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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 10/16/25
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ARTHUR HILL
11:01
Welcome to this week's chat. We'll start with a question about Ace Bailey.
JD
11:01
Will the Sixers (and Hornets) regret passing on Ace Bailey? He's looked pretty good in the preseason
ARTHUR HILL
11:12
Bailey was viewed as a top-three pick throughout the college season, but he reportedly didn't like his fit in Philadelphia, Charlotte or Utah and tried to maneuver his way to another team. That worked with the Sixers and Hornets, but Jazz officials believed he was too talented to pass up. While it's only preseason, so far it seems like they were right. He's averaging 16 PPG while shooting 41.7% from three-point range and looks like the volume scorer he was projected to be at Rutgers. At the very least, the Sixers and Hornets should have put their picks up for auction to see if another team was willing to part with a lot of assets for the chance to draft Bailey. He could be the offensive force that the Jazz need for their rebuilding project.
Russell Westbrook
11:12
Do I move the needle at all for the Kings? Good signing?
ARTHUR HILL
11:24
Westbrook is a good signing for Sacramento, but he probably won't be a difference maker at this stage of his career. He evolved into a high-energy player off the bench during his time with the Clippers and Nuggets, and he'll fill that same role with the Kings. Shot selection and turnovers are always going to be a concern, but Westbrook can do some positive things as well. Sacramento is probably still a fringe team in the play-in race, but there's virtually no risk in having him around on a minimum-salary deal. At worst, he'll be an interesting trade chip in February.
Cale
11:24
Thoughts on the Bucks signing both Thanasis and Alex? Think Giannis specifically asked for that or are the Bucks just doing everything they can think of to try to make him happy?
ARTHUR HILL
11:36
The Bucks have a history of doing everything they can to hold onto Giannis, and this year that meant adding two of his brothers to the roster. It's a smart strategy if it keeps their franchise player from asking for a trade. They probably wouldn't employ Thanasis and Alex under any other circumstances, but it's easily worth adding a couple of family members on a minimum-salary and two-way contract as a show of good will. Giannis was in position to ask the Bucks for just about anything this summer after rumors emerged that he might be interested in moving to a stronger title contender, so I wouldn't be surprised to learn that he used that leverage to help his brothers.
Guest
11:36
Does anyone really care that Joe Tsai said he wants a good 2026 draft pick? We all know the Nets aren't making the playoffs. I have no problem with him being honest about it
ARTHUR HILL
11:48
It's no secret that the Nets and several other teams are more focused on next year's draft than trying to sneak into the playoffs. It's projected to be one of the best drafts of the decade with Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer at the top and several other highly rated prospects available. Brooklyn is still early in its rebuilding process, and Tsai was just being honest about how he views the team. Tsai's opinion is probably shared throughout the Nets organization as well as the team's fan base. Landing a top-three pick is the best thing that could happen, especially since Brooklyn doesn't own its first-rounder in 2027. The Nets made a mistake by winning too many games early last season and wound up picking at No. 8. I think they learned from that experience and will fully embrace the tanking process, and there's no reason for Tsai to pretend otherwise.
Guest
11:48
Would the NBA ever consider getting rid of the preseason - or at least shortening it? Asking for a head coach friend in Boston
ARTHUR HILL
12:00
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said this week that he hates preseason games and would prefer to hold practice every day until the regular season begins. It's likely a common opinion among NBA coaches because the outcome of the games doesn't matter, and the travel can take away from valuable teaching time. However, the league views it as another revenue stream and a chance to bring the game to an international audience. The NBA office is focused on global growth, and this year's trips to Abu Dhabi, San Juan and Macao are a huge part of that. Other preseason contests are played in U.S. cities that rarely get to host NBA games. It might be an inconvenience to Mazzulla and some of his fellow coaches, but the preseason really isn't that long and it's never going to go away.
Thanks for the great questions. We'll talk again next Thursday.
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