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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 3/25/26
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ARTHUR HILL
11:01
Welcome to this week's chat. We'll start with a question on Austin Reaves and the Lakers.
Just Curious
11:01
Good morning. I have some questions about free agency that hopefully you can clear up. Let’s assume the Lakers want to offer Austin Reaves a max contract. Because he is not eligible for an extension that large, LA will have to officially wait until the free agency period starts (July 1?) to do that, correct?
Even if the Lakers do offer Reaves a max contract, he doesn’t have to accept it, right? Because he is an unrestricted FA he can choose from any offers he receives, even if they are less than what the Lakers offer?
And if the Lakers operate under the cap this summer, my understanding is they would need to renounce Bird rights in order to do that, and once those rights are gone they can’t get them back. For instance there have been rumors LA is interested in Walker Kessler. If they want to extend him a 4 year, $125 million offer sheet, they would need to renounce LeBron’s Bird rights to free up the space to do that. Once that happens, the Lakers could use cap space to re-sign Leron, but not his Bird rights.
ARTHUR HILL
11:09
The NBA made a change two years ago in its latest Collective Bargaining Agreement that allows teams to begin negotiating with their own free agents on the day after the end of the NBA Finals. That means there should be a week or so where the Lakers can work out a new deal with Reaves - probably at a max salary or near that level - and take him off the market before free agency begins. That's the most likely outcome, but your other questions are worth addressing. As a free agent, Reaves won't be obligated to accept any offer. He can sign with any team for any amount he chooses. And because he's unrestricted, the Lakers don't have the ability to match. And yes, once a team renounces Bird rights, they're permanently gone. That probably won't factor into whether LeBron decides to stay in L.A., but it's one less financial tool to keep him on the roster.
JD
11:09
What's the playoff ceiling for the Sixers if Embiid and George are both healthy?
ARTHUR HILL
11:16
It's been a frustrating season for the Sixers in many ways, but they may be getting good news at just the right time. Joel Embiid is listed as questionable for tonight and may be ready to play for the first time in nearly a month. Paul George's 25-game suspension is over, and he said some knee issues have cleared up during his time off. Having them both ready by playoff time completely changes the outlook for the Sixers. They're probably as good as the East's top four teams with a fully healthy roster, and they would be a very difficult matchup for whoever draws them in the first round. It's not hard to picture them winning a series, and maybe even more.
Draymond Green
11:16
If I’m not on the Warriors next year, where do you see me?  My agent says the offers will be full MLE so I plan to opt in…
ARTHUR HILL
11:25
Green wouldn't get any offers on the open market better than his $27.7MM player option for next season, so he's a virtual lock to pick it up. That means the only way he won't be a Warrior is if the team decides to trade him, which it reportedly considered in its pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo at the deadline. Green wouldn't fit with the rebuilding Bucks, so a third team would have to get involved. The Knicks were mentioned as a possibility in February, but I can't see them helping to facilitate a trade that would send Giannis to another team when they also have interest. It's hard to find a contender that would be comfortable taking on Green's salary at his age. Maybe the Spurs could do it, but that seems like a long shot. Green has always been more valuable to the Warriors than to anyone else, and I expect him to stay there for at least one more year.
Ja Morant
11:25
Will anyone trade for me this summer or are the Grizzlies stuck with me until at least next season?
ARTHUR HILL
11:34
Tuesday's announcement that Ja Morant won't return from a UCL sprain ends another disappointing season for the 26-year-old guard, who was once considered to be among the NBA's brightest stars. Injuries and off-court issues have tanked his trade value to the point that the Grizzlies couldn't find any takers when they put him on the market prior to the deadline. He played just 20 games this season after 50 and nine the previous two years, and at this point he's not dependable enough to justify his salary. His shooting numbers were atrocious this season, and he was a below-average outside shooter when he was at his best. Morant is owed $42.2MM and $44.9MM the next two years, and the apron has made teams gun shy about taking on risky contracts. Memphis might be stuck with Morant until his deal expires.
Greg
11:34
With the players union and media coming out against it, should we expect to see the 65-game rule changed for next season?
ARTHUR HILL
11:44
The 65-game minimum was imposed in response to the growing practice of load management, which was creating a lot of bad press for the NBA. Ticket buyers couldn't be sure whether a visiting team's best players would be in action or if they would be rested because of some dubious injury. It has mostly worked, but it can also lead to egregious omissions in postseason awards, which the NBPA pointed out yesterday. Cade Cunningham has had an All-NBA season by every measure, but he's four games short of reaching the requirement and has a collapsed lung that might keep him out for the rest of the season. Awards and All-NBA honors are part of how players are judged historically, and they shouldn't be determined by an arbitrary number. I think we'll see some softening of the rule next year.
Cale
11:44
Is the NBA going to fine the Bucks if they shut down a healthy Giannis at the end of the season?
ARTHUR HILL
11:54
The NBA set a precedent last month by fining the Jazz $500K for "conduct detrimental to the league" when they held out Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. in the fourth quarter of a pair of games. At the same time, the Pacers were fined $100K for violating the player participation policy. The Bucks refusing a play a healthy Giannis Antetokounmpo for the rest of the season would be much worse than either of those incidents. It's in Milwaukee's best interest to keep losing and to protect Giannis' trade value for the summer, but the NBA has taken a very strong stance that it expects its stars to play when they aren't injured. If Giannis is publicly stating that he's OK to return and the Bucks are fighting that, then it should result in a fine at least twice as much as Utah received.
Guest
11:54
Should we pencil in a Thunder/Spurs WCF right now? Which other Western team has the best chance of playing spoiler?
ARTHUR HILL
12:01
Both teams have been almost unbeatable since the All-Star break and look like they're destined for a showdown in the conference finals. The Thunder have won 12 straight games and finally have a healthy roster heading into the playoffs. The Spurs have won six in a row, and Victor Wembanyama is playing at a peak level that rival teams have feared since he entered the league. There's a lot of talent in the West, but it would be a major upset if OKC or San Antonio gets taken down in the first two rounds. The Lakers will probably be the No. 3 seed, but their defensive issues make it tough for them to beat either of those teams in a seven-game series. If anyone can do it, it's probably the Nuggets, who have a deep and talented rotation and may be primed for a long postseason run now that Peyton Watson is back.
Thanks for the great questions. We'll talk again next week.
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