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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 11/7/2024
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Luke Adams
2:00
Hi all! Thanks for stopping by today and submitting questions early. Let's jump in...
Single cat lady
2:01
I saw the Mavs had a 16 million dollar trade exception. Do teams generally utilize these and if so, who could you see Dallas monitoring to use it on?
Luke Adams
2:04
The issue for a team like the Mavs specifically is that they're within $1MM of their hard cap, so even using that exception to acquire a minimum-salary player without sending out any salary in return wouldn't be legal.

That exception doesn't expire until next July, so the Mavs could save it for the offseason and try to use it then, once they're no longer facing that hard cap. One other way we often seen TPEs used is in place of salary-matching in deals where players go both ways.

For instance, if the Mavs were to trade Kleber ($11MM), Prosper ($2.87MM), and a draft pick for a player earning $14MM, they could use that TPE to take on the incoming money and create two new TPEs (worth Kleber's and Prosper's outgoing salaries), since those outgoing salaries weren't used for matching.

I don't have specific targets in mind for Dallas yet -- I think we need to get a bit further into the season to see which players are gettable and what the Mavs' specific needs are.
DILL
2:05
Hornets need a center. Hope mark williams stays healthy? Get one in the draft? Or go after someone like Mitchell Robinson?
Luke Adams
2:07
I mentioned this in a recent chat, but if they weren't fully confident in Williams to fill that role, they were perfectly positioned to draft Donovan Clingan, who was considered a potential No. 1 pick by some experts. The fact that they chose to pass on him suggests to me that they still believe in Williams. Hopefully he'll be healthy soon and they'll get a better/longer chance to assess his fit in that starting role. As long as he plays at least half of this season, they should have a good idea by next summer if he's still the answer or if they need to try to bring in someone new.
Ferris Bueller
2:07
Do you think the Bucks will make any trades or is everything written just speculation. They need an infusion of youth in the worst way possible. And is Horst capable of pulling this off.
Luke Adams
2:10
It's speculation so far, but history tells us that teams with expectations as high as the Bucks who fall as far short of them as the Bucks have in the past year will shake things up sooner or later. I think it would be a mistake to draw any sweeping conclusions about the team and its intentions until we see Middleton back, since he's a legitimate difference-maker, but his ongoing health issues are a concern in their own right.
Anthony Edwards Hype Machine
2:10
Do the Sixers decide to tank with all the injuries they've had? Saw Maxeys out for a minute in addition to PG and Embiid being down for awhile. Could be a lottery to 🏆 team if they get some ping pong ball luck.
Luke Adams
2:12
Way too early to start thinking about that, IMO. George is back, Embiid will be back in a couple games, Maxey's injury shouldn't be long-term, and the East isn't all that competitive. If they can hang around in the playoff race and push for the No. 6 seed by the end of the season, they should still be in a decent position entering the playoffs.
Also worth noting that their 2025 first-round pick is only top-six protected, so they'd have to be REALLY bad, and then maybe still get some luck, in order to be assured of keeping that pick.
Anthony Edwards Hype Machine
2:13
We seeing the real Cavs here? Good start to the season for northern Ohio.
EonADS
2:13
How many sides of rice should I whip up for everyone who needs to eat their words about the Cavs? Only undefeated team, and with multiple comeback wins against teams that were hungry.
Luke Adams
2:16
The Cavs have been awesome and have definitely shown so far that they were right to ignore the calls to break up the backcourt (by trading Garland) or the frontcourt (by trading Allen). I still wouldn't pick them against the Celtics in a playoff series, but they certainly look like they could beat anyone else in the East right now, the way that presumed contenders like the Sixers, Knicks, and Bucks have stumbled out of the gate.

Will be interesting to see if they're able to do something at the trade deadline to add one more piece. That small forward spot has been a spot they've been trying to upgrade for a few years now. The Okoro/Wade/LeVert/Strus group is OK, but they could use someone better equipped to match up against star wings like Tatum and Brown.
Wannes
2:17
Could you see a trade of Giannis happening end of December? To OKC for Hartenstein and Dort?
Luke Adams
2:18
By the end of December? Definitely not. I'd be pretty surprised if it even happens at any point this season, unless Giannis demands it. Those sorts of mega-deals sometimes take a while to come together and are easier to figure out in the offseason.
Scoop Jackson
2:19
Every day a new injury. And these are long-term injuries. Is it my imagination, or are some of the team's biggest stars suffering more long-term injuries. I know it's a sport that can be unforgiving to the body, but what is going on this early in the season?
Luke Adams
2:22
Jeff Stotts of InStreetClothes.com mentioned a couple days ago that games lost due to injuries are about by about 90 so far this season, but injury rates are approximately the same, which does suggest a few more longer-term injuries than usual.

There's no easy, obvious explanation for why this would be the case -- it's not like there was a shortened offseason or preseason that we can blame for players not being fully ramped up and ready for the season. Maybe teams are being a little more cautious with minor and moderate injuries than they have been in the past? The sample size is still small enough that I'd probably chalk it up partly to randomness and partly to the faster-than-ever speed of the game for now.
Cam
2:22
Early in the season of course, but Cam Whitmore has fallen out of the rotation already. Have to imagine he goes to the G League bc he’s likely a trade piece in a big swing for a superstar and sitting the bench doesn’t help his value. Thoughts on who Houston will be trying to acquire in the next year or so?
Luke Adams
2:26
If he does go to the G League, it'll probably be more about getting reps than about helping his trade value -- don't think anything he can do much in the G that would increase his value in the eyes of potential suitors.

As for potential targets, I think the Rockets will be in on any star who shakes loose and hits the trade block, with a preference toward younger ones whose timeline aligns better with the current core. I'm sure they'd love a shot at Giannis. If no genuine stars are available during the season, they'll probably be patient and see if that changes in the offseason rather than giving up some assets for a borderline star (like, say, Ingram).
Chloe
2:26
Who has had a better career? Lillard or Jrue Holiday? Career earnings similar. Each has their own personal accomplishments but Jrue has two rings and played a big role on those teams.
Luke Adams
2:30
Certainly, Lillard has had more individual success and is has a better Hall of Fame case. He also has a place on a specific team's (Portland's) Mount Rushmore in a way that Holiday probably doesn't.

But Jrue has the edge not only in NBA titles (2-0) but in Olympic golds (2-1) too. If you value winning above all else, I could see taking his resume over Lillard's. His Hall of Fame candidacy will be an interesting one -- two All-Star nods and 0 All-NBA berths is awfully light, but two titles, two Olympic golds, and six All-Defensive teams make for a pretty strong case.
86ers
2:30
Is it possible that Daryl Morey orchestrated this fued between Embiid and Hayes with the intent of giving Embiid some time off without the scrutiny of sitting games? Both sides benefit -- Hayes with attention/clicks and the 76ers get a scapegoat to distract from their slow start. Am I crazy or is it the perfect plan, especially given Morey's "big brain" dealings?
Luke Adams
2:32
Haha, I like the theory, but can't really get behind it -- Embiid doesn't benefit enough to willingly give up $1MM+ in lost pay for the suspension it led to! I think this is just a case of Occam's razor. A columnist known for incendiary takes went a bit too far and a player frustrated by his circumstances went a bit too far with his reaction to it.
GrizzFan
2:33
Do you see the Grizzlies making a trade? I feel like there are a lot of rotation players and not enough minutes to play them all, especially once Smart, Bane, Williams, and eventually Jackson II are all back
Luke Adams
2:34
I agree with you in theory, but it's been a long time since we've actually seen the Grizzlies fully healthy. Until that happens, I don't think they'll want to sacrifice their depth. If and when it does, I could see a consolidation deal for a center or a wing to fill the role that Steven Adams or Dillon Brooks played on those 50-win teams.
BLinn
2:34
Thanks for answering my question about MVP/ROY/MIP/6MOY after every team had played one game. Any changes to your list of likely winners since then?
Luke Adams
2:35
Hah, updating my leading candidates every week would be a good bit, but would probably require a little more research than I could do in the next couple minutes. Give me Kenny Atkinson for Coach of the Year if the season ended today though!
Hoosierdaddy
2:36
What do you feel is the biggest surprise of the reason so far?
Luke Adams
2:38
Might be the Nets' performance. I thought the over/under that oddsmakers gave them (19.5 wins) was a little low, but I didn't expect them to be as competitive as they've been so far. They're tied for the 3rd-best record in the East! Maybe this is an early-season mirage, but the Jordi Fernandez hire is looking like a good one so far.
Uncle Mike
2:39
Ball and LaVine already showing what they're made of. Any chance the Bulls use that whopping DDR trade exemption to unload Ball or Vujevic? I think LaVine is a sunken cost for years sadly. Thanks
Luke Adams
2:42
Using the trade exception and unloading Ball/Vucevic don't necessarily have to happen in concert. I'm curious to see what they do before the deadline though. I think you're probably right about LaVine (hard to see him having positive value by Feb. 6).

Ball and Vucevic are more movable, but Ball's value would essentially just be his expiring contract, and even though Vucevic is playing well, centers with his skill set aren't great fits on a lot of rosters.

Chicago's front office should probably be willing to move those guys to take on worse/longer-term contracts, with an eye toward stockpiling more assets and gaining more cap flexibility in 2026 or 2027 when they can get out from under LaVine's contract.
Matchup Center
2:43
Do the Warriors need a guy like me for a deep playoff run, or Draymond at the 5 will cut it to win Western Conference Title, and possibly the NBA championship?
Luke Adams
2:44
"Do the Warriors need a real center?" has been a subject of debate for years, even when they were winning titles without one. I actually think that with Green, Looney, and Jackson-Davis up front, they're better stocked in the frontcourt than they have been for a while. Always worth keeping an eye out for upgrades, but I don't view that spot as an Achilles heel.
Boston fan
2:44
Can you see any moves the Celtics can make to upgrade their bench.
Luke Adams
2:47
Their options will be pretty limited due to their second-apron restrictions. I'd keep an eye on minimum-salary type players on non-playoff teams (like Xavier Tillman last season) and guys who shake loose on the buyout market and could be signed for the minimum. Would be surprised if they end up doing anything more significant than that.
EonADS
2:48
@Luke, the only title the Warriors won without an "actual" Center was 2022. 2015 they had Bogut, 2017-18 they had Zaza Pachulia. And even that's a reach.
Luke Adams
2:49
Yeah, Bogut was playing real minutes in 2015 and certainly qualifies as a real center. I don't know if I'd put the 2017-18 titles in that same category. Zaza barely played, especially in 2018, and their best lineups were ones with Draymond at center.
Go Cavs!!!!!
2:50
Referring to one of the earlier post about the Cavs, who do you think would be a realistic player that they could acquire to be a good match up against the Celtics?
Luke Adams
2:52
It's definitely easier said than done. It'd be almost impossible to add an OG Anunoby/Mikal Bridges type like the Knicks were able to, and if you go a tier or two below that, you run the risk of getting a player who may not be enough of an upgrade. Like, is Dorian Finney-Smith significantly better than what the Cavs already have? I'm not sure. That's probably the aisle they'd have to be shopping in though, given the trade assets they have available.
a
2:52
Poeltl doesn’t fit the raptors timeline. They paid a hefty price to get him back. What can they get for him now?
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