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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 11/13/25
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ARTHUR HILL
11:01
Welcome to this week's chat. We'll start with a question on the Mavericks.
Mavs
11:02
What's the next step for the Mavs with Nico gone? Stick with the curent group and push for the playoffs or rebuild around Flagg?
ARTHUR HILL
11:10
Firing Nico Harrison may have eased some of the anger from Mavericks fans, but it doesn't fix what's wrong with the team. Jason Kidd's experiment of running the offense through Cooper Flagg was an admission that he doesn't have another trusted playmaker until Kyrie Irving can return. There are also shooting and defensive concerns that may not be fixed by having Anthony Davis back on the court. The Mavs don't control their first-round pick until 2031, so there's a case to be made for trading Davis, Irving and Klay Thompson, tanking this season into a loaded draft and trying to build some draft equity for the future. I don't think that's the mood of the organization, though. I think they're counting on a making late-season run whenever Kyrie gets back.
Chris D
11:10
As we head towards the trade deadline, the Wizards have 3 Trade Exceptions: $9.9 m, $13.4m, and the MLE $14 m + a ton of cap space + the Middleton, CJ expiring contracts + Kispert. What teams/players do you see as possible salary dump trade candidates for the Wizards?
ARTHUR HILL
11:20
The Wizards should be very busy around the trade deadline, as they have veteran players who will appeal to contenders as well as the flexibility to take on unwanted contracts. The Hawks, Magic, Sixers and Wolves come to mind as teams that might need one more piece to make a serious playoff run, and others should emerge by February. McCollum in particular should be in demand, as several contenders and quasi-contenders can use experienced guard help. Washington's new front office has fully leaned into the rebuilding process and should head into the offseason with a lot of valuable draft assets. This year's won-loss record is going to be ugly, but the future is much brighter.
Guest
11:21
I know the Clippers can't sign anyone right away because of the hard cap but do they have any options to replace Beal now that he's out for the season?
ARTHUR HILL
11:29
Trading away Norman Powell and counting on Beal to replace his scoring was one of the biggest miscalculations that any team made during the summer. Beal's injury history makes him an unwise gamble, and the arthroscopic procedure he had in May was another warning sign. Of course, the fractured hip that put him out for the season is unrelated to the knee issue, but it was almost certain that his body was going to break down somehow. The Clippers have limited financial flexibility, so don't expect any personnel moves to fix the problem. Their best hopes are that Bogdan Bogdanovic rediscovers his shooting touch and that Kawhi Leonard can get back on the court soon. Otherwise, there's a serious danger of a bottom-five finish and no play-in tournament.
Unclemike 1526
11:29
Hey Arthur, After watching the last 5 Bulls games you can't help but notice how when the other team has a quality big, Wemby, Mobley and so on the Bulls get dominated and have nobody to even guard them. I mean nobody guards Wemby but you can at least make an effort and have some fouls to give at least. I know I've asked before but why do the Bulls ignore this fact when even an idiot like me can see the need? Thanks
ARTHUR HILL
11:40
The Bulls are very committed to Billy Donovan's up-tempo style of play, and while Nikola Vucevic is a great fit in that system, he doesn't offer much resistance on defense. Jalen Smith is their backup center, but his lack of size at 6'8" makes him a bad matchup against top-quality big men. The league is moving away from small-ball as more teams stock up on talented centers and power forwards, and the Bulls don't have enough size on the roster to counter that. Forcing the tempo and outrunning their opponents works on some nights, but it's not a good substitute for having a center who can make things difficult for Wembanyama, Mobley and all the other star big men. Whether or not the Bulls plan to keep Vucevic past this season, adding more size has to become a priority.
Scott S.
11:40
I don't see Ja Morant as a fit for Minnesota based on their roster and trade assets. Which team makes more sense for Morant and which PG makes more sense for the T-Wolves?
ARTHUR HILL
11:53
We talked about this last week, but I think the Hawks are an intriguing destination for Morant if they don't want to give Trae Young a new contract. He would bring more shooting to Memphis, while Atlanta adds an elite athlete to its young roster. Otherwise, the Kings badly need a new star to build around, and they can offer plenty of draft assets if the Grizzlies decide to rebuild after a 4-9 start. I think the Wolves should be looking at a short-term solution to their point guard issue rather than committing big money to Morant. For example, Washington's CJ McCollum has an expiring contract and could probably be obtained at a reasonable price. Try to make a playoff run with him in charge of the offense and then address the problem in the offseason.
Cale
11:53
Is there any way to explain what made the Mavericks think it was a good idea to trade Luka? 9 months later, it feels even more indefensible than it did at the time.
ARTHUR HILL
12:06
I think it started with the deals for Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington at the 2024 trade deadline that helped the Mavericks reach the NBA Finals. Nico Harrison got overconfident in his ability to judge talent, and the rest of the organization put too much trust in him. He wasn't completely wrong in his concerns about Doncic's long-term durability, but trading him away instead of addressing the issue internally showed terrible judgment. And negotiating with one team in virtual secrecy rather than announcing Doncic's availability to the entire league should have gotten Harrison fired on the spot. The Mavs could have gotten a much better return, including a massive draft haul to set them up for the future. Of course, Doncic made it look even worse by getting into phenomenal shape and putting up MVP numbers for the first three weeks of the season. The move also destroyed the Mavericks' relationship with their fan base, and it remains inexplicable to outsiders how it could have happened.
Thanks for the great questions. We'll talk again next week.
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