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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 3/9/2021
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Luke Adams
12:03
Apologies for the slight delay, all. We'll get going in just a minute.
Sean Marks
12:05
I'm considering players whose contracts will fit into Spencer Dinwiddie's DPE before I make any decisions on trading Spencer himself. Who would be a better fit for our roster, P.J. Tucker or Javale McGee? Also, the value of the DPE stays constant, but the players contract value decreases by the day, correct? That would be the way to absorb P.J. Tucker's contract. Would Houston demand Reggie Perry to get it done or would a future second round pick be sufficient?
Luke Adams
12:07
The value of the DPE stays constant, yes, but so do players' cap hits -- so Tucker, at $7.97MM, won't fit into the Nets' $5.7MM DPE. Brooklyn would have to match Tucker's salary to trade for him, with Dinwiddie looking like the most logical outgoing piece. For what it's worth, I do think Tucker would be a pretty good fit in Brooklyn, moreso than McGee.
Wrigley
12:07
Are the Bulls buyers or sellers? And given that they'll like be in the play in tournament if they make it that far, should they sell? We've got Lavine and a couple long term complimentary pieces, but why not recognize the draft capital that could come for those that are not the long term foundation?
Luke Adams
12:11
I can understand the arguments for both sides. I have a hard time picturing the Bulls becoming sellers, since I just don't know that the pieces they'd make available would return much. Maybe you could get a late first-round pick for Thad Young, but I just don't know that the player you select with that pick will ever have more value to the team than Young does right now. You could also wait to trade Young in the offseason or even during the 2021/22 season and still go for the playoffs this season.
Luke
12:11
What do you think the Raptors will do with Donta Hall? He was active for 2 games on his 10-day but didn't play. Not even in a 24 point loss. Do you think they might convert Yuta Watanabe's two-way and sign Hall or even Alize Johnson to a two-way?
Luke Adams
12:13
I don't have a sense yet that Donta Hall is in the Raptors' long-term plans. I think Alize Johnson could just as easily get the next 10-day contract. As for Watanabe, there's no urgency to bump him up to the 15-man roster now that the game limits and the postseason restrictions on two-way players have been lifted. I think they'll likely keep him on a two-way unless he's willing to sign a team-friendly multiyear deal later in the season.
woodhouse
12:13
I think Gary Trent Jr would be a great fit for the Knicks.  Think Portland trades him since RFA?  What would it take?
Luke Adams
12:14
I'd be pretty surprised if the Blazers move Trent. I feel like it might be easier to pry Simons or Little away from them, since Trent is the only one of the three who projects to play big minutes in the postseason. Maybe Trent would be on the table for an upgrade at his position, but the Knicks can't really offer that.
Bullsfan
12:15
I keep seeing rumors about teams interested in Otto Porter of he is bought out. Why would the Bulls buy him out if they are trying to make the playoffs and are thin at the wing?
Luke Adams
12:16
I could only see it happening if the Bulls slip out of the playoff race and Porter pushes for a buyout. His health is a key factor too, of course -- if he's not healthy, he won't want to give up any money to become a free agent. And if he IS healthy, he should be able to help the Bulls.
Cavs Fan
12:16
I already know that Andre Drummond and JaVale McGee are getting moved at the trade deadline.  I also know that Prince and Osman are on the block.  Is their any truth to the rumors of Kevin Love getting dealt to the Mavericks?  And are the Cavs going to deal Larry Nance or is he a part of the future for them?
Luke Adams
12:17
It sounds like the Cavs are pretty averse to the idea of moving Nance, having apparently passed on an offer that included a couple of first-round picks (albeit late first-rounders). I wonder if that's just a leverage play, since he doesn't really strike me as a must-have building block for the future.
12:18
As for the Mavs and Love, I'd be shocked if that's how Dallas wants to use its cap room for the next couple years. That rumor sounded more like speculation than anything the Mavs are seriously pursuing.
Saben Lee
12:18
If Detroit offers me a standard contract, do I sign or do I play out the year and enter RFA?
Luke Adams
12:19
Depends on the terms. I don't think you have much incentive right now to accept anything too team-friendly (ie. a long-term deal with little guaranteed money), since that sort of deal should be on the table in the offseason too.
Thomas
12:20
Will the Blazers sign someone with their open two-way spot for the love of god
Luke Adams
The Blazers have done a decent job developing young talent in recent years, but it's kind of weird how averse they are to two-way contracts -- maybe that'll change when they eventually get their own G League affiliate.
Walter
12:21
Who can the clips get in the buyout market? Any point guard or rim protectors?
Luke Adams
12:23
They should be in the running for Andre Drummond if he gets bought out. George Hill would be a nice target too, though given the way the Thunder have operated, I imagine if they don't trade him this month, they'll hang onto him to try to rebuild his trade value for the offseason or next season.
Jon
12:23
What's the word on DeMarcus Cousins?
Luke Adams
12:24
Most reports on Cousins these days are about teams not being interested. The Lakers may be one exception, but even there, he sounds like a fallback option. I wouldn't be surprised if Cousins has to wait until sometime after the trade deadline to find a new home -- a team that misses out on trade targets or buyout guys should definitely talk itself into him.
Jack Morris
12:25
Thoughts on what happens with Delon Wright? Especially with news of Hayes coming back sooner than later. Thanks!
Luke Adams
12:26
I expect him to very much available at the deadline, but Troy Weaver won't feel any pressure to move him if the price isn't right -- he has another year on his contract, so you could comfortably move him in the offseason or at next year's deadline. In other words, the same approach they took with Derrick Rose last year.
Mark
12:26
Are the Sacramento Kings up to anything, and are they capable of getting anything other than second round draft choices in return?
Luke Adams
12:28
If they make Hield, Barnes, and/or Holmes available, I think they could get a pretty decent return -- certainly better than second-rounders. But if we're just talking about guys like Bjelica and Joseph, you can keep your expectations low.
12:29
It's hard to get a sense yet of which way they'll go, since Monte McNair has such a limited track record as the top decision-maker. So far he hasn't been all that aggressive, but it'll only take one or two deals for that reputation to change. I'm most curious about Bagley -- I'm becoming less and less convinced that he's going to be a long-term fixture in Sacramento. Selling low on him now would be a bad look, but it would probably reflect most poorly on the previous regime.
Marc Gasol
12:29
Am I having a sneaky good season where my impact goes unnoticed or am I just a veteran in a sharp decline hurting my team's chances?
Luke Adams
12:30
A little from column A and a little from column B. Your value has greatly exceeded your box-score numbers in recent years, but you're also 36 years old and not moving like you used to, even if you're usually one of the smartest players on the court.
Nate
12:30
After talking about the Rockets potentially burning the house down here...do you think they’d actually find takers for EG and Wall right now? And think that’d include Wood? Seems like that would be hard to for them right now outside of the obvious pending FA type of guys
Luke Adams
12:32
I wonder if we'll see the Rockets go the Thunder route in the next year or two. OKC has essentially "burned the house down," but they did it gradually, showing a real knack for building up players' value and trading them at the right time. If Wall and Gordon aren't at their peak value now, maybe Houston waits a little longer in the hopes that they get there.
A cat
12:32
Any traction on Vucevic to BOS?
rambis
12:33
Ainge hit on 2 draft picks but hasn't pulled the trigger on a move to get them over the top. Does the Vucevic rumor have legs? If so, does it make them the best in the east?
Luke Adams
12:35
A few questions today about the rumors linking Vucevic to Boston. I'm skeptical about that possibility, since there are two big factors working against it: Danny Ainge's track record of not making blockbuster deals during the season, and the Magic's apparent reluctance to trade their lone All-Star. It's not impossible, but I have to imagine Ainge will convince himself that if he's going to trade a bunch of future first-round picks, there will be a better target in the offseason.
Jon
12:36
If you are the Warriors are you hoping that the Wolves get a top-3 pick this year so that the pick exchange becomes unprotected in 2022? Or will the Wolves have improved enough that #4 is best case scenario?
Luke Adams
12:37
It's very risky to bet on a 2022 unprotected pick being better than the fourth overall pick in 2021. Even if the Wolves were to keep their pick in 2021 and finish dead-last next year, there's still almost a 50/50 chance that the pick will be No. 5!
12:38
And, of course, the worst-case scenario would be what happened to the Celtics with the Grizzlies' pick, where the breakout season happens just when the pick becomes unprotected. If the Warriors get the fourth or fifth overall pick in 2021 from Minnesota, they should be very happy.
Clax Back
12:38
With Blake Griffin signed as a "small ball center", does that mean Nic Claxton is out of the Nets plans?
Luke Adams
12:40
He might see fewer minutes, but he definitely shouldn't be out of the team's plans. Griffin isn't exactly a paragon of health, so it won't be a surprise if the Nets have to turn back to Claxton at some point later in the season. (Of course, if the Nets were to also sign Andre Drummond on the buyout market, Claxton would have a tough path to playing time).
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