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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 1/4/2022
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Luke Adams
11:16
Hey all, submit your questions now and I'll get to as many as I can when we get underway in about 45 minutes!
12:00
Alright, let's dive in!
K.O.
12:01
Any chance the Bulls get Thad Young back? He's unhappy in S.A.and good team leader for young Chicago team.
Luke Adams
12:02
It's very unlikely for procedural/CBA reasons. The Bulls can't reacquire Thad Young in a trade with the Spurs and also wouldn't be eligible to sign him if the Spurs buy him out. There are scenarios in which it's possible (ie. the Spurs trade him to another team and that team buys him out) but they're real long shots. Which is too bad, because I agree it'd be a nice fit.
Lakers vet players
12:02
Who is next to Leave town after Rajon Rondo?  Can the Lakers fetch a Return for Dwight Howard or DeAndre Jordan?
Luke Adams
12:04
If the Lakers trade any other minimum-salary vets, I think those deals would look similar to the Rondo one -- essentially giving away the player with some cash to open up a roster spot and lower the tax bill a little. I could certainly see them trying that with someone like Jordan before the deadline.
Jahlil Okafor / Thon Maker
12:04
A bit surprised no Teams have Signed 10-Day hardship contracts with Jahlil or Thon ....
Luke Adams
12:06
Given how many players have signed 10-day deals in the last month, it's a little surprising that ANY healthy players with NBA experience and a decent track record haven't gotten a shot. But a ton of teams have leaned on players from their own G League affiliates or from another team's G League affiliate, even if those players have never played in the NBA before.
12:07
Teams know what they're getting from those G League guys, having watched them play in recent weeks, even if the upside isn't as high as it would be with guys like Okafor and Maker.
Bob
12:07
The Celtics are they finally going trade either Brown or Tatum it’s not working period.
Luke Adams
12:09
I'd be shocked if they do anything with Tatum or Brown prior to this season's deadline. It feels like there are still moves to try with secondary pieces (to get Tatum and Brown more help) before either one of them goes on the trade block. It could become more realistic this offseason though if the second half doesn't go any better than the first.
Westbrook
12:09
Can the Lakers trade me or are they stuck with me?  Which teams would be interested in me?
Luke Adams
12:11
I don't think you're going anywhere. The contract makes most deals impractical unless the Lakers want to take back money that's almost equally bad. And I just can't see the Lakers being interested in someone like John Wall or Kevin Love, even if the Rockets or Cavs were interested (which I don't believe they would be).
Chris
12:11
Does Wagner win Roy and cole win most improved for magic?
Luke Adams
12:13
They'll certainly be in the conversation. I don't know that they're the frontrunners yet. I still like Evan Mobley for Rookie of the Year. I haven't taken a thorough look at MIP candidates this early in the season, but there are always plenty of worthy contenders for that award, and voters often favor guys who played role on good teams, rather than those who have a high usage rate on a lottery club.
Non-Guaranteed Contracts
12:14
The article yesterday did not mention how the January 10th Deadline date affects players currently on 2-Way contracts.  Can you elaborate?
Luke Adams
12:16
That deadline doesn't apply to players on two-way contracts, but I believe their salaries will become guaranteed on January 20 (unless the NBA has quietly adjusted that rule along with all the other tweaks it has made to two-way deals). The two-way salary guarantee deadline isn't as big a deal at the standard guarantee deadline since players on two-ways are being paid less money and don't count against the cap. Even if their salaries are guaranteed, replacing them wouldn't handicap teams at all from a flexibility perspective -- it would just cost ownership a little extra money.
Why Arcidiacono
12:17
Are the Knicks for sure giving Arch a season-long contract? I just don’t understand it because undersized pass first PGs usually do not fit Thibs or the Knicks at all and he might actually play a fair amount
Luke Adams
12:18
They'll give him a 10-day contract or two to start. Depending on how those 10-20 days go and whether the Knicks need their roster spot for a deadline deal, he may or may not get a full-season contract. Definitely don't think it's set in stone yet.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
12:18
Are the Raptors sellers at the deadline? If so, who's gone?
Luke Adams
12:20
I wouldn't expect them to do anything really significant like trading Siakam. Dragic is obviously expendable (though more likely to be bought out than traded) and I could see them making a smaller move with someone like Boucher. Given the unpredictability of this season though, they probably believe they can make the playoffs and won't feel the need to shake things up until maybe the offseason.
Dubs fan
12:21
Are the Warriors playing with Fire, not having another Big Man on the Roster currently?  What if Kevon Looney gets Injured before James Wiseman returns?  Seems risky to ask Draymond to play extra Minutes at the Center spot.
Luke Adams
12:22
Their regular season record leads the NBA and teams are typically inclined to play smaller rather than bigger in the playoffs, so I wouldn't view it as a pressing issue.
Klay
12:23
Would it be better for the Warriors if I lead the second unit?
Luke Adams
12:24
Even before the injuries, you were never much of a play-maker, so Poole is probably a better fit in that role. The more minutes you get with Steph and the starters, the more open shots you'll get and the less you'll be asked to do. It's the best way to ease you back into action.
NBA Fan 1
12:25
Who is the biggest name traded outside of Ben Simmons?
Luke Adams
12:26
I wouldn't be totally shocked if someone like CJ McCollum or De'Aaron Fox is on the move at the deadline. Myles Turner or Jerami Grant are probably safer bets though.
Josh
12:26
Ben for Fox. Who says no?
Luke Adams
12:28
Despite a report a few months back that said the Kings wouldn't make Fox available for Simmons, I feel like the Sixers would be more likely to say no to a 1-for-1 swap. Simmons is just way, way better on the defensive end. If Fox was a more reliable shooter, maybe he could make up that difference on offense, but he's been worse than ever on threes this year (24.4%!).
Buy-out Market candidates
12:29
Glossing over the Veteran players on the Rosters of non-Playoff teams, do you thnk guys like Tristan Thompson, Al Horford, and Robin Lopez will get Bought out?  Or, they are too good and might fetch a Return in a Trade?  Better yet, how about publishing a " Buy-out market Watch List " on your website, after the February trade deadline?
Luke Adams
12:31
We'll definitely be publishing a post along those lines after the deadline -- it doesn't make much sense to do it earlier, since those guys may end up in trades as salary filler, even if they don't have much value. As for specific candidates, the higher the salary, the less likely they are to be traded. So the Magic are probably a better bet to find a trade partner for Lopez ($5MM) than the Kings would be for Thompson ($10MM) or the Raptors would be for Dragic ($19MM).
Hawks
12:31
After making the ECF last year, the Hawks are 12th in the East at 16-20 and just gave up 136 points to the lowly Blazers. Who could they acquire to help shore up their 27th ranked defense?
Luke Adams
12:33
Jerami Grant should definitely be a player of interest for Atlanta. They have the pieces to make a fair offer for him without sacrificing all their useful assets.
Finding reliable defenders who aren't liabilities on defense could be a challenge at this deadline though, since a lot of teams will be in the market for that sort of player.
Pacers fan
12:33
Our record is awful, but I must point out that we have Lost 10 games this year by 5 points or less.  Is the team just missing one piece, a go-to Scorer for the end of games?  Why blow it up the current team when we are pretty much competitive in every game?
Luke Adams
12:35
I'm inclined to agree -- I actually think with a healthy T.J. Warren and, like, 10% more luck, the Pacers would be firmly in the playoff picture in the East. For what it's worth, it doesn't sound like they really want to "blow it up." If they trade good players, they'll want to get other good players back, not just stockpile future draft picks. Whether they'll find any trade partners willing to meet those conditions remains an open question...
Harvurd Crimsun #1 fan
12:36
Do you think All-Star Weekend will be canceled?
Luke Adams
12:37
I'd be very surprised. The NBA seems pretty committed to going full-steam ahead with this season. It may be a pared-down version of All-Star weekend again, and testing will be rigorous in the days leading up to it, but I fully expect it to happen.
Trades
12:37
At 14-22 and 14-23, the Trail Blazers and Pacers are arguably the two most disappointing teams this season. Are there any trades scenarios between them that could improve both sides?
Luke Adams
12:39
I don't totally hate the idea of something entered around McCollum and Turner. Not sure it takes either team to the next level, but Turner would be a defensive upgrade over Nurkic and the Pacers could use a reliable play-maker/scorer.
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