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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 7/20/2023
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Luke Adams
12:01
Thanks for the early questions, guys! Let's dive in...
Guest
12:01
Are we all sleeping on Chet? The overwhelming hype on Wemby is justified, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Holmgren actually has a better first year, they’re very similar players with a slight height difference but from the eye test I see Chet as a player further along, and being on a better team will help him more than being the IT guy on a bad team like Vic.
Luke Adams
12:03
I like Holmgren, but Wembanyama probably has the higher floor and ceiling and has essentially no injury history. I'd take Wemby in 2023/24 and beyond. But as long as he's healthy, it would surprise me if Chet isn't an All-Rookie first teamer.
Guest
12:03
Which of the 21 draft do you see being the first to become an AllStar or higher, and do you expect it this season? With his D I’d expect Mobley, but I also expect Cade and Green having a point to prove. Not to mention how well Giddey, Franz and Sengun could be this coming season. Even Scottie under a new coach. That draft really was deep.
Luke Adams
12:05
Mobley and Cade are the best bets in 2023/24. I think Cade probably has the clearer path, since he could easily be the best player on the Pistons right away, whereas Mobley would have to have a really great year to be singled out on a Cavs team that has three other guys who have been All-Stars.
Don
12:05
Could the Hawks make the numbers work by giving up Capela to Dallas and Hunter and a late decade first round pick to Toronto for Siakam and Javale McGee. By taking McGee we could get Dallas to sweeten what they are sending Toronto and a bigger defender at center would be ideal to backup Onyeka.
Luke Adams
12:08
That would work from a financial perspective. Siakam and McGee don't make much more than the combined $40MM+ for Capela and Hunter. Whether it would work for both the Raptors and Mavs is another story. Dallas would need to send something pretty compelling to Toronto.
Jojo
12:08
Your prediction where the beard is at the start of training camp.
Luke Adams
12:09
Philadelphia. I don't see the Clippers getting too aggressive anytime soon, knowing that Harden's value could decline further if he's causing tension once he reports. And there's no indication that any other teams are serious suitors at this point.
EonADS
12:09
Do you expect the Thunder to tank again? I've heard lots of moaning about it, and I don't believe a word. Sam Presti has to know that his odds of getting more great players in the draft are slim, between the production of the team and the projected lack of talent in the coming drafts.
Luke Adams
12:09
I don't see how they really can. I know the West is tough but unless they start shutting down guys for weeks at a time due to minor injuries, there's too much talent on that roster now not to be competitive.
12:10
Plus the Thunder have enough 2024 first-round picks from other teams that they don't necessarily need their own to be great.
Guest
12:10
Do you expect a team to go in for the “buy low” on Trae Young? He had a poor efficiency season, but is still arguably a top 5 offensive point guard in the league. At the start of LY no one would expect Trae to go for any less than super star value, but right now for reasons I have no idea(one low season shouldn’t kill an AllNBA players value this much). His value is surprising low, I’d be surprised if any team lacking a top PG didn’t kick the tyres on a trade.
Luke Adams
12:13
I don't really see it. I suspect any suitor for Trae would have real apprehensions about his defensive shortcomings and wouldn't value him as highly as the Hawks do. There's no indication that Atlanta has given any consideration to moving him -- maybe in 2024 if he has another year at a sub-superstar level.
East
12:13
Have any of the Knicks, Hawks, Bulls, or Raptors gotten better this off-season?
Luke Adams
12:14
I liked the DiVincenzo move for the Knicks and don't think losing Toppin should hurt them a whole lot. But it's hard to make a case that the others have really improved. Unless they still have another major move or two up their sleeves, the Raptors' and Hawks' best bets will be internal improvement from guys like Scottie Barnes, Onyeka Okongwu, AJ Griffin, etc.
12:15
As for the Bulls... I'm curious to see if Jevon Carter can come close to replicating his 2022/23 production in a new system. If he plays well, Chicago could be better, though their upside is still relatively limited (I don't see them winning a playoff series with the current group).
Christian Wood
12:15
Do you think the Bulls plan on offering me the money they received from the Lonzo DPE? If so, what role would I have on the team?
Luke Adams
12:16
I'm skeptical. Maybe they'd offer a small portion of that DPE but giving you anywhere close to the full amount would put the Bulls into tax territory, I believe (would need to double-check the numbers). I can't see them becoming a taxpayer for this roster.
Goodson E.
12:16
Should Dallas Mavericks sign Rudy Gay?
Luke Adams
12:17
I... would not be overly confident about getting much from Rudy Gay in his age-37 season. There are better options on the free agent market.
Chris D
12:17
The Wizards have 16 guaranteed contracts and the Serbian 2nd rounder Vukcevic still unsigned. And no legit backup center much less a  third center. Do you see them moving any of (and if so is there much return) Delon Wright, Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala, Landry Shamet?
Luke Adams
12:20
Would be a little surprised if they intend for Vukcevic to get a standard contract this season, so they may not have to make room for him. Muscala isn't really a traditional center but he can play some minutes at the five if they keep him. I'm curious about whether Patrick Baldwin and Ryan Rollins are actually in their plans or if they just took those guys for financial reasons in the CP3 trade. If both are on the opening night roster, then I'd view Gallinari as the least likely to stick. Wouldn't expect any real return for him unless the Wizards are willing to take back a multiyear contract.
Connor🏀
12:20
Hornets best case scenario this year?
Luke Adams
12:21
It would probably look like last year's Thunder or Jazz -- fun young team who remains in play-in contention all season and maybe even finishes in the East's top 10.
Stephen
12:21
Any news or speculation on the Kendrick Nunn front? I have heard some rumblings of Miami or Milwaukee, but surprises me that no team has taken a shot on him, considering he’s only 27 and has shown flashes in the past.
Luke Adams
12:24
Yeah, I thought he'd at least be able to find a guaranteed minimum-salary contract somewhere, but that looks like far from a lock at this point. I still think he'd fit with a few teams (he could help the Raptors, for one), but it would have to be a club looking for a scoring point guard. If a team is just in the market for a steady third-stringer who doesn't need a ton of playing time and offers more traditional PG skills, a veteran like Raul Neto or Ish Smith would probably make more sense.
Dub
12:24
Luke: Good Afternoon. Do you feel Herro is being disrespected by 3rd team trade options?
Luke Adams
12:27
No. He's a talented player, but he's the sort of guy who teams would attack on defense in the playoffs, and his contract isn't especially team-friendly anymore. He has value, but not a TON of value.
Noot Noot
12:27
What do you think the Raptors can realistically get out of the Hawks for Siakam? I don't see them being satisfied by some distant draft capital and contract ballast.
Luke Adams
12:29
They'd probably be targeting one or more of the Hawks' young players on a rookie contract. Okongwu, Bey, Griffin, Johnson. I agree that they wouldn't be particularly moved by far-off first-round picks. They've traded away their own 2024 first-rounder, so they want to be competitive right away. They'd go after players who could help them next season and who have room to continue to improve.
Guest
12:29
What moves the Spurs are most likely to make in the next weeks?
Luke Adams
12:31
Khem Birch seems likely to be waived at some point before the season starts. They should see if they can get anything for Cam Payne. I know he was just a salary dump but he should have a little value to a team looking for a backup PG, especially if the Spurs are willing to take an unwanted contract. I'd expect Cissoko to end up on a two-way contract.
David H.
12:31
How easy would it be for the Lakers to sign Christian Wood to the minimum? Wouldn’t a McGee reunion make more sense?
Luke Adams
12:33
If it were easy, I suspect they already would've done it. Wood will be looking for more than that and would only accept the minimum as a last resort (and if he's willing to play for that price, he'd probably have a bunch of suitors whom the Lakers would have to beat out).
12:34
As for McGee, he'd only make some sense if the Mavs waive him. The Lakers don't have the right salary-matching pieces to trade for him at this point.
Josh
12:34
What’s the best package you could see the sixers getting for harden? Think the clippers might offer Powell, mann or a 1st?
Luke Adams
12:36
I suspect the most the Clippers will offer will be two of their veteran wings (some combination of Norm Powell, Marcus Morris, Nic Batum, and Robert Covington), plus Amir Coffey and a first-round pick. Depending on which wings you're getting and how little protection is on that first-rounder, you could do worse, but I don't expect Daryl Morey to be too moved by that offer unless he can get Mann in place one of those vets.
Keith
12:37
What will Boston do for a PG? White might be the starter, but need help. Brogdon has been offered in trades, and may now feel disrespected by the team and want out. Why don't they stay in the Lillard conversation, since need an upgrade.
Luke Adams
12:39
I think they'll be OK as long as they stay healthy. White is a quality starter, Brogdon and Pritchard can handle the ball, and Tatum/Brown will have it a lot of the time anyway.
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