guys like Westbrook, Nash, Tony Parker or even Ty Lawson in the west.

     Not this year for All-Star, if he can polish up the shooting maybe next year.

7. Vlad

   Does Pekovich desrves to play for sophomores team? Did anyone notice how he abused Cousins last night and Cousins was acting like a little girl?

   • Steve Kyler

     Peck is a nice player, but the Rookie./Sophomore game is about names.

8. Vlad

   Who is the best PF now?

   • Steve Kyler

     For my money… Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge, Blake Griffin, Chris Bosh <— in that order.

9. Kevin

   Hi Steve,

   In the past 20 years, what would you consider to be the top 3 draft classes?? Also the bottom 3??

   • Steve Kyler

     Without doing research… because I just don’t have the last 20 years of drafts handy…

     2003 was amazing… 1998 yeilded Paul Pierce, Mike Bibby, Jason Williams, Vince Carter, Dirk Nowtizki and Al Harrington… 1996 yeilded Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, Ray Allen, Steve Nash, Jermaine O’Neal, Peja Stojaković, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Derek Fisher and Erick Dampier

     Those are the ones that jump out in my mind.

10. ryan

    if the cavs do not make the playoffs which wing player from the 2012 draft would be the best fit next to kyrie, tristan and Andy?

    • Steve Kyler

      No there yet… lets go Bradley Beale.

      Until teams start working out players and players actually enter the draft… I am not focused on who fits where yet.

11. roy escalera

    Jameer’s messing the season. Is there any way we could dispose him?

    • Steve Kyler

      Unlikely… he is owed $7.8 mil this year and $7.8 mil next year… unless you take back worse contracts, I doubt seriously there is a big line looking at Jameer.

      He is in a tough situation… his body is not right, and thats obvious and he is mentally not there either because of the Dwight stuff… hard to stay focused when your good friend tosses you under the bus like Dwight has.

12. Reggie

    Are the Hawks looking at possible trades to solve their Center spot?

    • Steve Kyler

      Yes… but they do not have much to offer that does not subtract. They could add bodies via ten day contracts and see if they can find a gem… I wouldn’t expect anything major or earth shattering from them.

13. pork sisig

    Did any team reach out to hakeem the dream to coach or atleast be one the coaching staff? In my opinion he has d best footwork in the game of basketball. Any team would benifit in.
    calling Otis ,hakeem is the answer so dhowrd stays in orl.

    • Steve Kyler

      Not anything he has interest in. Bill Ingram talked with him a couple of season ago about coaching and Dream just doesn’t have that kind of interest.

      He enjoys the off-season training, but the life of a NBA coach is grueling and often unrewarding.. I wouldn’t expect Hakeem to coach in the NBA.

      Personally I think he’d be great at it, but It does not seem like he is interested in it.

14. kaldereta

    In your opinion who is the best coach right now? And do the clipz got the right coach? And if defense is better than offense and win chapionships… Y r the lakers strugling?lastly do pau gasol desrve the soft label? Thanks n good day

    • Steve Kyler

      Lots of questions in this one..

      In your opinion who is the best coach right now? —> for my money Tom Thibodeau and Scott Brooks.

      And do the clipz got the right coach? —> For the playoffs? yes… for a championship? no.

      And if defense is better than offense and win championships… –> you need to be very good at both to win championships. Great defense tends to lead to easier offense, because you turn off the valve on the other team and teams that don;t score panic.

      Y r the lakers struggling? —> bad guard play, and lack of impact talent outside the Big Three of Kobe, Bynum and Gasol…

      lastly do pau gasol desrve the soft label? —> No. Pau is arguably one of the best players at his position and has been for the last five years… Tim Duncan is not a bruising center, but he’s a lock for the hall of fame. Pau is a skill player, not a power player.

15. Will

    I think Otis will trade D12 to GS,for Steph Curry we know Otis loves trades with GS.

    • Steve Kyler

      Not his decision, and it could not happen as defined… you’d need a lot more in the deal.

      Also keep in mind almost none of the people Otis worked with in GS are there anymore.

16. Hurricane Game

    With the rumors of a possible Gasol for Rondo deal, is it time for the pacers to jump in and claim their pg of the future? they tried to get him earlier in the year with their “cp3″ proposal, and now apparently, he will be on the market again if the celtics arent contenders by the deadline.

    the pacers can offer alot to the celtics, they can completely consume his contract for a few picks and the celtics dont have to take back any salary. or they can make a deal giving the celtics collison and picks for rondo

    or they could even take a much bigger step and trade collison and george for allen and rondo, would be a great deal for the celts and they would save cap, but i doubt the pacers would want to deal both george and collison for rondo and allen, but should they step in and be agressive for rondo?

    adding him to their team makes them automatic contenders in the east for years, any chance this happens?

    • Steve Kyler

      No adding Rondo won;t make the Pacers instant contenders… He might make them better, but he may also make them worse too.

      Rondo is a tough personality to deal with… he is gruff and stubborn and tends to do things his own way… not sure that fits what Indiana is doing. They have a real three musketeer thing going…

      As for guard of the future, the Pacers have him… his name is Darren Collison.

      Darren Collison is averaging 11.8 points on 43.2% shooting from the field. He is hitting 42.5% of his threes and 84.4% of his foul shots while handing out 5.4 assist a game.

      Rondo is averaging 13.6 points on 50.3% shooting from the field. He is hitting 25% of his threes and 59% of his foul shots while handing out 9.8 assist a game and is about $8.5 million more expensive.

      Not sure there is enough of a difference to say Rondo is a landslide upgrade over Collison.

17. Scott

    Do we finally see the Clippers shop Mo Williams who isn’t happy being a 6th man? Any chance we could see a Mo for Wesley Matthews trade? Clips get the size in the back court they lack and the Blazers upgrade their PG spot.

    • Steve Kyler

      No… not with the loss of Chauncey Billups… Mo is a friend of mine and he told me on Monday that he was thrilled with his situation and that he loved whats happening with the Clippers. Every player wants to play, so don’t read much into Mo wanting out of LA.

18. Hurricane Game

    what do you think was the worst front office move over the past 2 seasons?:

    1. the clippers trading the #1pick in the 2012 draft and davis for williams.

    i will never understand why they made that deal at that moment, why not wait and see where it falls to make that decision? its not like williams was running away, or the cavs wouldnt take a deal like that during the draft, imagine had they amnestyed davis, kept the pick and traded irving for cp3, and kept gordon?

    2. Warriors amnestying charlie bell instead of andres beidrins?

    3.Minnesota resigning Love for only 4 years with an opt out after 3?

    probably the worst decision of 2012, they basically gave themselves a 3 year window, basically forcing them to somehow become a contender in the west, in 3 years, or watch love walk in freeagency.

    4. clippers giving up gordon and a pick for cp3, when they probably could have given up bledsoe instead and kept him?

    • Steve Kyler

      None of them were the worst front office moves of the last two years… Orlando trading Rashard Lewis for Gilbert Arenas and then giving Arenas $63 million to go home, tops all of the ones you mentioned.

      The Clippers had no way of knowing what the pick they traded was going to be… equally had they not made the trade there is not guarantee that they’d have won the draft lottery… they had to get rid of Davis’ contract in order to get the space to make the moves they made. The Clipper’s traded the pick well before it was even possible to get the top pick. remember that pick was supposed to be the 8th pick.

      On the Warriors, its easy to tell someone else how to spend their money, but Beins is owed $36 million… that a tough number to swallow after paying almost $450 million for the team… They had to amnesty Charlie Bell to get his number off the books to make the offer sheet to DeAndre Jordan and to romance Tyson Chandler.

      Minnesota needs their 5th year designation for Rubio… Love can get his fifth year if he wants it. Trapping Love for one more year and losing Rubio would have been the blunder move, because if Rubio is gone, Kevin would be right behind him.

      The Clippers tried to keep Eric Gordon, but the NBA demanded him in the deal.

19. Matt

    Seems obligatory, but with so many pieces and a very active GM, what are the latest Rocket trade rumors? Why don’t they just go for broke and bring in Dwight (they have the trade assets), and see if he’s really willing to leave the $30+million in the offseason….or if he’d rather convince Deron Williams to come to Houston. Please give me some good news.

    • Steve Kyler

      Dwight needed to be traded before January 1st to be eligible for a full value contract. If he is traded now or in July, he’s losing guaranteed money. The only team that can give Dwight the most guaranteed money is Orlando… they locked that in January 1st, because you have to be with your team for 6 months to get the full value possible.

      Keep in mind, Orlando can do a five year deal, everyone else can do a four year deal… do you really believe Dwight won’t get that fifth year the very minute he is eligible if he leaves Orlando?… Orlando can guarantee it, other teams would have to wait… either way unless Dwight has a career ending injury, he’ll get his money… there just is risk if he leaves Orlando.

      The Rockets are active, but they have their pieces set too high on what they want… I see them making a deal, but I am not sure they have the deal they will make in their sights yet.

20. Raul Serrato

    What are the chances of the lakers getting Rajon Rondo for Pau Gasol?

    • Steve Kyler

      Too early to call it.

      Teams are shopping, no one is close to anything especially not the Lakers or the celtics… neither are really sure who they are yet… a Rondo for Gasol move could send the team the other way… same with Boston.

21. Arthur

    Steve, do you think Howard gets traded at deadline or the magic keep him and hope he changes his mind in free agency? Thank you

    • Steve Kyler

      I think they have to see where they are in 30 days.

      Also I think the real question is what can Orlando do to add in 30 days… If they could pry a real star out of someone to pair with Dwight, that might change their thinking… if its clear that the Magic won’t compete then maybe they come to grips with the inevitable.

      I do not genuinely believe Orlando has made a decision yet on Dwight… I think they have to revisit at the deadline on March 15th and really see whats there.

      I think the Magic’s first goal would be to add to the current roster in trade, but if Dwight won’t commit thats when a decision has to be made.

22. Chuck

    Everyone says the Bulls need another big man but I think the need another scorer off of the bench. Who could they possibly take a look at, if anybody?

    • Steve Kyler

      I think the Bulls need to get and stay healthy. Not sure there is a pressing need that is not solved with guys getting back to full strength

      Like everyone in the league the Bulls are looking and talking, but they are really not interested in major changes, so I would not expect anything huge to happen.

      Guys… I am out of time. Thanks for all the questions. Make sure you are following me on Twitter (@stevekylerNBA). I just gave a way an iPad2 last week for crossing the 5000 follower mark, will do it again when I cross 10,000. So make sure you are following me. See you all next week.