NBA Rumors Chat With Steve Kyler 3/22/12

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. calvinzero

    Who are the possible free agents for this coming summer?? Can you give me at least top 5.. Thanks

    • Steve Kyler

      Welcome in everyone… not sure if you caught this, but the basketball world lost a titan in the sports writing world today as long time NBA writer Lacy Banks passed… There is not anyone in this profession that isn’t better for knowing Lacy and living in the world he helped shape. Lacy you will be missed… There are lots of questions in the que. So lets get after them.

      Follow this link: http://www.hoopsworld.com/2012-nba-free-agents. You’ll get every free agents possible.

      But here are the top names:

      Deron Williams, New Jersey Nets – $16.4 million – Player Option ($17.8 million)
      Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns – $11.7 million – Unrestricted
      Aaron Brooks, Phoenix Suns – $2.0 million – Restricted ($3.0 million Qualifying Offer)
      Raymond Felton, Portland Trail Blazers – $7.6 million – Unrestricted
      Kirk Hinrich, Atlanta Hawks – $8.0 million – Unrestricted

      Eric Gordon, New Orleans Hornets – $3.8 million – Restricted ($5.1 million Qualifying Offer)
      O.J. Mayo, Memphis Grizzlies – $5.6 million – Restricted ($7.4 million Qualifying Offer)
      Ray Allen, Boston Celtics – $10.0 million – Unrestricted
      Landry Fields, New York Knicks – $0.8 million – Unrestricted*
      Carlos Delfino, Milwaukee Bucks – $3.5 million – Unrestricted
      Nick Young, L.A. Clippers – $3.7 million – Unrestricted
      Jamal Crawford, Portland Trail Blazers – $5.0 million – Player Option ($5.2 million)
      Louis Williams, Philadelphia 76ers – $5.2 million – Early Termination Option ($5.4 million)

      Gerald Wallace, New Jersey Nets – $10.5 million – Player Option ($10.5 million)
      Nic Batum, Portland Trail Blazers – $2.2 million – Restricted ($3.2 million Qualifying Offer)
      Jeff Green, Boston Celtics – $4.5 million – Restricted ($7.2 million Qualifying Offer)
      Chase Budinger, Houston Rockets – $0.9 million – Team Option ($0.9 million)

      Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics – $21.2 million – Unrestricted
      Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs – $21.2 million – Unrestricted
      Michael Beasley, Minnesota Timberwolves – $6.3 million – Restricted ($8.2 million Qualifying Offer)
      Brandon Bass, Boston Celtics – $4.3 million – Player Option ($4.3 million)
      Kris Humphries, New Jersey Nets – $8.0 million – Unrestricted
      Kenyon Martin, L.A. Clippers – $2.5 million – Unrestricted
      Carl Landry, New Orleans Hornets – $8.5 million – Unrestricted

      Roy Hibbert, Indiana Pacers – $2.6 million – Restricted ($3.7 million Qualifying Offer)
      Brook Lopez, New Jersey Nets – $3.1 million – Restricted ($4.2 million Qualifying Offer)
      Chris Kaman, New Orleans Hornets – $12.7 million – Unrestricted
      JaVale McGee, Denver Nuggets – $2.5 million – Restricted ($3.5 million Qualifying Offer)
      Marcus Camby, Houston Rockets – $12.9 million – Unrestricted
      Spencer Hawes, Philadelphia 76ers – $4.1 million – Unrestricted

  2. kape at pandesal

    Hi why is it when kobe aint shooting right he is a ball hog and makes the team bad. My point is he is known that way and whenever criticize he just gets another ring and counting ,how about the darling jeremy lin. Shoots ALOT for a point guard and alot of turn over …. Im a fan of his story but not of his game YET.i hope he watches more of nash tapes rather than iversons…. Cause he has a super talented team and teamates need those passes.

    • Steve Kyler

      1st on Kobe… why is he criticized?… because he is the best player in the game. That is what happens when you are at the very top of the heap.

      And before you guys get crazy with your Kevin Durant and LeBron James comments… until those guys win a championship, Kobe owns the title. Those two are super elite too, but Kobe has the entire resume for greatest in the game.

      2nd on Jeremy.. Teams want Jeremy to shoot. The alternative is Carmelo or Amar’e and the averages say Lin is the guy you let shoot. I think JLin has done just fine considering the situation. The Knicks are rolling and Jeremy is getting better. I don’t think Jeremy need to watch Nash as much as figure out how to be Jeremy without taking 20 shots a game.

  3. adobo nation

    Everyone knows that to have a long superstar or star career u need to work on it. Nash,r.allen and kobe does it and their team can be the witness of it. How come younger guys dont follow on their work ethic???nobody shoots a thousand jumpers a day like r.allen? And if there is it might be the rose the durants. The superstars already. How come we dont hear from the media that a certain role player or rookie works his game even after practices? Are kids now more lazy or the kobe’s and the nash’s are just a different breed to find??

    • Steve Kyler

      Each person is wired differently… thats what makes us unique, and just because you put in a 1000 shots does not mean you’ll be as good as Ray Allen. trust me I know a lot of guys that get up high volumes of shots, none of them have Ray’s skill and ability to shot the ball… thats what makes Ray so special.

      No one in the NBA works as hard as Kobe Bryant does, because he doesn;t care about anything else but winning basketball games… thats what makes him elite.

      The work helps you get better for sure… but you are discounting how special those guys are to start with.

      So I will vote, those guys are a different breed of player… thats why the draft and free agency is such a crap shoot, because you never know how hard someone will work once they get here.

  4. jack the jocker

    What happened to steve blake? He was a quality point guard in portland a few years ago.. he lost alot of confidence in that jumper. And and another guy is yi, the guy is super athletic. For a big guy, does he need to gain more muscle weight? Or he is just not nba material???

    • Steve Kyler

      He doesn’t fit how the Lakers want to play… but also keep in mind… Steve Blake was the 38th overall pick.

      Historically you are not finding long term NBA talent at 38… Chandler Parsons in 2011, Andy Rautins in 2010, Jon Brockman in 2009, Kyle Weaver in 2008, Kyrylo Fesenko in 2007, Kosta Perović in 2006.

      Steve is a NBA player, but he’ll never be a real starter. He is a bench guy and in LA he is not nearly explosive enough to earn major minutes or play a huge role.

  5. ivo

    Hi, great to be able to chat with you here from Bulgaria. You guys rock, those chats are a great way for the fans to be a little bit closer to the things you’re expiriencing.
    Was wondering abaut the Lakers? They managed to reduce the wage budget nad taka a great PG like Sessions, who’s giving the Lakers offense a new look. But if the team gets knocked-out in the playoffs, especially before at least a conference final, do you think they’ll trade Gasol or be after a young star to help Kobe for the sixth? What can you predict about the future trades that can strenghten the L.A. roster for the next season? Thank you (:

    • Steve Kyler

      The Lakers are in a great position going forward… Gasol is owed a ton of money so that deal will be hard to move.

      I am not sold the Lakers believe Gasol is a problem. If they could upgrade I think they might, but I am not sure anyone is taking Gasol until the final year of his deal.

      The Lakers also hold their amnesty provision, so if things go really bad, they have that option too. I doubt they’d use it, because I do think they could liquidate Gasol, just not sold thats what they want to do.

  6. diggyz

    I feel NJ should tank the season and get the top 3 pick. Thats the only way to go about doing business in NJ. What about Humpries,Morrow,GWallace for JSmoove and Marvin?

    • Steve Kyler

      Exactly how do you do that when half the roster are free agents… do you think any of those players care about the Nets next year?… this is the problem with “tanking” – it sounds great from a fan point of view, even ownership and management might buy in. But you risk a mutiny if guys don’t play or don’t put up numbers.

      Will sore starters play less minutes? sure… will Deron Williams sit games he’d play in if there was something to play for – sure.

      But there are a lot of guys playing for more than what the Nets want.

  7. Shookie

    Whats going on with Chaning Frye?He was killing it last year. What are the chances Anderson gets big contract and becomes mediocre like Frye ?

    • Steve Kyler

      Good question on Channing… this is who he was in New York and Portland… so I am not sure he didn;t come down to his average… also the Suns are not good and teams don’t leave him like they did two years ago.

      As for Ryan Anderson… he works very hard, so I am not sure he gets fat and happy… but I am also not sold he looks nearly as good in any other situation. he is making a living off the attention Dwight Howard gets. So he;d better buy the big man some donuts or a new car when he gets paid as a bribe to keep him in Orlando.

  8. JP

    Hi Steve, my questions are the following:
    1- Is the full MLE exception for 4 years enough to get Courtney Lee out of Houston?
    2- If not, what would be enough?
    3- Is it possible to get a 1st pick for Wes Johnson?
    4- What can we get for him?
    5- Which would be the ideal backups of Williams and Love in yours perceptive?
    Thanks!

    • Steve Kyler

      1- Is the full MLE exception for 4 years enough to get Courtney Lee out of Houston?
      — No I think Houston matches that for C Lee… although I doubt anyone offers Courtney that kind of money.

      2- If not, what would be enough?
      — I think you’d have to get silly with a front loaded deal… $8 to $9 million in year one, so it would need to be a team with salary cap room.

      3- Is it possible to get a 1st pick for Wes Johnson?
      — Not a lottery pick… could you get a mid to later first rounder, maybe… but there are not a lot of people saying “geez, wish we had Wes Johnson’

      5- Which would be the ideal backups of Williams and Love in yours perceptive?
      — Not sure it matters… but I like Martell Webster as the backup three… and I’d give Kevin Garnett a call in free agency and see if he wants to finish it where he started.

  9. Joe

    Do the Pacers look to the waiver wire with Jeff Foster retiring? Who is available and who are they interested in? Ryan Hollins, Solomon Jones?

    • Steve Kyler

      Not sure they will… keep in mind they have Lou Amundson and Tyler Hansbough coming off the bench and Jeff Pendergraph has seen some small time too.

      The Pacers have a pretty regimented system. I think if they could get the right kind of guy they’d look, but I am not sure they are actively trying to fill the spot.

      Jeff Foster hasn’t played at all this month, so its not like a core guy went down.

  10. Derek

    If the Magic fire SVG who are some of the coaches that best fit Howard’s style of play?

    • Steve Kyler

      Not sure they “fire” Stan, but I am pretty sure Stan’s patience for how this has gone and is going to go next year might make him rethink where he wants to be next year.

      It won’t surprise me to hear there is a “mutual” agreement to part ways.

      Equally, with the uncertainty surrounding Dwight… I am not sure a super serious coach takes the job.

  11. Almost Dead Warriors Fan

    Joe Lacob declared there’s a possibility of them recouping their top 7 pick from Utah. In what world would Utah concede to doing that in a deep draft such as this year’s?

    • Steve Kyler

      Joe also declared that his team would be aggressive in making bold moves to make the Warriors a championship contender too…

      I am sold that Utah gives up the Warrior pick, but they need veteran guys or to offload someone like Devin Harris, so that might be how it goes down. Golden State takes an unfavorable contract in exchange for the draft pick.

  12. Scott

    Best case scenario for Magic in summer ’13 if they are able to shed one contract (Turk/Rich/Baby) and stretch another? Could you see Smoove and an Iggy or Ellis wanting to team up with 12? Neither are max guys

    • Steve Kyler

      Depends on Dwight… if Dwight is staying I think Josh Smith would RUN to Orlando… he told me as much.

      Iggy from what I have heard would rather be a Laker if he can’t be a Sixer… so not sure what he’ll do when he can pick his next spot.

  13. Howard

    Are the Celtics going to add anyone to there front court? They said they were looking at free agents and they were a possible suitor for Turiaf but nothing happened.

    • Steve Kyler

      They are not nearly as attractive as some of the other suitors… so thats why they keep missing out.

      I have heard Ryan Hollins could be headed there, although thats not confirmed yet.

  14. Adam

    It’s obvious Anderson struggles against PF’s like Boozer/Bosh/Gasol, who fits better him or Smith? Do you see Atl moving him before the draft and/or trade deadline or allowing him to play it out?

    • Steve Kyler

      Atlanta wants the world for Josh Smith so I doubt that they will move him easily or quickly. Orlando has nothing that Atlanta wants other than Dwight Howard, so you can rule out a trade for Josh Smith unless it involved a third team that wants Orlando’s pieces. I am not sure that team exists.

  15. Grandad in FOG, TX

    Morning, Steve
    The Celtics are starting to look like an organization that has been quarantined for a crazy virus and no one is going near them.
    Do you believe a change to the front office could change this or are free agents just seeing the 2 decades of darkness happening all over again and not wanting to be part of it?
    Thanks,
    Grandad

    • Steve Kyler

      They will be ugly for a little while and then they’ll be decent… it takes superstars to win championships and the Celtics don’t have any of those anymore.

      Paul Pierce will return something of substance in trade this summer, so be patient… its like tearing off a band aid… its gonna hurt for a few minutes, then it will get better over time.

  16. Shawn

    Who would u target this off season if u were Otis Smith? Who would u try to recruit in 2013 as DH?

    • Steve Kyler

      Who would u target this off season if u were Otis Smith?
      — a Uhaul and a good realtor… it won’t be his decision. Will be beyond surprised if he is with the organization after this season.

      Who would u try to recruit in 2013 as DH?
      — for the millionth time… the roster is not the problem in Orlando, but when the roster opens up getting stars in their prime or younger guys that can really play.

  17. Nick

    What do you think about the Cavs and how hard they play(little talent)? Do yoiu see them after this draft as a playoff team next year and a top 4 team in the east in the near future?

    • Steve Kyler

      They were a bubble playoff teams this year… they play hard because thats what Byron Scott expects of them.

      I think they are in great shape going forward and they have 4 picks in the 2012 draft… you get better quickly with that many swings.

      How about my guy Alonzo Gee… Huh… Told you guys this summer he was flat out ballin.

  18. Jennyson

    What can the LAKERS offer to DIAW, now that he reached a buyout agreement in BOBCATS??

  19. Jazzfan

    Thanks for the chat Steve!, what do you think of the Jazz’s young core of Kanter, Favors, Hayward and Burks? they’ve really started to come on strong the last few weeks and I can see a big future for us, I still think we need to find our PG of the future.

    • Steve Kyler

      Agreed… unfortunately there is not a point guard of the future in this draft class… the best of the bunch is Damian Lillard from Weber State… and he might be there when Utah picks.

  20. David

    Otis keeps “liking this team”, but why not sign turiaf to back up D12, considering Orton has a permanent seat on the bench? At this rate, Otis is going to keep “liking the team”, in the unemployment line.

    • Steve Kyler

      You can not force a player to sign with you.

      The Magic are using Big Baby as the backup for Howard and thats working in most situations. They are not gonna change that.

      Turaif wants to go somewhere he’ll play and he wouldn’t play much in Orlando.

  21. MAC

    Troy Murphy… he’s a shooter right? LOL
    this dude won’t shoot!

    • Steve Kyler

      Murph is not a relevant player anymore… sorry Lakers fans, move on.

  22. Lewis1201

    Why didn’t Otis go after T-Williams? He is what orl needs but I see that they only go after players they can control!! That’s why Gil didn’t work + the knee will they release wafer he is the only player that get his own shot on the team will Otis and Stan be fired at the end of the season?

    • Steve Kyler

      No body went after Terrence Williams… he signed a ten day contract. The league is scared to death of TWill… great player, but he is a real problem in the locker room and most teams just don’t want that.

  23. Kevin in Tokyo

    Why no talk of CP3 + D12 going to the Nets in 2013 since Dwill will probably end up in Dallas?

    • Steve Kyler

      Because Deron hasn’t left New Jersey yet… he keeps talking about how great its going to be in Brooklyn next year. If DWill actually leaves, then you’ll hear chatter.

  24. Brooks

    Terrence Williams to the Lakers? What do you think? Do the Lakers have any interest?

    • Steve Kyler

      Keep up homie… TWill signed a ten day deal with the Kings.

  25. JimyB

    Steve love your chats. Why do you think D12 has not been able to recruit anyone to the Magic. I realize the Magic have few trade pieces and no cap room but in seven years it seems like he could have recruited another star player. Who do you see the Magic trying to target this offseason?

    • Steve Kyler

      How… with what cap room?… He did recruit one star Rashard Lewis… they went to the Finals in 2009.

      Dwight has been passive for most of his career in Orlando. It wasn’t until this year that he started asking for things. He trusted Otis Smith and management to make the team better.

      He’s gotten vocal because it hasn’t worked out that way.

  26. jake

    Will Patrick Ewing ever get a head coaching gig?

    • Steve Kyler

      Please no… please don’t let that happen.

      Pat is not a very good coach. He is not a teacher. He is not an X’s and O’s guy. He is not a face of the franchise type guy. He just isn’t.

      He is a big name… he can work with big guys, but he is a not a “master of the game” guy.

  27. jake

    Who gets an all star bid first? Josh Smith, Monta Ellis, or Al Jefferson

    • Steve Kyler

      Can I vote none of them… they all have the talent, but they are all in situations where there are better guys in their division that will get the nod before they do.

      If pressed, I think Josh Smith… but I am not sold it happens.

  28. Jake

    Who won the Gerald Wallace trade? Was he worth the high pick?

    • Steve Kyler

      The vote is not in yet… If Gerald Opts-In, then he is a trade chip… if he opts-out then there are problems, especially if he won’t do a sign and trade deal.

      Also if the draft pick is top 3, then New Jersey lost nothing to get Wallace.

      I think we have to see how this plays out before we can really grade the deal.

      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.

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