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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 3/25/25
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ARTHUR HILL
11:00
Welcome to this week's chat. We'll start with a question about the Pistons.
braywyatt313
11:01
Regardless of how the season ends, should the Pistons look to acquire another star to pair with Cade Cunningham, such as Devin Booker if Phoenix looks to rebuild, or Zion Williamson?
ARTHUR HILL
11:08
If the Pistons get the opportunity to add Booker or Williamson this summer, they should jump on it. Either would be a tremendous second star to team with Cunningham and would move Detroit into a class with Boston and Cleveland as the top three teams in the East. Booker would likely get better scoring opportunities than he does now by teaming with Cunningham, and it would be fascinating to watch Cade and Zion meld their unique skills together. One difficulty for the Pistons in landing another star is a shortage of tradable contracts. Apart from Tobias Harris' $26.6MM for next season and Isaiah Stewart's $15MM, there aren't a lot of options for Detroit to match salaries in a mega-deal.
Chris D
11:08
Two years into the Wizards rebuild, the team has acquired 7 young players -- Coulibaly, Vukcevic, Sarr, Carrington, George, AJ Johnson, and Colby Jones. What is your assessment of these guys? Im not sure if any of them could grow into being a 1st option, but what upside do you see?
ARTHUR HILL
11:16
It's a promising group of complementary talent, which is going to be important to have on the roster if the Wizards are able to add legitimate stars through the draft. If they wind up with Cooper Flagg, they'll suddenly have a very good young front line by teaming him with Sarr and Coulibaly. If they get lucky again in 2026 and land AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson, they'll have a potentially elite scorer to add to that group. It doesn't look like the Wizards have a No. 1 option on the roster right now, but they're in position to get one if the balls bounce their way at the lottery.
Chris D
11:16
What's your opinion on the rebuilding process in Portland? Do you think a young core of Deni, Scoot. Sharpe, Clingan, and Camarra has good playoff team potential?
ARTHUR HILL
11:23
The Blazers are a fun team to watch on League Pass. They play hard every night, and Chauncey Billups has done a tremendous job of keeping them in the race for a play-in spot. The Avdija trade looks like a steal, and I like all the young talent they've been able to assemble. It's unfortunate that they couldn't find anyone to take Jerami Grant during the offseason or before the trade deadline. He doesn't fit the timeline, and his contract limits their roster flexibility. Otherwise, the future looks bright in Portland, and they should be viewed as a playoff contender moving forward.
Bradley Beal
11:23
My scoring numbers have been pretty good this season but the Suns seem to play better using role players like Ryan Dunn and Collin Gillespie alongside Durant and Booker. Any chance I'm asked to approve a trade this summer or will it still be too hard for Phoenix to find a worthwhile deal?
ARTHUR HILL
11:30
Beal's demotion to the bench was a huge story when it happened in January, and even though he eventually got his starting job back, being a sixth man is probably his best spot if he stays in Phoenix. He can have a greater role in the offense when he's not on the court with Durant and Booker, and they both benefit from having Dunn and Gillespie serve as glue guys. I don't have any doubt that the Suns will try to move Beal again this summer, but that no-trade clause is going to be a deal-breaker. I can't picture any team willing to take on that along with paying Beal $110MM over the next two years.
Guest
11:30
If they get Gafford and Lively back to go along with Anthony Davis, could the Mavs actually be a dangerous play-in/playoff opponent? Or does their spot in the standings make it too much of an uphill climb?
ARTHUR HILL
11:38
We've only gotten a brief look at how good the Mavericks can be with Davis. He was dominant in his first game before getting hurt, and he looked good again last night. He was playing at an All-Star level in L.A. before the trade, and he immediately makes Dallas much better on both ends of the court. If their two injured centers are both back by the play-in tournament, the Mavs definitely have a chance to move on. Without Kyrie Irving, they probably don't have enough talent to beat OKC, but their size and physicality could make them the worst possible first-round matchup for the Thunder.
Doug Christie
11:38
Do I have a shot at keeping the Kings coaching job if we miss the play-in? What about if we make the play-in but not the playoffs?
ARTHUR HILL
11:44
The Kings have been very streaky since Christie took over as head coach in late December. There are times when it looks like replacing Mike Brown was absolutely the right move, and other times when Sacramento doesn't look like one of the 10 best teams in the West. They're in a slump right now and have to be worried about their play-in prospects with Phoenix and Dallas just a half-game behind. Christie has been put in a tough situation, being named head coach midway through the season without any warning and then trying to keep the team afloat after the De'Aaron Fox trade. He's a popular figure in Sacramento, and I think the organization wants to keep him in the job, but it will be a tough sell to the fans if the Kings miss the play-in.
barron_hudson
11:44
With The Pistons surpassing all expectations do you believe they should look to trade for a superstar to pair with Cade Cunningham or run it back with a healthy Jaden Ivey?
ARTHUR HILL
11:50
One of the remarkable things about the Pistons' turnaround is that they've done it with a limited contribution from Ivey, who suffered a broken leg on New Year's Day. Ivey was off to the best start of his career, averaging 17.6 PPG in his first 30 games, and he seemed to be rejuvenated by the coaching change. The Pistons should definitely go star hunting this offseason as a way to cement themselves among the Eastern elite, but if they can't land a big deal, they'll still be better next season just from having Ivey healthy again.
JD
11:50
It's nice to see Grimes playing so well for the Sixers but is he going to be too expensive for them to keep this offseason? He's not really playing like an affordable $8-10M per year player right now
ARTHUR HILL
11:56
Unless the Sixers can find a way to shed some salary, Grimes is probably going to become too pricey for them to bring back. He has excelled as the number one option in their offense amid all the injuries and is averaging 22.2 PPG in 20 games since being acquired from Dallas. However, Philadelphia is already paying big money to Tyrese Maxey and will have Jared McCain returning from injury, so there may not be a clear role for Grimes next season. He's a restricted free agent, and the Sixers will be able to match any offer he gets, but their current financial position means keeping Grimes will come with a huge tax bill.
Most Improved Player
11:56
Who's your Most Improved Player pick? I'm surprised Christian Braun hasn't gotten more buzz. He's more than doubled his scoring average and improved his shooting %'s by a lot despite playing a tougher role
ARTHUR HILL
12:02
Most Improved Player may be the worst-defined award that the NBA hands out. There's no consensus on what qualifies someone for the award, and the current betting favorite is Cade Cunningham, who was already playing at an All-Star level last season. Among players who have gone from being little-used to useful rotation roles, there's a strong argument to be made for Braun. His emergence has helped the Nuggets withstand the loss of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and remain contenders in the West. I would probably vote for Dyson Daniels, but Braun is a worthy contender.
Dano
12:02
How hard will it be for the Celtics to keep the band together and winning?  Most of their key players are tied up in long term deals, but how hard will it be for them to fill in the bench and at C (Horford is a FA after this year).
ARTHUR HILL
12:08
It's going to depend on how much the new owner is willing to spend. The Celtics already have a projected payroll of $445MM for next season considering salaries and luxury tax, and it's hard to keep spending at that level, even if you're winning championships. That total doesn't include Al Horford, who will probably be brought back for as long as he wants to keep playing. The core of the team will be kept together, but the Celtics will have to do a better job of finding and developing young talent to remain in the title picture without breaking the bank.
12:09
Thanks for all the great questions. We'll talk again next Tuesday.
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