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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 3/12/26
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ARTHUR HILL
11:01
Welcome to this week's chat. We'll start with a question on the Bulls.
Unclemike1526
11:01
Since us Bulls fans have nothing else to do( Again), I haven't had a chance to think about the draft much. Obviously we aren't positive who's coming out yet either. Who are some guys that the Bulls could( Should)  be targeting with a pick around 10 if that holds true? Also what are the updated odds that Portland's first that they hold convey this year? By the time it expires in 2028? Thanks
ARTHUR HILL
11:08
The draft is viewed as having a dropoff after the first nine players, and the Bulls currently have the ninth-worst record in the league, so every victory like the ones at Phoenix and Golden State hurts the cause a little bit. After the top four, it becomes a very guard-heavy draft - bad news for Chicago, which already has an overcrowded backcourt. Outside of moving up in the lottery, the best scenario for the Bulls is for Nate Ament to still be on the board when it's time for them to pick. The Tennessee forward is built similar to Noa Essengue, but he was viewed as having star potential coming into the season and will eventually grow into his 6'10" frame. ...
11:11
The pick from Portland is lottery protected for the next three years. The Blazers would currently have to get through the Warriors and another play-in team to escape the lottery, so it's not likely to convey this year and it's iffy for 2027 and 2028 considering the number of good teams in the Western Conference.
Antman
11:11
The Wolves halfcourt defense isn't as strong as last season. If this team doesn't make it to the conference finals, will there be major changes in the offseason?
ARTHUR HILL
11:19
Even if this season ends with disappointment in the playoffs, I don't expect a complete overhaul. There have been some bad losses, but the core of the team has a track record of success and the roster is young enough to expect it to continue. There's plenty of stability with the six highest-salaried players all under contract for next season, and there's no urgency to disrupt that. The new owners have said they're willing to spend money, so they'll probably re-sign Ayo Dosunmu this summer and keep the rest of the roster together.
JD
11:20
Is this already a lost season for the Sixers?
ARTHUR HILL
11:25
Losing Tyrese Maxey for at least three weeks with a finger injury feels like a death blow for a team that was already teetering on the brink. We don't know when Joel Embiid will be back, and Paul George still has nearly two weeks left on his suspension. Throw in Kelly Oubre's elbow injury, and it's starting to feel like the end of last season when the Sixers barely had enough players to field a team. At 35-30, they have enough of a cushion that they're unlikely to fall out of the play-in tournament, but it's hard to picture them advancing.
theBigLip
11:25
Pistons, Celtics, Knicks and Cavs - looks pretty close, but who comes out of the East and why?
ARTHUR HILL
11:33
It's a closely bunched group at the top of the East, and a lot may depend on playoff matchups. The Knicks, for instance, haven't fared well against the Pistons and might have a better chance against the Celtics or Cavs in the Eastern semis. Detroit has been dominant all season long, but is playing its worst basketball in March and may be vulnerable due to a lack of shot creators and outside shooting. Right now, it feels like Jayson Tatum's return is going to be the X factor in the Eastern playoffs. He already looks a lot like the player he was before the Achilles injury, and he's only going to get better as he gets more comfortable and his minutes restriction gets lifted. I would pick the Celtics to win the East, but not by a wide margin.
Warriors fan
11:33
Does Steve Kerr have a point about the NBA schedule needing to be shorter?
ARTHUR HILL
11:41
Kerr renewed his call this week to trim 10 games off the 82-game schedule, citing the effects on players from the increased pace of play and the grueling travel schedule. Kerr also noted the difficulty of finding practice time during the season because teams rarely have a long break between games. While a shorter schedule would be beneficial in theory and would provide at least a partial solution to the tanking issue, I don't think the league has any appetite to consider it. The players and owners would never agree to accept a reduction in revenue, even if would potentially produce a better product.
Just Curious
11:41
I got a kick out of the Miami Heat, who play 82 competitive basketball games a year, had Bam Adebayo, a #14 pick, go off for 83 against a team that's tanking to get a good draft pick. What is your take on that game? And how in the heck did the Wizards foul Bam 25 times?
ARTHUR HILL
11:51
Bam Adebayo is a very random name to hold the second spot on the list of the top-scoring games in NBA history. Adebayo is a fine player and may wind up in the Hall of Fame after his career is over, but he's never been an elite scoring threat. It's always fun to watch a player go off for a huge scoring night, but the competitive level of the Wizards was definitely a factor. Washington didn't have much size on the court outside of Alex Sarr, who played less than 20 minutes, so repeatedly fouling Adebayo was the best chance at stopping him. With so many teams tanking, it will be interesting to see if any other big scorers decide to target them for career nights.
Wisconsite
11:51
With the Bucks as a long shot to even reach the play-in, will Giannis definitely be gone this summer?
ARTHUR HILL
12:00
Antetokounmpo was expected to solidify the Bucks as a play-in team once he returned from his calf injury, but it hasn't worked out that way. He's been brilliant, even in limited minutes, but Milwaukee has lost three of the four games he's played and is 5 1/2 games away from 10th place with time running out on the season. It's obviously best for him to go somewhere else at this point in his career, but he's been hesitant to demand a trade and the Bucks will do everything they can to keep him until he does. Giannis is only a year away from being able to opt out of his contract, so I think the situation will finally be resolved this summer. That option gives him more leverage in deciding where he'll go, and the teams pursuing him will have more draft assets to offer than they did at the deadline. I expect a deal to be announced before draft day.
12:01
Thanks for all the great questions. We'll talk again next week.
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