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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 10/12/2023
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Luke Adams
11:00
Thanks for the early questions, guys! Let's dive in...
Charlie’s Mom
11:00
End of the road for Miles Bridges? If not, then what would it have to take?
KJ
11:00
With Bridges what do the Hornets do now? I mean I was a little surprised that he still got a contract with the first situation and now there is a warrant out for his arrest so what do they do now
Luke Adams
11:03
The things Miles Bridges has been accused of would've ended the careers of a lot of NBA players or NBA hopefuls. But Bridges is really good at basketball, so I sort of expect him to keep getting chances as long as any additional transgressions aren't worse than the original one. It's a cynical answer, I know -- maybe the Hornets will prove me wrong.
EonADS
11:03
How bad do you expect Portland to be this coming season. Some people are predicting a bounceback or dead-cat bounce because they're overestimating Ayton (who isn't as good as he seems without CP3 to run pick and rolls for him and is a mid defender outside of his rebounding ability), Brogdon (who may not even be staying much longer), and Grant (who is sure to be traded for the best available offer ASAP).
Luke Adams
11:05
I don't expect them to be a 15-win team or anything. They have enough talent to be competitive. But it's worth remembering that (in the play-in era) the bar to get a top draft pick isn't as low as it used to be. The Blazers won 33 games last season and had the NBA's fifth-worst record. And it looks like there won't be many teams in tank mode this season.
11:06
Portland has also proven itself to be very adept at late-season tanking during the last couple seasons, so even if they're within spitting distance of .500 in the first half, a few trades, cautionary shut-downs, and rotation decisions could easily result in a 10-31 second half.
KJ
11:06
If you are Steve Kerr are you starting or are you benching CP3?
Luke Adams
11:07
When everyone's healthy, he makes more sense coming off the bench. The real question will be who sits in closing lineups, which are much more important than starting lineups. I expect that five-man group might look different from night to night depending on matchups and who's hot.
Randy
11:08
Are you surprised by the lack of off season moves by the Hawks
Luke Adams
11:08
I did think they'd be a little more active. But as I said in last week's chat, I wouldn't assume that the roster they have now will be the one they finish the season with -- I bet more moves will be coming by the trade deadline.
Chris D
11:09
Watching the Wizards first preseason game against the Australian team, Gallinari played quite a bit in his first game since his ACL injury a year ago. His 3 point shot was falling and he was active. Given that the Wizards have 17 regular contracts, it seems like they're showcasing him for other teams to make a deal before the season starts. Do you see any obvious fits for him?
Luke Adams
11:11
I'd need to take more than a cursory look at everyone's roster to really find the best fits, but off the top of my head, I don't hate the idea of a return to the Knicks for him. Their PF depth behind Randle is a mish-mash of guys who aren't natural fours, and they only have 12 guys on fully guaranteed contracts. Maybe Miami, Chicago, or Toronto.
KJ
11:12
Do you have an updated list for the teams that are over that second tax bracket so they can't sign any buyout candidates this year
Luke Adams
11:13
We're not really maintaining an updated list of those teams, but we did cover them in one article about a month ago. I believe the Bucks and Celtics have since joined that group of second-apron teams.
11:14
For what it's worth, second-apron teams aren't explicitly prohibited from signing anyone who gets a buyout. They're only prohibited from signing a player who gets a buyout if his pre-waiver salary was greater than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($12.4MM).
For example, Reggie Bullock, who I believe was earning a little less than $11MM before he was bought out by the Spurs, would have been able to sign with a second-apron team.
kevin d
11:15
Where do you rank Bojan Bogdanovic in terms of trade targets for contending teams, and what would it take for the Pistons to part with him?
Luke Adams
11:17
We won't know exactly which players could be available at the trade deadline for a few more months, but I have to imagine there won't be a whole lot better than Bogdanovic, who is a top-tier role player. As a trade candidate though, he reminds me a bit of Eric Gordon, whom the Rockets held onto for years because no teams were willing to meet their asking price -- then when they finally did move him, the return was a bit underwhelming. I'm just not sure how much the Pistons will realistically be able to expect in return for a guy who will turn 35 in the spring. If they can get a first-round pick, they'd be doing well, but if that pick is heavily protected, they may not deem it worthwhile.
KJ
11:17
Whereas I don't expect plate Thompson to sign an extension this season I do believe he'll ultimately resign with the Warriors in the summer. What type of contract is Clay looking at because I know 5 years Max dollars is not happening
Luke Adams
11:21
I agree that Thompson will sign a new deal with the Warriors sooner or later. Khris Middleton's latest contract with the Bucks (three years, $93MM, third-year player option, plus $9MM in incentives) might make sense as a point of comparison for Klay. Middleton is a year-and-a-half younger but was coming off an injury-marred season.
A deal like that would give Klay a slightly higher annual salary than Draymond and Wiggins got on their deals and would line up with those contracts (which are for four years, starting this season).
Mk
11:22
Is Bruce Brown going to start in Indy? Breakout candidate?
Luke Adams
11:23
I'd argue that last season was his breakout year, though maybe his scoring numbers will rise slightly this year. And he looks like a good bet to be a starter -- he's be in the starting five in both of their preseason games so far and would take some pressure off Haliburton and Mathurin on the defensive end.
EonADS
11:24
The Cavs made a deliberate choice this offseason to add speed and play faster. How do you see that affecting their defense? A lot of why they were so good is just because they played slowly and limited opposing possessions (which backfired in the playoffs with their lack of rebounding). Can they still play top 5 D even with an improved offense?
Luke Adams
11:25
They have the frontcourt personnel to make it work -- Mobley and Allen are both athletic enough to keep up with the increased pace without constantly getting back too slowly or finding themselves out of position. The ability to play at both speeds could come in handy in playoff games.
KJ
11:26
So is Kai Jones NBA career officially over or do you honestly think someone down the road will give him another shot
Luke Adams
11:27
Would be surprised if he catches on with another NBA team right away, but I wouldn't rule it out down the road -- it's not like he committed a crime or anything. It's just a matter of showing a little more maturity. His bigger problem might be on the court rather than off it, given that he didn't show a ton during his first two seasons when he got a chance to play.
Goyo
11:27
Do you see another move from the blazers trading Malcolm may at the trade deadline? Where can Portland see an upgrade if it were to happen?
Luke Adams
11:29
Would guess that any trade involving Brogdon would be focused more on picking up an asset or two (draft pick, young player, etc.) rather than upgrading another position in the short term. They shouldn't be in any hurry to upgrade the current roster, and stockpiling assets will come in handy down the road when they're ready to contend and want to make a win-now trade.
Brogdon is their most obvious trade candidate but I'm very curious to see if anything happens with Grant this season. That contract might not be easy to trade right away, but it doesn't make a ton of sense to have him on the books for a rebuild.
Troel
11:30
Sixers have 16 guys under contract, 15 on guaranteed deals.  Do you expect them to swing a 2 for 1 trade or just cut Danny Green or Petrusev?
Luke Adams
11:31
I wouldn't necessarily assume that one of the non-guaranteed guys will be waived. Harrell won't be much use in a trade, given his small cap hit, so he could be waived. Not sure Korkmaz's roster spot is locked in either.
11:32
Of course, a preseason Harden trade could upend their roster outlook -- in that case, they may have to end up cutting two or three guys.
KJ
11:32
How do you see the Knicks getting better this season? Because in essence the only thing they really did was basically trade Opie for Dante
Luke Adams
11:33
I do think that DiVincenzo will do more for them this season than Toppin did last year, but if they want to take a real step forward, there will probably have to be internal improvement. That would mean young guys like Barrett and Grimes (and maybe Sims and/or McBride) going to another level, and a vet like Isaiah Hartenstein getting more comfortable in his second year as a Knick.
Mk
11:34
Is Grant Williams going to disappear in DAL, or better?
Luke Adams
11:35
I like his fit next to Luka and Kyrie. He doesn't need the ball in his hands much and can take on the tougher perimeter defensive assignments. Not expecting him to become an All-Star or anything, but he should be a positive addition to that roster.
KJ
11:35
With regards to Rookie of the Year is it going to be VW scoot chet or the field?
Luke Adams
11:36
I'll take those three and feel pretty good about it. I might even take just Wemby and Scoot against the field, though Chet should build a good case if he stays healthy and OKC finishes above .500.
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