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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 12/18/25
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ARTHUR HILL
11:01
Welcome to this week's chat. We'll start with a question on the NBA Cup tournament.
JD
11:01
If the NBA is so gung ho on making the Cup work, is it a mistake to show the knockout games on Amazon instead of ESPN or ABC?
ARTHUR HILL
11:10
The NBA Cup has turned out to be a great early-season showcase for the league. Players have really bought into the competition, and we've seen a playoff atmosphere in many games. Unfortunately, the benefits are limited when the final two rounds of the event can only be seen by Amazon Prime subscribers. The Spurs-Thunder matchup in particular was a game of the year candidate with a compelling storyline, and it would have helped the league to have it available by a larger audience. The NBA had to give Amazon something to entice the network to be part of the massive new cable deal, but's it going to be hard to build the Cup tournament into a must-see event when most viewers can't access it.
Cale
11:10
Any chance the last four teams in the NBA cup (OKC, Spurs, Knicks, Magic) are the final four teams in the playoffs this season?
ARTHUR HILL
11:20
OKC seems like a lock to be in the conference finals unless something catastrophic happens, and the Knicks look one of the two best teams in the East. I think they'll both be there. The Magic have a decent shot if they can keep a fully healthy roster together, which hasn't happened since the start of last season. The Pistons are heading toward the No. 1 seed and will obviously be a major roadblock, but I think Orlando has enough talent to take down any Eastern team in a playoff series. The Spurs are the longest shot to get that far, based mostly on the quality of the Western field (Nuggets, Rockets, Lakers, etc.). We haven't seen Victor Wembanyama in a playoff series yet, but he can be a dominant presence if he's able to avoid injuries. The Spurs kept winning despite early-season injuries, and all three pieces of their backcourt are finally together. They're still a dark horse team in the playoffs, but they're an intriguing one.
Jimmy Butler
11:20
I’ve lost my joy again.  Me and Draymond are incompatible on the court. Is Draymond’s trade value higher than mine, and would the team ever consider packaging him with first rounders, Kuminga, and Hield as matching salary in a bid for Anthony Davis?
ARTHUR HILL
11:31
Draymond is among the most important players in Warriors history, but there have been indications in the past that the franchise would consider trading him if it makes the team better. Getting Anthony Davis would be a major gamble, but if Dallas is willing to listen it's probably the best way to give Stephen Curry one more shot at an NBA title before he retires. Cooper Flagg is on the way to being a more dynamic offensive player than Butler, and he and Green would make a nice defensive combination. The Mavs might get better offers for Davis, but the Warriors should definitely be part of the bidding.
Adam Silver
11:31
When will I reconsider the 65 game minimum for NBA awards? Feels like most of the league's stars are going to make it this year!
ARTHUR HILL
11:40
Once we get to springtime, there are going to be a lot of stars who can't be considered for awards because of the 65-game requirement. Calf strains have become a major concern in the NBA this season, with reigning Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley the most recent star to be sidelined. Teams are concerned about the long-term effects of that injury, so there's a reluctance to bring players back before they're 100% ready. Four weeks is roughly one-sixth of the season, so being out of action that long makes up a major chunk of the 17 games a player is permitted to miss. If the league's best interior defender can't be DPOY and the All-NBA teams wind up being diluted, I think there will be a push next summer to lower the minimum requirement.
Cam Thomas
11:40
The Nets are playing pretty well without me. Do I have a place on this roster or should I work with the team to find a trade now that I'm eligible to be traded?
ARTHUR HILL
11:50
It was pretty clear that Thomas didn't have a future in Brooklyn when there was no progress on contract negotiations over the summer and he wound up accepting a $6MM qualifying offer. He'll be an unrestricted free agent in July, and the Nets likely won't make an effort to keep him with so much young backcourt talent on the roster. Thomas is an explosive scorer who's probably best suited to provide instant offense off the bench. It seems like some contender would be interested enough to make a modest offer, and the Nets should take whatever they can get rather than bringing him back and endangering the chemistry they've built.
Guest
11:50
What are the odds that we get an announcement within the next 12 months that the Seattle Sonics are coming back?
ARTHUR HILL
12:00
Whenever commissioner Adam Silver discusses expansion, he always points out that the decision will depend on the will of the current owners. They have to be willing to divide the league's revenue 32 ways instead of 30, and there's no guarantee that the addition of two markets will make that a profitable decision. The NBA hasn't added a team in more than 20 years, and this seems like an opportune time to expand with so many franchises selling for record amounts. I think it's in the league's best interest to bring in two more teams, and there's public goodwill to be gained by righting the wrong that was done to Seattle. The players union would also support the move since it would create 36 new jobs. However, Silver's comments this week are a reminder that it's not a sure thing.
Thanks for the great questions. Next week's chat will move to Tuesday because of Christmas.
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