Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 5/14/26
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ARTHUR HILL
11:01
Welcome to this week's chat. We'll start with a question on Giannis and the Hawks.
Thigmus
11:01
As a Knicks fan I hope this trade doesn't happen.  During the Atlanta series it was clear they needed a better defensive big man.  Atlanta gets Giannis.  Milwaukee gets Risacher, Kuminga, Shield, Newell and the #8 pick in this year's draft.  Who says no.......and is there anyway the Knicks could swing a trade....and would it make sense for them to? TY.
ARTHUR HILL
11:08
The Hawks have the assets to make a serious offer for Giannis, but they've sent out indications that they don't plan to get involved in the bidding. The package you suggest is intriguing if the Bucks believe in Risacher. Kuminga's $24.3MM player option would have to be picked up, and Milwaukee would have a year to evaluate him to see if he can be part of the future. A lot of good guards will still be on the board at No. 8, so it's a nice collection of young talent. Atlanta seems to prefer to build slowly, but maybe that could change considering the lack of proven teams in the East. The Knicks might have been the favorites to land Giannis if they had been eliminated by now, but I don't think they're going to break up the current version of the team, which looks like a title contender.
Unclemike1526
11:08
So is there anything to report on who might end up being the GM( If they are going to have one) Or head coach of the Bulls? Seems if they were interested in the Asst GM of the Celtics since their season is done we should have heard something by now right? I hope this administration is going to be more open than the last but so far crickets. Thanks
ARTHUR HILL
11:15
The Bulls are in the process of assembling their front office, with two more additions announced this morning. They seem to be taking their time to make sure they get quality hires, and early indications are that it will be a big improvement over the last two administrations. It's not clear yet if they intend to hire a general manager, but I think you can be confident with Bryson Graham making the final call on everything, especially regarding young talent. Dave Lewin, the Celtics' assistant GM, is already being mentioned as a front office candidate in Philadelphia, so he may have other options that give him more power.
JD
11:16
How much money is Jalen Duren losing based on his playoff performance? What should the Pistons be willing to offer him?
ARTHUR HILL
11:24
It's been a rough series for Duren, who hasn't been able to make his usual scoring or rebounding impact against Cleveland's big front line. He wasn't used at all last night in the fourth quarter or overtime, with J.B. Bickerstaff putting his trust in Paul Reed instead. Even so, Duren is coming off an All-Star season and is one of the league's best young centers at age 22. There are teams that will be willing to throw max or near-max offers at him in free agency, and he could be a cornerstone in Brooklyn if the Nets are hoping for a quick turnaround. Detroit's best option is to overlook this playoff series and try to re-sign him at a reasonable figure before he reaches the open market.
Sixersfan
11:24
Do you think the Sixers can trade Paul George this offseason if they’re willing to attach a first-round pick?
ARTHUR HILL
11:33
George raised his market value with a strong performance after coming back from the long suspension. He's a year closer to the end of his contract, so there may be more interest around the league than there was last summer. Moving him out without taking back a single huge contract in return would create cap flexibility for the Sixers, who don't have another large commitment on their books apart from Embiid and Maxey. Even so, I'm not sure that one first-round pick will be enough to convince another team to take on that contract. George has only played 78 combined games in his two years in Philadelphia, and the health concerns aren't going to go away at age 36. The Sixers may have to keep him for another year and look for a trade next summer after he picks up his option.
Anthony Davis
11:33
Should the Wizards hang onto me or try to flip me for more young talent?
ARTHUR HILL
11:42
The idea of pairing AJ Dybantsa with Davis and Sarr is exciting, but Davis' injury history still makes him a huge gamble. He only played 20 games this season and just 29 total since the Luka trade. If the Wizards keep him and he misses more than half of next season, that could sink any hopes for a play-in appearance. The bigger issue with Davis is the extension he'll become eligible for this summer. That's a major reason why Dallas wanted to trade him and there was so little interest around the league. The Wizards will have to give Davis another large long-term deal to keep him happy, and that's one of the riskiest investments any team can make. I would rather explore the trade market and see what I can get from a team that's desperate to add a big man.
Chris D
11:42
Do you think, after all is said and done, that Utah would be willing to trade Ace + #2 +? For the #1 pick?
ARTHUR HILL
11:50
Bailey is a good small forward prospect who rebounded from a slow start to turn in a decent rookie season. His shot selection and offensive awareness should improve as he gets older, although his defense may always be an issue. I'm not convinced that he's a future star, though, and Utah may not view him as a foundational piece. If Bailey and the No. 2 pick is all it takes to get AJ Dybantsa, I think the Jazz would make the deal. It's a tougher decision for Washington, though, and it comes down to how much they like Darryn Peterson during the pre-draft process. Getting two top-five picks in exchange for No. 1 is a good return, but I think I'd rather hold on to Dybantsa.
Just Curious
11:50
My question is can you combine the 125% trade exception with the cap room exception. For example, Giannis will make $58.5 million next year. So a team using the 125% exception would need to send out at least $46.7 million in salaries. What if that team had $10 million in cap space, could it use that cap space and send out only $36.7 million in salaries?
ARTHUR HILL
11:56
A team making a trade only has to be able to fit the new player into its salary cap, so the scenario you describe would work, but there are a couple of things to consider. Teams aren't permitted to use the TPE if the deal pushes them into the first apron. So another trade may be necessary to clear out salary before adding Giannis. Also, using the TPE will hard cap the team at the first apron for the following season.
Sandy G
11:56
Thanks for the chat! How does Sean  Marks hold onto his job? Brooklyn is an unmitigated disaster. They'll be lucky if they wind up with one rotation player from last year's 5 first round picks. Thanks!
ARTHUR HILL
12:08
The Nets have been incredibly patient with Marks, who has been their GM for the past 10 years without a lot of success to show for it. He has collected a bunch of draft picks recently by shipping off high-level talent, but those picks haven't produced much value yet. Playing for the lottery the past two years has only resulted in the No. 8 and No. 6 picks, and the lack of lottery luck may leave Brooklyn without a future star. The Nets' selections in last year's draft were puzzling and seem to suggest there's not a coherent plan in place. It may be the worst roster in the league, and Brooklyn would benefit from a front office overhaul.
theBigLip
12:08
Can the Pistons recover and beat the Cavs? If not, does this force Langdon to make some moves for some established scorers?
ARTHUR HILL
12:13
The Pistons definitely still have a chance. They could have closed out the series by now, but they let opportunities slip away in Games 3 and 5. They've every bit as talented as the Cavaliers, but haven't been able to hold onto leads. Regardless of what happens the rest of the way, finding more shooting needs to be an offseason priority. Kevin Huerter hasn't worked out as their main deadline addition, but the core of the roster remains solid and affordable, and Langdon will have another chance to fix that problem this summer.
Thanks for all the great questions. We'll talk again next week.
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