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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 1/3/2022
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Guest
12:38
Things seem to be lining up for a Beal trade...bloated contract, winning without him, chance for a cap and draft equity reset...I think if the Lakers give up their two 1sts and an expiring Russ it makes sense if Beal says he only wants to go there.  For the Lakers, they get a solid star on a long term deal....
Luke Adams
12:40
It seems like the Lakers might be holding out hope for a scenario like that one. I'd be pretty shocked if it happens this season. Seems a bit early into Beal's five-year contract for him to give up on his commitment to D.C. and push for a trade (especially if he intends to make a this-team-or-else sort of threat).
Guest
12:40
Could 2022/2023 end up becoming the greatest regular season in NBA history? Everybody is averaging nearly 40.
Luke Adams
12:41
It definitely seems like it could be the season with the most individual MVP-type performances. There will be some worthy candidates who might not get any top-three votes this year.
Guardians of the Galaxy
12:42
I dont think the Cavs will be able to facilitate a trade with their limited assets to upgrade their roster.  What possible names may be available in the Buy-out Market to really help the Cavs or is a trade possible?
Luke Adams
12:43
A trade isn't impossible, but it'll be hard to acquire a difference maker, given their limited assets. If there's a quality three-and-D type guy on the trade market, there will probably be 10+ teams after him, and most of them will be able to outbid the Cavs.
12:45
A Terrence Ross or Josh Richardson type might be gettable, but that's not too exciting. The buyout options will be even worse, I think. Don't see any intriguing options based on a quick glance through the rosters.
free Meyers Leonard
12:45
Isn't it about time that Leonard get another try in the NBA?  He has performed Sensitivity training and met with leaders of the Jewish community.  He deserves another chance IMO.  Teams need Stretch-5s and he was one of the best of them.
Luke Adams
12:47
Leonard is a good shooter, but he was never a volume three-point shooter (you probably can't expect more than one per game) and he'd get picked on on defense. Based on what I've read, it seems like he's learned from his mistake and done good work, but he's a marginal NBA player, so I'm not shocked that he hasn't been able to get back into the league.
Nets streak
12:48
What team will End the Nets winning streak ?
Luke Adams
12:49
Honestly, it won't shock me if Chicago does it tomorrow -- they've been doing the Jekyl and Hyde thing all season and have played really well against the East's top teams. New Orleans on Friday is probably a safer bet though, if Zion is available.
Jazz
12:49
Utah has gone 9-17 since starting 10-3. Which version of this team is real? A lot of close losses lately, and the Jazz are still 4th in offense, but down to 27th in defense. Will anyone besides Markkanen and Kessler be on the roster in two years? Still feels like they could sell ahead of the deadline, despite having a fun season and exceeding expectations.
Luke Adams
12:50
This is a bit of a cop-out answer, but the Jazz aren't as good as the 10-3 start and aren't as bad as the subsequent 9-17 stretch. They're closer to the latter though and are way more likely to be a deadline seller than a buyer.
12:51
Given the relative lack of sellers that have emerged so far, I feel like they could get a pretty strong haul for a player like Jarred Vanderbilt if they were willing to move him. A lot of teams would want him.
Play-in for what
12:51
Are teams becoming more comfortable with a mediocre record / play-in spot due to the recent success teams like Bos, Mem, Nola, Cle, GSW, etc have had in building into contenders from an 8th, 9th seed finish. Wondering how the decision-making plays out for the many teams in the nba's lower middle class this year. Is Wemby too enticing not to blow it up, or do teams try to stay in the playoff mix even without much hope of getting anywhere this year specifically ?
Luke Adams
12:53
It depends on the team's situation. Some of the teams you mentioned (Memphis, New Orleans, Cleveland) wanted to get their young guys some playoff experience, so it made sense to push for a play-in spot. Certain veteran contenders are confident that they can still make some noise in the playoffs even if they have to win a play-in game to do it.
12:54
For a team like the Kings, even if they fall into the play-in mix, they'll be incentivized to push for a playoff spot rather than tanking, because they want to end this drought. Others will be less motivated -- I don't see why the Hornets wouldn't be fine with going into tank mode within the next month or two, for instance.
12:55
I do think the flattened lottery odds have made teams think twice about going into all-out tank mode. No team this year will have more than a 14% shot at Wembanyama. It was a lot easier to talk yourself into bottoming out when that number was 25%.
Dennis
12:55
Do you think the sixers will make any trades this season and if so which younger players can they target since they are going to lose 3 rotation players in the off season
Luke Adams
12:57
I wouldn't expect the Sixers to do anything big (involving players like Tobias Harris or Tyrese Maxey), but Daryl Morey loves to deal and I can certainly see him making a small move or two. If there's a young player who can help them right away and is under contract beyond this season, great, but I bet they'd be happy to acquire a veteran on an expiring contract and worry about trying to fill out next year's rotation in the offseason.
12:58
If they do go after younger guys, Kenyon Martin Jr., Saddiq Bey, and PJ Washington would all be interesting targets, albeit maybe out of the Sixers' price range.
TBone
12:58
What team will Bojan Bogdanovic be playing for the day after the trade deadline?
Luke Adams
12:59
At this point, I expect the Pistons to hang onto him through the deadline and consider an offseason trade. But if there aren't many sellers out there and they get a great offer, they could pull the trigger. The Suns make a lot of sense to me, but the new owner would probably have to push for it.
1:00
Thanks for all your questions today, guys! We'll have another chat later this week with Dana Gauruder (either Thurs. or Fri.) and I'll be back next Tuesday for another one. Have a great week!
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