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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 4/1/25
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ARTHUR HILL
11:02
Welcome to this week's chat. We'll start with a question on two teams hoping to land the No. 1 pick in this year's draft.
Chris D
11:02
What happens with the draft lottery if Utah and Washington end up with the same final record?  Do they just flip a coin to see who ends up in the 2nd spot? That seems kind of unfair after a bitter year long battle to finish last! Hah
ARTHUR HILL
11:08
The Jazz and Wizards each have 16 victories heading into the home stretch, and it's reasonable to think that neither team might win again. The NBA uses a blind draw system to break ties for draft purposes, so that's how it would be settled. The teams with the three worst records get an equal number of chances in the lottery, so the results of the draw won't affect the odds of landing Cooper Flagg. The only significance is if several teams move up in the lottery. Teams can only slide three spots, so for instance if the Wizards win the draw, their pick wouldn't fall any lower than No. 4, while the Jazz could theoretically move down to No. 5.
Unclemike1526
11:08
Now that the Bulls have a player that can actually play the PF position in Collins, Will they re sign him do you think? It seems Donovan has finally figured out that hey playing 2 bigs might not be such a bad idea. He's meshed Collins, Vujevic and Smith together with some success with Buzelis being a match up nightmare at the 3. It's working pretty well lately. Thoughts? Thanks
ARTHUR HILL
11:16
Buzelis is more effective as a small forward, at least until he gets older and stronger, so it makes sense to play him alongside two bigger guys. Billy Donovan has been flexible with his lineups since Zach LaVine was traded, and the Bulls have gotten better, even though I didn't like the return for LaVine at first. Collins has produced throughout his career whenever he's gotten playing time, and he's been a good addition in Chicago. Arturas Karnisovas said on a broadcast last week that he's been happy with all three players he got in return for LaVine, so it sounds like he plans to keep Collins. It shouldn't take a huge offer to get him to re-sign.
Cooper Flagg
11:16
Where will I rank out of the No. 1 overall picks in the last 10-15 years?
ARTHUR HILL
11:24
Flagg has been outstanding in the NCAA Tournament and has further separated himself as the No. 1 pick in a race he was already leading by a wide margin. He can excel on both ends of the court, and he could be part of a quick turnaround if he lands on the right team. Victor Wembanyama is the clear choice as the best No. 1 pick of the last decade, while Flagg is probably in a tier with Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards and Paolo Banchero. Zion Williamson would likely have been in that group as well if not for the endless injuries. It's debatable whether Flagg will ever be the best player on a title contender, but it's easy to see him as a multi-time All-Star.
CHIP
11:24
Do the rules against " Carrying " , " Palming " , and " Three Seconds "  still Exist ? I see these violations multiple times every game but never see it called.
ARTHUR HILL
11:29
The NBA likes to maintain a flow to its games, so its officials are more lenient about those violations than the NCAA tends to be. Players have recognized this and push the envelope to see what they can get away with. I've noticed a lot of three seconds violations being ignored this season, as players are given extended time to make a decision after driving into the lane. The NBA is a mixture of basketball and entertainment, and while the referees would technically be correct to call these violations more often than they do, the games are harder to watch when the whistle is always blowing.
Chris D
11:30
As a Wizards fan it's all about the draft and next year. What are you thoughts on AJ Johnson, who seems to be building an impressive highlight reel in his first meaningful NBA minutes? Do you think he ends up as a 1, 2, or 3? What do you think his upside is? Do you see a player comp yet?
ARTHUR HILL
11:39
Being traded to Washington was a huge break for Johnson, who has a much better chance to showcase his skills than he did playing for a contender in Milwaukee. He's a tremendous athlete who can beat defenders off the dribble and attack the basket. He's also a gifted passer, with six assists in a game last week, but he needs to develop his outside shot. It's probably too early to speculate what position he'll settle into or what the Wizards need him to be. He looks like a tremendous move by Washington's front office and a great return for Kyle Kuzma.
JD
11:39
What will Quentin Grimes' next contract look like? Is he gonna get squeezed by the 76ers or will there be another team able to make an aggressive offer and put pressure on Philly?
ARTHUR HILL
11:46
Grimes' late-season scoring binge since being traded to Philadelphia has raised his value significantly. He averaged 26.6 PPG in March with good shooting numbers and has looked comfortable as the No. 1 option on a depleted Sixers team. He'll be a restricted free agent this summer, which means Philly can match any offer he gets, and I don't think the price will be cheap. Even though money is tight on the free agent market, someone will almost surely exceed the non-taxpayer MLE to make a run at Grimes. That presents a tough choice for the Sixers, who already have an expensive roster, but I think they'll have to keep him and try to cut salary elsewhere.
Guest
11:46
I know the Grizzlies are getting killed for the timing of the Taylor Jenkins firing, but if they knew they were gonna let him go after a 1st round loss doesn't it make sense to just do it now anyway? Could it increase their chances of winning a series?
ARTHUR HILL
11:57
The Grizzlies probably wouldn't have won a first-round series with Jenkins, so the move is defensible from that standpoint, but replacing a coach this late in the season really highlights the instability in Memphis. Under Jenkins, the Grizzlies had been sliding down the standings for nearly two months and hadn't beaten a good team since early February. They're only one game ahead of the eighth-place Clippers, and there's a decent chance that they won't survive the play-in tournament. They're 0-2 since the coaching change and it doesn't look like this season can be salvaged. They have a huge decision to make this offseason on whether they want Tuomas Iisalo to be their permanent coach and whether they have the personnel to make his style of play successful.
Unclemike1526
11:57
Well the odds are looking SLIGHTLY better that the Bulls may actually get that 1st round pick from Portland before 2028. What do you think the odds are that they actually get it before it turns into a 2nd rounder? And since it looks better, Do you think they might be able to deal it sooner for an asset next year? Thanks.
ARTHUR HILL
12:06
The pick from the Trail Blazers is lottery protected through 2028 and will only be a first-rounder if it conveys by then. That means the Bulls need Portland to make the playoffs sometime in the next three years. The Blazers have an exciting collection of young talent and are definitely a team on the rise. It's not hard to picture them contending for a play-in spot next season and finishing ahead of Utah, New Orleans, Sacramento, Phoenix and maybe Dallas or San Antonio. Getting beyond that, even before 2028, is going to be tough because the top eight in the West looks really strong. The Bulls should be cheering for the Blazers to get really lucky in this year's lottery.
12:07
Thanks for all the great questions. We're going to skip the chat next week, but we'll be back April 15 for the start of the offseason.
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