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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 12/21/2023
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Luke Adams
12:02
Thanks for all the early questions, guys. Let's jump right in...
Guest
12:02
I feel like DLo being traded is inevitable so wondering if you think he is a positive trade asset that could bring value back on his own or if you think he'll need a draft pick or young asset attached to make a win win trade?
Luke Adams
12:03
I'm not sure he's more than a salary-matching chip on his own. He definitely doesn't have negative value, but it's hard for me to think of many teams that would look at him as a missing piece.
HoopLA
12:04
If you're running the Clips, do you stand pat or is there someone out there to go after?
Luke Adams
12:05
Don't think there's much work to do on that roster at the trade deadline. Maybe you keep an eye out for some possible upgrades around the edges, but it'll also be a popular destination on the buyout market after the deadline (though it's worth noting they won't be able to sign any buyout guys whose pre-waiver salary is above $12.4MM).
JunkYardDog
12:05
The Jazz are 2-13 away playing in Det tonight. Will Det finally get a W?
Luke Adams
12:06
Utah's been playing a little better lately, but they're on the second end of a back-to-back. If the Pistons can't win this game, not sure when it's gonna happen. I'll (very reluctantly) take Detroit tonight.
Guest
12:07
Is CP3 to the warriors low key one of the worst trades in recent memory? He makes an old Golden State even older when they’re desperate to get younger and is not a good fit/showing the level he did in Phoenix. To add to the woes is the loss of Poole to make it happen. Agreed Poole is not performing. But on the floor with Curry in Kerr’s system, his weaknesses would have been hidden more and he’d still be averaging nearly 20pts and would have been a piece the level of Herro in Miami putting them in a better position to trade for much needed help. Now they have no other assets at that level or salary, and are stuck in limbo of an aged team that may have missed their window and not the right assets to stay a contender(even with Curry).
Luke Adams
12:09
I don't think the Warriors' struggles this year have been Paul's fault and if you took both players to the trade market tomorrow, CP3 would have more value than Poole. I don't hate the deal for the Warriors at all -- if they're regretting it, they should be able to flip Paul before the deadline.
Preacher
12:10
Why are the sixers a obviously a better team minus harden when all they supposedly received in return were salary fillers and picks ...according to all the experts??
Luke Adams
12:11
One of the best things about basketball is that it's not a sport where you can get away with simply adding more talent at the expense of fit. Sometimes removing a star player from the equation allows other players to step into roles that fit them better, and it seems like that's been the case in Philadelphia -- hard to imagine Maxey's breakout would have occurred (to this extent, at least) if Harden was still around.
Hank Hawk
12:12
Will the Hawks try to upgrade the team or hold a fire sale at the trade deadline?
Luke Adams
12:14
I don't see a fire sale happening. Maybe they shake up the roster a little but I'd be shocked if anyone from the group of Trae Young/Dejounte Murray/Jalen Johnson/Onyeka Okongwu was dealt at the deadline. Think they'll try to shuffle the pieces around those guys (maybe some combination of Hunter, Capela, and Bey) and save anything more significant for the offseason.
Hoops in DF
12:14
I worry that the Bulls mgmt suddenly thinks they are a playoff team because they have gone 7-3. I concede they have beaten good teams, but I still feel that trading LaVine and DeRozan at the deadline and re-tooling for the next few seasons is the way to go.  What do you guys think?
Luke Adams
12:16
Yeah, this has been a nice little run, but I'm unconvinced they're a team that can win a playoff series as currently constructed. That doesn't necessarily mean they have to tear the whole thing down, but they definitely shouldn't be thinking "maybe we've figured things out with this roster after all."
Drew
12:16
Upgrades via trade don’t look promising for the Wolves. Historically not a place where buyout candidates land, but maybe this year?
Luke Adams
12:18
We'll see who ends up on the buyout market this year. As I alluded to earlier, anyone making over the MLE who gets bought out will be ineligible to sign with teams over either tax apron, which will take quite a few typical buyout teams (Boston, GSW, LAC, Miami, Phoenix, Milwaukee, etc.) out of the running. That should put the Wolves in a better position than usual.
DC
12:19
Does Kuzma get 2 firsts?  He’s matching his best efficiency per year ever while getting his most ppg.  Word is he’s a leader for the young guys too.  I get he can’t be a teams best or second best player but could he be a guy to put a team over the top?
Luke Adams
12:21
He has value, but two first-rounders seems like a stretch to me (unless, say, one's a 2024 pick from a good team and one's heavily protected). As good as he's been offensively, suitors would be worried about his defense and the fact that his three-point shot/general efficiency this season has been an outlier compared to his career rates.
Hubert Cumberdale
12:21
The buyout market is the worst part of the NBA. I wish they would make any player acquired after the deadline ineligible for the post-season
Luke Adams
12:23
For what it's worth, it's rare for that type of player to have any real impact in the playoffs. Last season was just about a best-case scenario with each Finals team having a buyout guy and even then, Kevin Love was just OK for the Heat (6.9 PPG, .378 FG% in the postseason) and Reggie Jackson barely played for Denver.
capital ballers
12:24
The Zion news surprised me a little bit. Do these contracts generally have clauses like this that aren’t know to the public?
Luke Adams
12:25
No, that's not common. Even in this case, it was reported at the time of the signing that there were scenarios related to games played (and weigh-ins) in which the deal could become non-guaranteed -- the Pelicans were always just very secretive about the exact criteria, so we never knew much about the specifics until now.
Guest
12:26
When do Detroit finally accept that none of their pieces work together? Granted Cade/Duren/Ivey/Thompson are all very good high ceiling players. But they just don’t work together. No more of the “they need to get fit” or “they need to figure it out” they can’t keep clutching at straws on the justification. The only viable option to avoid being the collectively worse team in NBA history over a near 5 year stretch is to clear the roster and get whatever value they can in return.
Luke Adams
12:31
It's not an easy situation in Detroit, that's for sure. If they still believe that the guys you mentioned are "very good high ceiling players," it makes more sense to be patient with them than to consider moving them now, when the stink of the 24-game losing streak will mean you're selling low. I don't know what the answer is, but seeing the way the Rockets have played this year after a few ugly seasons makes me think that adding a couple competitive veteran leaders to this mix could have a real impact. It certainly seems in retrospect that using the cap space this summer exclusively on salary dumps rather than seeking out higher-caliber talent was a misstep.
Guest
12:32
Looking at Houston they look in the same position Cleveland were pre-Mitchell trade. Given their abundance of trade capital(those Brooklyn picks especially) and their collection of high ceiling young talent Green, Smith Jr, Eason etc(Sengun likely only off limit player). do you expect them to be big players if a top 10-20 player becomes available by TD or more likely this off season.
Luke Adams
12:33
I don't see why not. They don't control their own first-round picks in 2024 or 2026, so there's some incentive to be as competitive as possible.
Guest
12:34
Is Zion the next big name to be traded? It’s looking more like the main guy(in the coaches eyes at least) is Ingram and he’s looking more and more frustrated let alone all the reports from the higher ups. If he is made available where do you think he’ll likely end up? And what would his value be considering his weight/injury troubles?
Luke Adams
12:36
I still think things would have to go much further south in New Orleans for them to consider moving Zion. He has perennial All-NBA/MVP/Hall-of-Fame type upside, so the Pelicans can't get serious about moving him unless they believe he's not capable of achieving that upside in NOLA. If they still have hope, it's too risky to give up on him.
Charlie’s Moms
12:36
Speaking of “sometimes removing a star player from the equation allows other players to step into roles that fit them better”,  has Masai been watching the Raptors at all? Just a dreary death march where the two best players overlap. Ahem.
Luke Adams
12:37
Yeah. I understood the thinking behind not moving Lowry a couple seasons ago. I could sorta see the justification for hanging onto VanVleet last year. But given the way those situations played out and the way they're playing now, I don't see how they can take the same route at the trade deadline for a third straight season.
Cam Greenish
12:37
Please tell me the Lakers are not going to trade for Zak LaVine.
Luke Adams
12:38
I don't see it happening unless the price is awfully modest (maybe matching salaries and a protected first-round pick).
Glorified G
12:38
This has to be the year OKC cashes in some of that draft pick stock and adds a big piece to the roster?
Luke Adams
12:39
They'd certainly be justified in making a splash this season, but I doubt Presti will approach the deadline with any urgency -- no OKC players are due a big raise in 2024, so the Thunder could be in a similar boat next summer or at the 2025 trade deadline, and maybe the guys on the trade block at that point will be more appealing.
Guest
12:40
is Quickly wasted in NY? He shows he’s more than capable but Thibs just won’t give him the play time he arguably deserves. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a Maxey Haliburton explosion if he gets traded(which would be for the best).
Luke Adams
12:42
"Wasted" may be an overstatement and I'm not entirely convinced of the Maxey/Haliburton upside, but there are probably teams out there who would be willing to put the ball in his hands a bit more. I noticed recently that the highest usage rate of Quickley's career so far came in his rookie season, which is a bit odd.
Troell
12:42
Jazz seem to have most of the roster on the trade block, what does it take to try and get Lauri?  Seems like they want to keep him, but they aren't going to pay him in 2 yrs right?
Luke Adams
12:43
Maybe things change between now and the deadline, but for now, I get the sense that their stance on Markkanen is "Sure, you can ask about him, but he's not going anywhere unless you absolutely blow us away with a Gobert-esque offer." I don't see any team going to that level (several unprotected first-round picks + promising young players).
Guest
12:44
I have an idea to float with you and the community here: I want to encourage guys to take half-court shots at the end of quarters. They don’t because it will mess with their shooting percentages but it’s a bad look for them (they look selfish) and not so fun for the fans, because those heaves, on the rare occasions they go in, are super-exciting. So here’s the idea: say that all heaves beyond half court with 2 seconds or less on the clock do not count as shot attempts unless they go in. It would be fun!  What do you think?
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