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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 12/6/2022
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Luke Adams
12:00
Thanks for all the early questions today, guys. Lots to sort through!
A Realistic Laker Fan
12:02
Why can't the Lakers trade LeBron? Is it because of his name? Is it because he has that much power? This team has talent, but I feel like is team filled with satisfy stars of where their careers are. Trading LeBron would bring back young, great and hungry new players. Am I wrong?
Luke Adams
12:04
Well, they literally can't trade LeBron this season because the NBA's rules prevent it due to the extension he signed a few months ago. But if you're speaking more generally, I think trading a top-two all-time player against his will would be the sort of PR disaster that could haunt the franchise well after LeBron retired, especially from a recruiting-players perspective.
Mr KLC
12:05
Do you think that the Rockets could get  a first round pick for Eric Gordon if they ever decide to trade him?
Luke Adams
12:08
It's possible to get a first-round pick for most players if you're willing to take on a bad enough contract or two along with that pick. That possibility is still in play for Houston, but I think they'll have a hard time simply swapping Gordon for equal expiring money and a first-rounder.
Ws fan
12:08
Wouldn't it be better to give Wiseman, Kuminga and Moody important developmental Minutes this season is the Warriors are just going to be a .500 team?  Why Lose games playing JaMychal Green and Anthony Lamb in the Rotation when we can Lose with the young Lottery picks getting crucial Playing time?  I don't get Steve Kerr sometimes.
Luke Adams
12:10
I mean, I don't think the goal is to be a .500 team, and I'm sure the Warriors believe they can play better than what they've shown so far. I hear you though -- there's certainly a trade-off they have to consider by prioritizing veteran know-how over raw prospects who might make more mistakes but offer way more upside. Given Kerr's resume, I'd trust that he knows what he's doing for now.
Cam Oflage
12:11
Which teams most wish they could redo a key off-season decision? Nets & Lakers were the obvious candidates until recently, but does buyer's remorse from Min or non-buyer's remorse from say NYK or Dallas now overtake them? Who else should be in the convo?
Luke Adams
12:14
Five years from now, if we're discussing the biggest would-be mulligan from the 2022 offseason, it wouldn't surprise me if either Beal's or LaVine's maximum-salary contract is the number one pick. The Gobert trade could be up there too, though I think we need to give that one more time. For now, the Mavs are the one that jumps out to me. Maybe it'll work out in the long run, but I think it's fair to question them for mishandling the Brunson situation and then using trade assets to acquire a player who's not even starting (Christian Wood)
See Red
12:15
So there has been a lot of speculation about those 27 and 29 Lakers picks, and people talk about them like they're a fantastic asset, but doesn't the 7 year rule really complicate things unless the picks are completely unprotected?  Either: (A) The Lakers recruit like they always have, and those picks are late firsts, or (B) the Lakers actually suck, and those picks (or at least the second of the two) end up conveying as 2nds because they fall within the protections through 2033.  I would be hesitant to trade a star for such a question mark when I could just trade that star elsewhere (as a Bulls fan, thinking about Demar).
Luke Adams
12:18
The seven-year rule is essentially what makes those picks such strong assets, since the Lakers would HAVE to make them unprotected (or extremely lightly protected) for them to have real trade value. No one is giving up a star for a lottery-protected 2029 first-rounder that becomes a 2029 second-rounder if it doesn't convey.
12:19
(As a brief refresher for those unfamiliar with the seven-year rule, no pick traded during the 2022/23 league year can have protections that extend to 2030 and beyond, so if the Lakers trade a 2029 pick, they can't negotiate terms that say it'll become a 2030 first-rounder if it's protected in 2029.)
Guest
12:20
IMO, it has become readily apparent (and I thought it was a horrible move at the time), that the T-Wolves/Gobert trade/outcome is a disaster. Instead of moving D-Lo and letting Kessler develop for a little bit, they got impatient and traded away all their depth and role players AND all their picks for the foreseeable future to "take a shot". The fanbase has about had enough and is in no mood to wait another pile of years for another attempt at respectability; What can the Wolves do to "fix" this at this point, or is this the dagger that gives the slow bleed until they give up and move to Seattle?
Luke Adams
12:22
I wouldn't be so quick to write it off as a disaster. We knew it would take some time for everyone to get accustomed to the new-look lineup. Let's not conclude it's a failure after six weeks. I also don't think trading D-Lo would've returned anything of value, though I'd listen to an argument that says the first-rounders they used on Gobert could've been better used on another player (maybe Dejounte Murray?)
Some Guy
12:22
Cavs need to make a move to solidify the SF position, and not Jae Crowder. He's a PF at this point and was awful in his first stint in Cle. Who is a good option?
Luke Adams
12:27
There aren't that many legitimate small forwards who can hit threes and play good defense who will be available at a reasonable price on the trade market, so I'm not sure it makes sense to completely rule out someone like Crowder. A lot of the other potential targets I like are also better suited for PF than SF (PJ Washington, Jarred Vanderbilt, etc.). It'll probably never happen, given that they're division rivals, but if I were the Cavs, I'd be calling the Pistons to see how much it would take to get Saddiq Bey. He's been pulled from the starting lineup and is struggling mightily from three, so maybe there's a buy-low opportunity there.
Larry
12:27
Have the Celtics peaked too early?  It's a long season - last year they hit their stride following the All Star break.  How likely is it that they can sustain this level of play for another 60+ games?
Luke Adams
12:28
They don't necessarily need to play at this level for all 82 games. Given how well they've played so far, they could play just over .500 ball for the rest of the season and still be a 50-win team. If they have a midseason lull, it's not the end of the world -- they just need to make sure they can recapture this level in the spring.
AK
12:28
If I sell, what could I get for DeMar and Vooch? Do I go after picks or young players that fit the team and timeliness better?
Bulls
12:29
Couldn't the Bulls theoretically just retool by trading DeMar and Vooch for younger guys who fit better?
JC
12:29
At what point should the Bulls just blow it up?  It feels like there are plenty of teams (Warriors, Mavericks, Lakers) that would trade their young players or picks for DeRozan, Lavine or Vuc.
Luke Adams
12:33
Lots of Bulls-related questions today, and I expect they'll be a popular target for speculation leading up to this season's trade deadline, especially if their 9-14 record gets any worse. The problem is that I'm just not sure how much trade value their top veterans have. No team's giving up a huge haul for a $20MM+ center on an expiring contract who isn't a strong defender. And I don't think any team's going all-in on a guy who still seems to be battling knee problems in the first year of a $215MM contract. That leaves DeRozan, and while he certainly should have positive value, I'm still not sure how much you're getting back for an offense-first 33-year-old. These guys aren't Donovan Mitchell or Dejounte Murray where you'd expect to get a bunch of first-rounders in return. And even if the Bulls could get a couple first-rounders, they're barely coming out ahead, since they've already traded away a couple of their future picks.
It's a tough spot to be in, and there are no easy answers unless they get absolutely blown away by a trade offer, or Lonzo Ball comes back healthy and they hit their stride again.
Average Joe
12:33
Paolo Banchero has produced some good numbers this year, to the point people are using Lebrons rookie year as comp!! But ORL are 2-16 with him playing and 3-4 without him, and they actually look better without him! Are we looking at bloated stats and does he deserve the plaudits when he’s not performing at a team level. Or am I being too harsh?
Luke Adams
12:35
He has played 18 games and is producing far beyond expectations on an individual level. I think the team success with him on the court will come. If this is still an issue in his third or fourth season, sure, it's cause for concern, but let's give him some time to learn what it takes to win at the NBA level.
Bob
12:35
How do you see the Pacers moving forward? I know before the season it looked like they were going to trade Turner and Hield for future assets but both Hali and Turner have exceeded expectations so far this season. Do you think they will keep Turner long term and try to build around him and Hali?
Luke Adams
12:38
With Turner eligible for both a renegotiation and an extension, the Pacers are in a unique position to essentially do his free agency negotiations now if they want to keep him long-term. If Turner isn't interested in an extension or believes he can get more than they're offering on the open market, he probably goes right back on the trade block, since Indiana won't want to risk losing him for nothing. But I certainly think it makes sense for both sides to seriously explore an extension -- Turner's only 26, so it's not as if he's too old for Indiana's timeline.
Senior Chang
12:39
With how Houston are looking RN, all Sengun, Green, Porter Jr, Smith and even Eason are looking like AS level ceiling. But they just don’t seem to be gelling as they probably should. If a star/young star becomes available, do you think it’s a good idea to move one or two for a top guy to kickstart their fortunes or reshuffle? Or should they hold fire and try to keep this development(tank) going?
Luke Adams
12:41
I'd save any major roster reshuffling for next summer. The Rockets will likely end up in a great lottery position again in 2023, so they'll be able to add one more young building block before they start deciding who stays and who goes. And if by chance they go on a second-half tear and play themselves out of one of those prime lottery positions, well, that's a good problem to have, since it means the current core is jelling after all.
Mike Fratello Rules
12:41
Do you regard Mavs as a a true contender this year if Luka remains healthy and Kidd finally figures out how to squeeze Wood’s potential?
Luke Adams
12:42
You never know what might happen in the playoffs, which often turn into a war of attrition as certain teams battle injuries. But if everyone's healthy, I don't think I'd have the Mavs among my top 4-5 picks to come out of the West this season.
HoopLA
12:43
With A.D. playing out of his mind right now, could the Lakes really clean up by trading him ASAP?
Luke Adams
12:44
In theory, sure. I doubt that's the plan though. If anything, AD's play makes it more likely they'll trade those 2027 and 2029 first-round picks for immediate help.
Don
12:44
Do you think there is any chance the Hawks look to trade Trae for a difference maker at the 2. Feel like pieces almost fit together with Murray at the point.
hawks fan 1997
12:44
whats a realistic trade target for the hawks? we know they want to move collins but for who?
Luke Adams
12:46
Lots of Hawks-related questions today too -- these are just a couple of them. First, I can't see Atlanta exploring any Trae trades this season unless things behind the scenes get way worse than what we heard reported about Young and McMillan. Even then, he's their franchise guy, so it's more likely McMillan would be gone.
12:50
As for potential targets, what they could really use is a prototypical three-and-D forward, but as I mentioned earlier, those guys aren't easy to find. A player like OG Anunoby would be an ideal option, but I don't see the Raptors trading him.
Kings Fan For Life
12:51
Do you think the Kings can keep their momentum and make the playoffs without the play in, use the play in to make the playoffs, or collapse and miss the playoffs by losing the play in or not making it at all? Which is more likely?
Luke Adams
12:57
Getting into the top eight is a key for them, since that would assure them of at least one home game in the play-in tournament, and the atmosphere there would be tough for any opponent. I'm gonna say the Kings end up claiming the No. 8 seed and finally snap that drought.
12:58
Apologies, having some connectivity issues in the last 10 minutes here, so I think I'll have to call this chat a little early. Thanks again for all your questions. We'll be back on Thursday with our next live chat, hosted by Dana Gauruder!
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