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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 12/3/24
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ARTHUR HILL
11:02
Welcome to this week's chat. We'll start with a question about ESPN's 25 under 25.
RJ Barrett
11:02
Shouldn't I have been on ESPN's 25 under 25 list? I'm averaging 24/6/6 this year. How's Jalen Green on there over me?
ARTHUR HILL
11:09
Maybe RJ gets overlooked because he's playing on a bad team in Canada? Otherwise it's hard to explain. He's having the best scoring season of his career at 23.7 PPG and has taken on extra playmaking duties, especially while Scottie Barnes was sidelined. He's a central part of the Raptors' offense, while Green's role with the Rockets is slowly diminishing. Green hasn't been an efficient shooter or a consistent playmaker since he entered the league, but his marks of 39.3% from the field and 31.7% from three-point range are career lows, and his assist rate is at the lowest point since his rookie year. It seems like a major oversight by the ESPN crew.
Josh Giddey
11:10
What does my next contract look like?
ARTHUR HILL
11:19
I expect it to be from the Bulls and probably surprisingly large. Chicago's front office seemed enamored with Giddey when it traded Alex Caruso to acquire him, and I don't think that commitment has wavered even with Giddey's slow start. He'll eventually need to shoot better than his current rate (44% from the field and 34% on three-pointers) to maximize his talents, but the Bulls knew about his shooting issues when they made the deal. His size and playmaking ability are a rare combination, and he's still only 22 so it's easy to project significant improvement. He'll be a restricted free agent next summer and he's likely to re-sign with Chicago, probably not at the max but something in that neighborhood.
Guest
11:19
Who are your picks for the 5 teams to clinch NBA CUp knockout round spots tonight? I'll take the Bucks, Magic, Knicks, Suns, and OKC
ARTHUR HILL
11:25
I like the Bucks over the Pistons. The Giannis and Dame combination is really starting to click, and Milwaukee seems to have figured out its early-season defensive issues. I agree with Orlando over the Knicks as well. The Magic have discovered something with Franz Wagner running their offense, and they're good enough defensively to contain a New York team that's still adapting to its offseason changes. I expect Milwaukee's win to be significant, which will clear the way for the Celtics to claim the wild card spot.
11:32
Out West, I think the Suns will handle the Spurs and OKC should rout the Jazz. That leaves the Thunder as the winner of Group B with a tight race for the wild card, and Dallas (+41 point differential entering tonight) probably claims it by beating Memphis. Phoenix could be a legitimate contender to win the tournament with Kevin Durant back, but the Suns will need some help to reach the knockout round.
Jeremy
11:32
Could Nick Richards be a trade target for the Nuggets? He'd be a more reliable back up for Jokic than the current options and his salary is small enough that they could use Saric to match
ARTHUR HILL
11:39
Richards played well when Mark Williams was sidelined last year, and even though he's had his own injury issues this season he would still be a nice pickup for any team that needs help at center. The Hornets reportedly want at least two second-round picks in return, but that's not a high price for a team like Denver that's trying to win a title. Richards isn't a great passer and doesn't shoot at all from the outside, so it would be tough to have him and Russell Westbrook on the court at the same time, but Michael Malone could make it work by staggering their minutes. Denver should definitely be among the teams calling about Richards.
Pistons
11:39
The Pistons still have $10 million in cap room right? Any idea how they plan to use it?
ARTHUR HILL
11:45
The Pistons have been playing better lately and they appear to have a solid rotation, particularly with the return of Ausar Thompson. I don't expect any major deals at the deadline unless they decide to part with Isaiah Stewart or unload Tim Hardaway Jr.'s expiring contract. The remaining cap space will most likely be used to help facilitate a trade to gain future draft assets or maybe to sign someone on the buyout market if the Pistons still have a chance to reach the play-in tournament.
JD
11:45
Finney-Smith for Kennard, Konchar, and a lottery-protected future 1st, who says no?
ARTHUR HILL
11:54
Finney-Smith would be a great fit in Memphis, and that's a reasonable price to pay. Kennard is a low-cost shooter with an expiring contract who could be a good long-term asset for the Nets. Konchar has two years left on his deal and would be easy to flip in another trade if Brooklyn doesn't want to keep him, plus it adds to their collection of draft picks that could eventually be used to acquire a star. Finney-Smith has a $15.38MM player option for next season, but he's only 31 so the Grizzlies could use that as the basis for a contract extension. The Nets will likely have several offers to sort through, but I like this deal for both sides.
Lakers
11:54
Does D'Angelo Russell,  Jalen Hood-Schifino and 2 future second-round picks get it done for Vucevic or will the Bulls need more?
ARTHUR HILL
12:01
The Bulls' roster is already loaded with guards, so I don't see the value in adding Russell or Hood-Schifino. They don't have a good replacement for Vucevic, so they're not going to interested in any offers that don't bring back some size. Vucevic still has another season left on his contract at $21.5MM, which means there's not an urgency to trade him. Chicago is in the midst of the Eastern Conference playoff race at 9-13, so the front office may be content to wait for an offer it really likes.
Thanks for the great questions this week. We'll talk again next Tuesday.
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