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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 5/11/2023
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Luke Adams
10:30
Thanks for the early questions, guys! I just have a half-hour today, so let's get through as many of these as we can...
CJ
10:30
Which team landing the #1 pick in the draft lottery would be the most earth shaking to the league?  Is there anyone that would immediately jump to the top tier of the power rankings?
Luke Adams
10:32
Dallas being able to pair Victor Wembanyama with Luka Doncic would be something. The Pelicans and Raptors would be awfully interesting. The Thunder too. I don't think any of those teams immediately becomes a title favorite in 2024 with Wembanyama or anything, but they'd immediately become way more dangerous.
Guest
10:33
Load management bothered me all season but did it actually turn out to be a good strategy, especially for teams like the Lakers?
Luke Adams
10:34
Eh, I think teams like the Clippers would push back against the idea that it was a success. It's impossible to draw any sweeping conclusions -- it varies from team to team and player to player, and even then, there's an element of randomness to injuries and health that's impossible to account for.
Orlando Tragic
10:34
The team seems to have a nice, young core. Outside of draft, any veteran addition seen as making sense to help them take that next step? Or just continue building with youth?
Luke Adams
10:35
I like the idea of bringing in a veteran point guard to run things. If they were to make a Jalen Brunson-esque addition in free agency, I feel like the Magic are probably a playoff team next season. Maybe Fred VanVleet?
Iain
10:35
Is any team further away from a championship than the Bulls? For most lottery teams the arrow is pointed up.  The Bulls seem to have no route to a title without bottoming out first and have no inclination to bottom out.
Luke Adams
10:36
I think there would be segments of the Wizards and Trail Blazers fandoms that would fight you for that dubious honor.
Connor🏀
10:36
nuggets 76ers in final?🏀
Luke Adams
10:37
Certainly not out of the question. It's probably not the matchup the NBA is rooting for, given all the other marquee franchises still in the hunt, but you could do a whole lot worse than a showdown of the two centers who have finished in the top two in MVP voting for the last three years.
Trae Young package
10:37
The Hawks actually made the playoffs whereas Luka and the Mavs didn't. Why are there rumors about it being time for Trae Young to move on, but not a peep about Luka leaving the Mavs?   If the Hawks DID trade Trae, what kind of package could they expect in return?
Luke Adams
10:41
Luka is a tier-one superstar whereas Trae is a second-tier star. It's maybe a little unfair, since both are offense-first players who don't do a whole lot on defense, but Luka's size is an asset on D that Trae doesn't have.
10:42
If the Hawks were to trade Trae, I suspect the package would be a couple first-rounders and matching salaries (some of which could be useful players). Somewhat similar to the Donovan Mitchell trade, though I don't think Atlanta would get quite as much.
Matt Isbhia
10:42
Do I trade Ayton this offseason, where, and what would you say his trade value is after a horrendous playoffs?
Luke Adams
10:44
It would not surprise me at all, though getting back good value for a center making $32MM+ who is coming off back-to-back ugly postseason finishes might be tricky.
Trog
10:44
What defensive minded free agents would be the best fit for the Mavericks?
Luke Adams
10:46
Bruce Brown would be great for them. Josh Okogie should be high on their list. I think they're a logical landing spot for Dillon Brooks if they have the appetite for his personality. Worth kicking the tires on Jae Crowder and Jalen McDaniels too, though they wouldn't necessarily be my top choices.
Chris D
10:46
Different reports indicate the Wizards are pursuing Bob Myers of Golden State to be their next GM. 1) What do you think the chances are that they will land him? And 2) Why couldn't they be more openly talking to him now given that his contract is ending and it would seem like the GM would have limited immediate duties at this point in the playoffs?
Luke Adams
10:48
The timing of GM contracts is sort of odd. In theory, their work for a given season is done at the end of the regular season, but it wouldn't really make sense for their contracts to expire at that point, before their team makes a potential playoff run. So the last few months of their contract might be spent preparing for the draft and free agency, even if they don't end up seeing that through. I assume that's what Myers working on now.
10:49
As for whether the Wizards might go after him (or Masai Ujiri)... These same rumors popped up before the team promoted Tommy Sheppard a few years ago. Myers and Ujiri seem more gettable now than they did then, and the Sheppard hire didn't really work, so it won't shock me if they're more aggressive going after a big name this time around.
Arcman
10:50
can the warriors trade their first round pick to the Grizzlies to get back their first round pick grizzlies have for 2024?  Works for both teams since the warriors have little wiggle room on their current team and the Grizzlies could use it for a replacement of Brooks?
Luke Adams
10:52
In theory, yes, that would be allowed. I'm not sure that's how the Grizzlies want to use that pick though. An injury or two next season could result in that 2024 Warriors pick being much better than No. 19. Memphis will likely want to roll the dice on that possibility or use the pick in a trade for someone more established.
EonADS
10:52
Cavs need to rebuild their bench. Who are good targets?
Luke Adams
10:54
Most of the guys I mentioned as possible Mavs targets would make sense for Cleveland too. I'd add Josh Richardson, Lonnie Walker, Seth Curry, Javonte Green, Torrey Craig, Max Strus, Yuta Watanabe, and Georges Niang as some other FAs that would be decent fits.
Dylan
10:55
The lakers and heat look like good bets to make the conference title game. With them being low seed/play in teams, does this prove more than ever that the regular season doesn’t matter?
Luke Adams
10:56
I guess you could make that argument. To me, it's more a reflection of a deep playoff field (the Heat are much better than a typical 8 seed), some good in-season moves (the October 2022 version of the Lakers wouldn't still be alive), and health luck (the Heat were hurt by injuries all year but benefited at the right time from Giannis' injury absence).
Chris D
10:57
As a reporter how do you parcel out responsibility for a dismal season like the Wizards just had? How do you separate out 1) Poor personnel decisions by the GM, 2) Poor coaching, 3) Poor individual player performance, 4) Just bad luck with injuries, bad ref calls, etc 5) Poor mandate/direction from the owner?
Luke Adams
10:59
It's impossible to assign the blame as fairly as it should be to each of those people or groups, but in the case of the Wizards specifically, I'd lean toward blaming the roster construction. After all, it's not like Washington significantly underperformed -- their preseason over/under was 35.5 wins and they won 35. This was who they were expected to be based on their personnel.
Noot Noot
10:59
We heard a lot of O.G. "universal fit" Anunoby chatter at the deadline, but which teams do you think might have interest in Pascal Siakam this offseason?
Luke Adams
11:01
It's a great question. He needs the ball more than OG to really thrive on offense. I could see him fitting in Charlotte, Detroit, Portland, and maybe a few other spots, but the list is shorter than it would be for OG -- and many of the teams who make sense may not have the pieces to acquire him.
11:02
Thanks for all the questions today, guys. We'll be back on Tuesday with our next live chat!
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