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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 4/24/2025
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Luke Adams
1:00
Thanks for the early questions, everyone. Let's jump right in...
Pacers
1:00
Cavs dont scare anyone. Barely beat 37 win miami team @ home. Indy will take em to 7 & then C’s ecf rematch. Everyone sleeping on indy. again. Haliburton voted “most overrated” haha. 21 & 12 vs giannis & dame. Indy is a very balanced tm & few can keep pace with them
Luke Adams
1:03
I like the Pacers and I like Haliburton, but he's also shot just 34.4% through the first two games (17.6% on threes), so it's not like he's dominating the series. And the Heat are a well-coached team that will always be competitive even when they're out-matched -- don't forget they took Game 2 in their first-round series in Boston last year, which was one of the few games the Celtics lost on their way to the title.

The Pacers are a good team and I think they'll get out of the first round, but I'm still not sure I'm picking them over Cleveland.
Bernie Brewer
1:04
Given the state of the franchise, how can the Bucks extend GM Horst’s contract? With little draft capital, the future looks very bleak for Milwaukee
Luke Adams
1:06
I was pretty surprised to see that news today. I had thought that if the Bucks aren't able to mount any real resistance against the Pacers in the first round, Horst's job security might be tenuous. But I guess ownership wanted to nip that speculation in the bid by extending him when they did.

If you have full confidence in him, I understand the decision and I get the timing -- I'm just not sure why you'd have full confidence, given how the Bucks have looked in the playoffs the last few years.
Kim
1:07
Hi there. Of these three players, who do you think is the most likely to be traded this summer and what team is the best landing spot for them? Zion Williamson, Kevin Durant or Trae Young? I say Zion Williamson to Brooklyn or Charlotte. Thanks!
Luke Adams
1:10
Kevin Durant is the best bet to be traded, in my opinion, followed by Young and then Williamson. I have to admit though that it's hard to envision a perfect fit for Durant. Houston looks like a good match, but there are still persistent rumors about them being hesitant to give up assets for an older star.

Young would make some sense to me in Orlando, where you could easily compensate for his defensive deficiencies with the rest of that roster, though I'm not 100% sure about his offensive fit alongside Wagner, Banchero, and Suggs.

Williamson would be a good target for a retooling team that will have trouble attracting star-level talent in free agency. Charlotte fits the bill. Maybe Portland.
Toronto
1:10
That Ingram trade was huh? What are they gonna' do if they win the Flaggstakes?
Luke Adams
1:12
I didn't dislike the Ingram trade -- it was a relatively modest price to pay for a guy who has been an All-Star. If they do end up with Flagg, that'd be a good problem to have for the Raptors. I imagine RJ Barrett's days in Toronto would be numbered in that scenario (it's possible they will be anyway).
Cam
1:12
Please, speak some sense into the people that believe Amen Thompson is a dirty player after the Jimmy injury.
Luke Adams
1:13
Yeah, I don't see it based on that play. Thompson was battling for the rebound and got knocked off balance -- I have a hard time believing there was any malicious intent there. Just an unfortunate collision.
Edwill
1:13
The thunder look like a lock to get to the finals. They just been so dominant all season
Luke Adams
1:15
Things can change quickly in the playoffs, especially if a team runs into the wrong matchup. And I don't think this version of the Grizzlies, which has been well below .500 since the trade deadline, is a great litmus test for the Thunder.

OKC is absolutely my pick to come out of the West, but I doubt they're gonna roll through everyone like they have in the first two games vs. Memphis. Whoever makes it out of the LAC/Denver series will be a great test for them.
ChicagoTimberSpurs
1:15
What's the best trade scenario for the Spurs if they dangle Devin Vassell?
Luke Adams
1:20
I feel like Vassell is still capable of being a fit in San Antonio long-term. I'm also skeptical they'd be able to get a significant return for him on the trade market -- he's a solid role player, but $105MM+ for the next four years isn't necessarily a bargain. I guess if they don't view him as a cornerstone piece, the best they could hope for is getting a player in the same sort of price range who would fit alongside Castle/Fox/Wemby. Off the top of my head, maybe someone like Jerami Grant?
Golden State Worrier
1:20
What financial S&T limitations/implications for the Dubs if they want to move Kuminga vis -S&T?
Luke Adams
1:22
There would be a couple complications to consider in that scenario.

The first is that Kuminga would almost certainly be a base year compensation player, which means that if he gets a starting salary of, say, $25MM, he'd only count for 50% of that amount ($12.5MM) for matching purposes from the Warriors' perspective, whereas the team acquiring him would have to account for the full $25MM in incoming salary. That would make it more difficult to make a trade that works financially for all parties (a third team may need to get involved).
1:23
The second factor to consider is that any team taking back salary using a sign-and-traded player for matching purposes is hard-capped at the second tax apron for the rest of that league year.
JP
1:23
Hi, with Luka now a Laker. Can the Mavs find their new face of the franchise in this years draft? Thanks!
Luke Adams
1:25
Not without some serious luck. You're probably not finding a "face of the franchise" at No. 11, which is where they'll be picking unless they get a great lottery result.

Unless Nico Harrison is replaced and the new head of basketball operations hits the reset button, I think the new faces of the franchise for the next couple years are gonna be Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving.
Cowbell Kingdom
1:26
Do you think the Kings go the external route in the coaching search? It seems like sticking with Christie another yr just delays the process.  Any chance Malone forgives and forgets?
Luke Adams
1:29
I hope Vivek Ranadive is actually giving Scott Perry full autonomy on that decision, because if Perry feels pressured into retaining Christie because Ranadive likes him, the Perry era in Sacramento is off to an ominous start. It does feel like Christie will probably be back -- hopefully if that's the case, it's because Perry wants him back.

As for Malone, he doesn't seem like a "forgive and forget" kind of guy to me. That's a real long shot.
Chris D
1:29
After a much improved season,  do you think there is any market for Jordan Poole? What teams do you think would be a fit and what kind of return do you think the wizards could wxoect?
Luke Adams
1:33
A year ago, I would've said you'd have to attach at least a first-round pick to Poole to move him -- and maybe more than that (depending on the protections).

I don't think he's as far underwater now, but even after his solid season and with just two years left on his contract, I expect his value on the trade market to be pretty limited. He's more of a role player/secondary scorer than a primary option and his price tag is still a little too high for the role a contending team would want him to play.
TY
1:34
Do the Hawks move Trae Young this offseason? Do they extend him?
Luke Adams
1:34
A trade feels more likely to me than an extension, but a lot will depend on who they hire to run the front office and how that person feels about Trae.
Rick Rockin’ Rocklin
1:35
Let me know if I am jumping the gun with this thinking: no matter where they finish in these playoffs, the Celtics FINALLY turn the keys over to Jaylen Brown; they consummate an offseason trade with the desperate-for-help Suns, sending Tatum there for KD; and they tell KD he’s (at best) the number 2 option and they probably won’t re-sign him, thereby generating far greater payroll flexibility going into the 2026 offseason than Boston would have had if they kept Tatum. Apart, Brown and Tatum undoubtedly earn the respect and acclaim they deserve as mega stars of the league. Really, how sustainable is this current team construct, having two guys eventually take up north of(?) 125 million of the yearly payroll?
Luke Adams
1:38
I dunno, Tatum and Brown just won them a title. Can't imagine the Celtics will be eager to break them up just for financial flexibility (which could also be gained from moving off a major secondary piece like Jrue Holiday).

As for their combined salaries, it's important to view them as a percentage of the cap rather than as a $ figure, since the salary cap will be rising significantly over the life of those contracts. It sounds like a lot that they'll be combining 70% of the cap, but the second apron line is approximately another 35% beyond the cap, and that's really what they'll be looking to stay below starting in the next year or two. That's doable even with Tatum and Brown on the books.
ChicagoTimberSpurs
1:38
Do you agree with the coaches polled by The Athletic that Dyson Daniels should win DPOY? Why or why not?
Luke Adams
1:43
I tend to believe that big men who provide elite rim protection have more of a defensive impact than even the very best perimeter defenders because they're involved in more plays (cleaning up after perimeter breakdowns, etc.), so if I were to pick a perimeter player for DPOY, he would have to have a really great defensive season.

Daniels put up incredible steal/deflection numbers, but it's hard for me to get past the fact that the Hawks were actually better defensively (in terms of points per 100 possessions) when he was off the court than when he was on it. That's not entirely his fault, but it suggests that as great as he was in individual matchups, he wasn't necessarily elevating the team defense as a whole.

That's why I'd likely lean toward a guy like Evan Mobley or Ivica Zubac this season, though I'd have Daniels on my All-Defense first team.
First pick
1:43
If you're starting an expansion team and could pick any NBA player, if it wasn't Wemby, who would you pick first and why? Luka, Shai, Ant, or someone else?
Luke Adams
1:46
I'd be pretty tempted to take Jokic, even though he's a few years older than those players. He should still have several more MVP-caliber seasons left in him, and he's probably the NBA's best player right now.

If I were to go for one of those younger guys, it'd probably be Shai, since he seems like the safest bet relative to someone like Luka (the conditioning concerns were overstated in Dallas, but they're not entirely made up) or Edwards (whose tendency to get into it with fans and rack up fines and suspensions would make me slightly nervous if I were a team owner).
Hawks
1:47
Do you think the Hawks could potentially move one (or two) of their youngsters (Johnson/Okongwu) and some picks for a big man star? Lots of fans are talking it up on X
Luke Adams
1:50
If they were willing to move Jalen Johnson, they could probably insert themselves into the conversation for any star who might become available this summer. But I'm pretty skeptical they'll do so -- Johnson looks like a future All-Star who's worth building around, not trading in a win-now deal.

I get the thinking -- acquiring a star to form a core with Trae, Daniels, and Risacher would definitely be intriguing. I just think it makes way more sense for them to build around the younger guys than to take a win-now swing this summer.
Jeff
1:50
If Butler misses much of this series,  the Warriors look done.  Not enough offense.   It's a shame since they could probably beat the Rockets and Lakes.
Luke Adams
1:51
We'll see what the MRI says. If it's nothing major and just comes down to pain tolerance, I wouldn't count Butler out for long.

Also not convinced yet that the Lakers will be the team coming out of that 3 vs. 6 series.
On that note...
ChicagoTimberSpurs
1:52
Do you think the Wolves can make it past the Lakers? What key factors are you looking for for them to take the series?
Luke Adams
1:55
I think the Wolves have a deeper, more balanced roster than the Lakers, who still look pretty thin up front (it doesn't seem like Hayes will be much of a factor in the series).

The Wolves' ability to hit outside shots is gonna be huge -- we saw both extremes in the first two games, with them making 21 threes on 50.0% shooting in Game 1 and five on 20.0% shooting in Game 2. The Lakers' defense is really solid inside the arc, so if you're not missing open looks, it's gonna be hard to make much headway.
Hawks FO moves
1:55
With the firing of Fields, who do you think the Hawks will target to run their front office? Bob Myers feels like a pipe dream
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