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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 1/7/25
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ARTHUR HILL
11:02
Welcome to this week's chat. We'll get started with a question about the Bulls.
Unclemike1525
11:02
Saw a proposed trade idea on some site that had me laughing where the Bulls traded Vujevic and LaVine in some 3 team trade and got zero draft picks back. Not sure who dreams this stuff up but I'm pretty sure even the Bulls dumb Management isn't stupid enough to do that. With LaVine showing up and Vujevic being his usual steady self It's looking like moving them is getting some new life. What do you think? Thanks. Happy New Year!
ARTHUR HILL
11:08
LaVine and Vucevic have raised their trade value from where it was over the summer. Both players are thriving in Billy Donovan's new up-tempo offense, and neither one should be moved without getting significant draft capital in return. LaVine seems to have overcome his injury issues, as his 31 games is already six more than last season. He looks like the focal point of an offense again, and his scoring numbers are comparable to his two All-Star seasons. The contract is still imposing at close to $95MM over the next two years, but that's not unreasonable to pay for that level of production. It's easy to find worse contracts scattered across the league.
11:15
Vucevic is having his best scoring season since he was in Orlando, and his shooting percentages from the field and three-point range are easily the highest of his career. His contract isn't bad at all, with one season left at about $21.5MM. I know rebuilding the roster to get younger and more athletic has been the plan in Chicago for more than a year now, but the worst thing Bulls management could do is rush into panic trades to make sure LaVine and Vucevic are gone by the deadline. They're 17-19, and the weakness of the East has them in the mix for a top-six finish and a guaranteed playoff spot. If they can't get a significant return for either player, they should keep the roster together and try again in the offseason.
CamJohnson
11:15
Im having a career year.  am I worth 2 first round picks? Or 1? I’ve never come close to playing a full season
ARTHUR HILL
11:22
The Nets pulled the trigger early on trades involving Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith, preferring to take deals that were on the table instead of waiting to see if better offers rolled in. I don't think that will happen with Johnson, who has skills on both sides of the ball that are appealing to a lot of contenders. He's only 28 and he's under contract for two more years, so any team that acquires him will have the security of a long-term deal in place. As you mention, durability issues are a concern, but otherwise he's an exceptional pickup for any contender heading into the playoffs. I expect someone to offer two first-rounders as the deadline gets nearer.
Kevin Durant
11:22
I think it’s time Phoenix traded me.  Our big 3 will never be a contender, nobody wants Beale, and Book wants to stay and be the future of this horrible  franchise. This franchise needs some draft picks, or it’s dead till 2032.  What do you think?
ARTHUR HILL
11:29
I don't think Phoenix will consider the idea of trading Durant unless he asks out the way he did two years ago in Brooklyn. He was Mat Ishbia's first major acquisition shortly after buying the franchise, and trading him now would almost be an admission that the deal was a mistake. It's much more likely that Ishbia will double down on his strategy of betting on high-salaried talent. That's why the Suns would gladly make the best offer for Jimmy Butler if they can find someone to take on Bradley Beal's contract. Ishbia's blueprint for running an NBA team has been transparent ever since he signed the purchase agreement. It's likely to crash at some point, but for now the Suns will keep chasing stars.
Zakis
11:29
After it took so long for KAT and Rudy to gel last year, what's this years formula to get the Wolves to be a top team?
ARTHUR HILL
11:37
That's one of the reasons the Towns trade was such a surprise. The Wolves invested so much time and effort into making the KAT-Gobert combination work, and then broke it up once it was finally successful. It was clearly a move made for financial rather than basketball reasons, and those almost never make teams better. The formula might be to exercise patience again and hope Gobert and Julius Randle will eventually figure out how to work together, but there's no guarantee that will happen this season. And if you're counting on them to be part of the core of your franchise along with Anthony Edwards, that means Randle will have to be signed to an expensive new deal this summer after he likely declines his player option. It's not a good position to be in, and the Wolves brought it on themselves by breaking up a roster that just reached the conference finals. Outside of Minnesota, there hasn't been much speculation about a Randle trade, but he's at least a dark horse candidate to be moved before the deadline.
CHIP
11:38
I will try again this week. We all know players & coached are fined when they use certain words. Has there been any word if there has been any discipline/fines for the female referee that loudly yelled that dhe had F-Bomb up ? Thanks for the chats.
ARTHUR HILL
11:40
The NBA doesn't announce disciplinary action against referees, so we'll probably never know for sure. Also, the league's fines for language apply to designated media sessions, not a hot mic catching something on the court. If that were the case, many players couldn't afford their fine money.
JD
11:40
Is Phoenix a realistic Jimmy Butler spot? I just don't see how the Suns would have enough draft picks to attach to Beal to make him worth taking. That contract might be the worst in the NBA
ARTHUR HILL
11:50
Someone would have to be heavily incentivized to take on Beal's contract, which pays him $53.7MM next season with a $57.1MM player option for 2026/27 that's he's almost certain to pick up. Any team that acquires Beal will have to understand that he's probably going to be a drain on its cap space for the next two years. Apart from that and his long-standing durability issues, he hasn't been bad since coming to Phoenix. He's averaging 18.1 PPG this season as the third option in the Suns' offense while shooting nearly 50% from the floor and 40% from three-point range. Although it seems like he's older, he's only 31 and should still have a few good seasons left. I could see some GM talking himself into gambling on Beal, but there would have to be some major sweeteners thrown in from Phoenix and maybe Miami.
Nikola Vucivic
11:50
Does anybody want me?  What’s the hold-up?
ARTHUR HILL
11:56
The holdup might be that the Bulls are planning to listen to offers until the February 6 deadline and see if there are any that they like. Of all the centers rumored to be on the trade market this year, Vucevic is probably the best asset for a team's offense. He's 34 with one year left on his contract, so he'll likely be a short-term investment for any team that acquires him. That could be holding down the trade offers. Otherwise, he'd be a great addition for someone who needs scoring in the middle, but as I said earlier the Bulls shouldn't part with him cheaply.
76er
11:56
Where will the Sixers finish in the Eastern standings? The competition isn't all that stiff but they have a pretty big hole to dig out of. Do they still have a shot at a top-6 guaranteed playoff spot?
ARTHUR HILL
12:02
The Sixers are fortunate to be in the East, which allowed them to remain in the playoff mix after a disastrous start. Also, their schedule for the second half of the season will be filled with other Eastern teams who decide to tank in hopes of landing one of the gems at the top of this year's draft. On the other hand, Philadelphia still hasn't looked impressive for an extended stretch at any point of this season. Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George haven't been able to build chemistry yet, as one or more of them have been repeatedly sidelined due to injury. There's still time to move into the top six, but considering how this season has gone so far, a play-in spot seems more likely.
12:03
Thanks for another week of great questions. We'll talk again next Tuesday.
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