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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 8/31/2023
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Luke Adams
10:15
Thanks for the early questions, guys! Let's dive in...
shou
10:15
At this point in there respective careers, who would you rather have on your team?  Harden or Kyrie?
Luke Adams
10:18
I'd probably take Kyrie. He's a few years younger and still very much in his prime, whereas it feels like Harden's decline has begun. And as mercurial as Kyrie has been, Harden's constant trade requests have been just as disruptive.
BL
10:18
Celtics fan here. Even assuming the salaries were in the same ballpark--which, yikes--what does Jaylen Brown do that Mikal Bridges doesn't do at least as well?
Luke Adams
10:19
Brown's a better rebounder. And probably a better creator, though we haven't seen Bridges be a focal point in an offense for long. I take your point though -- the gap on the court certainly won't be as big as the gap on the payroll starting in 2024.
KJ
10:20
In the FiBA cup . Who playing now has a good chance to make the Olympic team next year.  Got to think Anthony Edwards is a lock.
Luke Adams
10:22
Edwards is a good bet, yeah. Wouldn't be shocked if one of the point guards (Brunson, Haliburton) ends up on the team. A lot of the PGs from the past few Olympic teams (CP3, Westbrook, Kyrie, Lowry, Dame, Holiday) are getting old or probably won't be invited back. Mikal Bridges and Jaren Jackson Jr. also look like decent candidates.
Luke E. Lu
10:23
With the addition of Van Fleevt, what % would you say that Porter Jr.'s contract is guaranteed for 2024/2025 and 2025/2026? How well does Porter Jr. have to play before the 2024 trade deadline clause to not get released?
Luke Adams
10:25
Porter is a pretty talented offensive player and that contract isn't bad at all, given the rate the salary cap has been increasing (especially since it's a flat deal that doesn't rise along with the cap). If Houston determines he's not a fit, I think they'd be able to move him in a trade at least for neutral value, unless there are more off-court issues.
Randy
10:25
Do you think the Hawks stand pat between now and the start of the season
Luke Adams
10:26
I'd be a little surprised if both Capela and Hunter are still on the roster by the end of the season, but a deadline deal might be easier than a preseason one. Most teams' rosters are fairly set at this point.
10:27
Having said that, with the cases of so many major trade candidates (Lillard, Harden) still unresolved, it's possible the Hawks could get involved in some sort of multi-team deal. I'd put the odds of a preseason trade at less than 50/50, but maybe not by much.
Basketball fan
10:27
When will the Lakers sign a big man? Where is Christian woods going to sign? What nba coaches are on the hot seat?
Luke Adams
10:28
The first two questions may be related -- I think Christian Wood is probably atop the Lakers' wish list if he's willing to sign for the minimum. He may be waiting out the Lillard sweepstakes though to see if the Heat are willing to make him a better offer.
10:30
As for head coaches entering big years... Wes Unseld Jr. is one. There's a new management team in D.C. that didn't hire him. Chauncey Billups is another one entering his third season with not much to show for it yet. With the Wizards and Blazers both retooling, I'll be curious to see how Unseld and Billups are evaluated this season.
Joe Mazzulla and Jason Kidd are also worth watching. Big expectations for both of those teams, especially the Celtics.
NICK YOUNG'S SWAG
10:31
Are Washington and Houston your two teams that fall in the 'Somewhat surprising season' or 'Possible disaster' categories?
Luke Adams
10:33
Not 100% sure if you're asking me to put them in one category or the other, or if you're suggesting there's real potential for either outcome. I agree with the latter. I'd also put Charlotte and Toronto in that group. Wouldn't totally shock me if either of them made the playoffs (or at least the play-in) but I could also see it being a long year for those teams if certain things don't go right in the first half.
Kim
10:33
Good morning, what’s the deal with Chicago? Do they want to compete or tank? I’m surprised the made no moves over the off season. Standing pat, they are just not competitive. What could be their strategy? Do you agree that they are just not competitive?Thanks.
Luke Adams
10:36
Well, there are two different kinds of "competitive." I think they're capable of playing teams tough and finishing slightly above .500. I don't think they're a legitimate contender with this core though. So, yeah, too good to tank, not good enough to make a deep playoff run. Something's gotta give there within the next year or so. It feels like they're putting too much weight on their strong half-season with Lonzo Ball and holding out hope that they can recreate it (either with a healthy Ball or a viable replacement).
EonADS
10:37
So my question is, what contending team has a less obvious hole they really need to fill?
And how do they do it?
Luke Adams
10:40
The easy answer here is that the Heat need more half-court offense creation, which they could address by acquiring Lillard. I wonder about the Bucks and their point guard situation though. Jrue Holiday has 14 seasons under his belt and I think it'd be a mistake to lean on him too heavily during the regular season. I also wonder about the Nuggets' bench -- they're going to be relying a lot on first- and second-year players, or guys who didn't show all that much last year (Reggie Jackson, DeAndre Jordan).
Guest
10:40
Will the Jazz be able to keep up their over performing from last year? They were 13 wins over projected last season
Luke Adams
10:42
I'm skeptical. Teams will be better prepared for Markkanen and Kessler after the level they showed last year. And after the way John Collins looked in Atlanta the last couple years, I'm in "believe it when I see it" mode as far as him being a difference-maker in Utah.
KJ
10:42
Crystal ball question.  Of the 2024 free agents. Who do you predict will be the biggest  potential name to change teams.  For some reason I feel Khawi Leonard is leaving next summer.
Luke Adams
10:44
Kawhi is an interesting one. In 2019, he left a team that had just won a title because he wanted to be in L.A. so bad. Wonder if his feelings have changed at all based on the Clippers' mixed results since then. I feel like if one of Kawhi or PG13 leaves, the other one may follow suit.
10:45
Off the top of my head, I think we could see one of the Raptors forwards - Siakam or Anunoby - change teams next summer if they're not traded before then. LeBron is an interesting wild card too. If Bronny is able to play in the NBA in 2024/25, how badly would LeBron want to play with him?
James Harden also worth watching. Even if he's traded before then, his new team won't be able to extend him before free agency.
FIBA
10:46
Are there any NBA players, on Team USA or otherwise, that you think are priming themselves for a breakout or personal-best season based on what they're showing at FIBA? Edwards and Reaves are the names being talked about a lot, but is there a sleeper or undiscussed player fitting the description?
Luke Adams
10:47
Hard to find a real sleeper on a 12-man roster -- no one's flying too far under the radar. Haliburton and Banchero are two others that come to mind though. And it'll be interesting to see how the Nets guys (Bridges, Johnson) respond.
Philly Phanatic
10:48
Can we just swap Harden for Ben again? Seriously, I wouldn't mind seeing a Simmons/Maxey backcourt, especially with an actual competent coach.
Luke Adams
10:50
Not sure you'll find many Sixers fans who agree with you, but it sounds like Ben would be open to it, given his comments this week. It's interesting to look back on that Simmons/Harden trade now. I'm not sure either team had many great alternatives, but it certainly hasn't turned out all that well for either of them.
HawksHangover
10:50
Is Trey the cure or the disease that helps the Hawks become top-tier or keeps the Hawks in a perpetual cycle of slightly-above-mediocre?
Luke Adams
10:51
"Disease" is a bit harsh, but it's hard for me to envision the Hawks becoming a title contender if he's their best player.
EonADS
10:51
Do the Wizards roll with Gafford as their starting C out of necessity, or is he worth potentially giving a look as a full-time starter?
Luke Adams
10:53
Both are sort of true. It's out of necessity since they don't have any better options, but it's a good opportunity to see what he can do. He's still only 24 years old (25 in October). If he doesn't look like starter material, it's no big loss this season, when contention isn't really the goal.
KJ
10:53
Do you see Chicago running it back the. full year or do you expect a fire sale in February?
Luke Adams
10:56
This decision will be easier if they have a great first half or a poor first half. In all likelihood, it'll fall somewhere in between and they'll be hovering around .500, making it a far trickier choice. I personally feel like an overhaul is overdue, but there'd be no urgency to do anything right away with LaVine or Vucevic, who are under contract for a few years, or even Pat Williams, who will be an RFA in 2024. The important decision will be on DeRozan, who's on an expiring deal. The deadline might be their last chance to get value back for him.
PC
10:56
Been discussed before, but would a Trae-KAT swap work for either/both teams? Ant/Jaden/Gobert can help Trae hide on defense but is a Trae-ANT backcourt too crowded? Does KAT/Murray and the young guys make up a workable core for the Hawks?
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