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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 10/25/2022
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Luke Adams
12:01
Thanks for all the early questions, guys! Let's dive in...
Rivers
12:01
Should Doc Rivers be on the hot seat if the Sixers stay below .500 in the coming weeks?
Luke Adams
12:03
If the roster is fully healthy and they're still below .500 by the time we get to December, sure. "Should" and "will" are two different things though...
Lakers/Sixers
12:03
If the Lakers keep losing, is it even worth it to make a big in-season trade? No one move will address the roster flaws and LeBron and AD aren’t playing at the same level as they did when they won the title.
Luke Adams
12:04
Put it this way: Reporting for months has suggested that the Lakers won't move those 2027 and 2029 picks unless there's a deal that makes them a legitimate title contender. I'm not sure they'll be able to find that sort of trade out there.
12:05
On the other hand, if I wanted to be a Lakers optimist, I'd point to the fact that their losses so far have been to three pretty good teams (Warriors, Clippers, and the 4-0 Blazers), the last two have been tight ones, and they're definitely going to shoot better than they have so far. I'd want a bigger sample before I conclude that this roster is a lost cause.
You're my faaave!
12:05
What are the Spurs doing?! A three-game road winning streak is no way to start the Wembanyama pursuit!
Luke Adams
12:08
Utah's right there with them in the standings too, at 3-1. I wouldn't be too worried if I were a fan of either team though. There's just not enough talent on those rosters to stay above .500 all season. And even if they finish the year 6th or 7th in the lottery standings instead of 3rd or 4th, playing hard and picking up a few extra wins here and there might pay off culturally in the long run more than those few extra percentage points in the lottery will.
CBA
12:09
Any potential tweaks to the CBA that you’ve been monitoring/would like to see for the next labor agreement?
Luke Adams
12:10
I'm curious to see if we ever get any momentum toward moving free agency before the draft. It feels like the offseason would make more sense that way. I also wouldn't be surprised if the luxury tax is a hot topic of discussion during the next round of negotiations -- the players' union would probably like to see teams faced lesser tax penalties when they're re-signing a bunch of their own guys to lucrative contracts, and I think some teams would be behind that idea (others would oppose it).
Some Guy
12:11
Do you think Adam Silver will strip draft picks if teams intentionally fudge the season to try for Wembanyama? I've heard suggestions of it but I really doubt he has the balls.
Luke Adams
12:13
It would have to be really, really egregious for Silver to intervene. Like, to the point where it was the players who were getting in on the tanking, rather than just the front office (and coaches, to some extent). I can't see it. Especially since, as Silver has repeatedly pointed out in media appearances this week, your reward for tanking so hard that you finish with the NBA's worst record is still just an 86% chance that you won't get the top pick.
Two-ways
12:14
What’s the point in making players on two-way deals ineligible for the playoffs? Is it just to incentivize teams to convert them if they want them on the roster? Seems a little odd to prevent them from competing when they’re unlikely to be in a playoff rotation anyway. On a related note, do two-way players get paid on a prorated basis during the off-season if they’re signed and waived before the season begins?
Luke Adams
12:15
I think that's probably a rule that the NBPA favors, so that if a guy on a two-way contract really pops, the team can't just keep him on that contract all season long -- they have to give him a real contract to make sure he's eligible for more than 50 games and the postseason.
12:17
Most two-way contracts include a partial guarantee of $50K, so a player who signs a two-way contract in July and then is waived in September would be entitled to that partial guarantee, but wouldn't earn anything beyond that.
MIP
12:17
Devin Vassell’s looking pretty good for most improved player. Who do you like for the award?
Luke Adams
12:18
Still too early for me to have any specific picks for this award. I haven't even had a chance to watch every team play yet, and I'd like to see a guy do it for a few weeks before getting too enthusiastic. I'll open the floor to MIP suggestions though, if any of you guys want to make a case for early candidates.
Rookie extensions
12:19
Which of the rookie scale extensions did you find the most interesting? Kevin Porter Jr.’s has a unique structure but wasn’t exactly surprising. Hunter got a lot considering the future tax situation.
Luke Adams
12:20
The Hunter one definitely stuck out to me as one that came in at a higher price than I expected ($90MM guaranteed). I thought if they got something done, it'd be more in the neighborhood of $65-70MM guaranteed, given how often he's been hurt in his first three seasons.
12:21
When the Porter deal was first reported as $82.5MM over four years, I thought that was way too high, but I actually like the deal for Houston now that all the details are out there. It's pretty low-risk from a team perspective.
Our full recap of the 2022 rookie scale extensions can be found right here.
Raptors
12:22
If you were Masai Ujiri/Bobby Webster, what you do to improve  Toronto’s roster. Makes me nervous that Nurse is once again riding the starters so hard after FVV got worn down/injured at the end of the last two seasons. Guard depth seems like an issue again.
Luke Adams
12:24
I don't disagree. With Boucher back and Porter hopefully returning at some point in the not-too-distant future, it should alleviate a little pressure on the starters, but Toronto could still use one more play-making guard. I don't love any of the current free agents, especially given what the Raptors ask of their rotation players on defense (Bledsoe could theoretically be a fit, but they don't need another non-shooter). Will be something to watch as the trade deadline gets nearer.
GP2
12:25
Its only been 3 games but boy, do the Warriors miss Gary Payton Jr.'s on-the-ball Defense.  Their perimeter Defense has more holes than swiss cheese.  The guy was irreplaceable.
Luke Adams
12:27
I thought the Warriors' offseason losses (Payton, Porter, Bjelica, Lee, JTA, etc.) were a bit undersold this offseason. Those guys were, for the most part, solid, smart vets who didn't hurt you on defense (and in some cases, were major assets on that end of the floor). Kuminga, Moody, and Wiseman may be better than all of them someday, and DiVincenzo and JaMychal Green are good rotation pieces, but it seemed unrealistic to me that we could expect the Warriors to just plug those guys in without missing a beat.
Some Guy
12:27
Who do you think is the most impactful piece the Jazz got in the Gobert and Mitchell trades? Markkanen looks great, but I'd all-in on Vanderbilt.
Luke Adams
12:29
Vanderbilt won't become a star, but he's the sort of Swiss army knife player that every contending team could use -- a P.J. Tucker type.
12:30
There's really no shortage of options here. Markkanen has looked great. Sexton is a defensive liability, but is probably the best pure scorer on their roster. Kessler has looked really solid. I like Agbaji's long-term potential. Even Beasley has been pretty solid so far.
I like Gobert and Mitchell a lot, but I get the sense that Utah's hauls in those trades could look pretty massive in a few years.
Hot takes
12:31
Have any surprising takes for this season? I’ve got the Heat as a play-in team after being a Butler three away from making the Finals last season. Lowry looks pretty cooked and Butler’s getting older. Felt like they overachieved and will fall back to earth a bit, even with Spoelstra coaching.
Luke Adams
12:32
It's definitely not out of the question, given how tough the East will be. Don't think anyone would bat an eye if the Bucks, Celtics, Sixers, Cavs, Nets, and Raptors finished in the top six in some order.
12:33
This may be a bit counterintuitive, given what I just said about the East, but I'm getting more and more bullish on the Knicks' potential this season -- not as a title contender, but I wouldn't be shocked if they finish the season as a top-six team in the East.
John Wall
12:33
Is picking up Wall one of the most under-noticed moves of the Off-season? Clippers have needed a real Point Guard for years.
Luke Adams
12:34
If he stays healthy, it could certainly look like one of the best values a year from now -- he gives them an element of speed and play-making that they've been missing. Still, that's a big if, given his recent injury history. I hope he can stay off the injured list, since it's been great to see flashes of his old self so far.
Expansion
12:35
Everyone talks about Seattle and Vegas getting new teams, but shouldn't a team in Louisville be considered?  What about   Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Cincinnati, San Diego and Boise?
Luke Adams
12:37
Seattle is a lock for a team when expansion happens, but I don't think Vegas should be considered one. I get why the market appeals to the NBA, and it'll certainly be the favorite after Seattle. But the NHL and NFL were there first, and I'm not convinced the city will enthusiastically support so many teams. In addition to the cities you mentioned, Montreal deserves a look too.
Guest
12:37
What are the plans for Jonathan Issac in Orlando with the magic having nice rookies at the 3/4 spots?
Luke Adams
12:39
A lot of those Magic guys, Isaac included, are pretty versatile, so I think they'll be able to find time for all of them and put some pretty unique lineups on the floor. I'd be more concerned about just getting Isaac back healthy. ACL tears are serious injuries, but they generally don't take this long to come back from (Isaac's injury occurred in the bubble in July 2020). Hopefully Isaac comes back at 100% -- he was rapidly becoming one of the NBA's best defenders before his injury.
Some Guy
12:39
Pittsburgh is already too crowded a market given the Pens and Steelers barely leave any room for the Pirates to operate.
AOL Ted
12:39
Is Jody Allen the next team owner to sell after Sarver? some of the anecdotes about her time as owner are Onion-worthy
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