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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 6/19/2025
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Luke Adams
1:31
Hey guys, thanks for all your early questions. Keep 'em coming and I'll get to as many as I can here.
BeyondtheSnark
1:31
Do you think Ace Bailey’s decision to cancel his workout with the Sixers means he won’t be a top-10 pick?
Luke Adams
1:32
No, it seems more like he and his reps are trying to steer him to a specific destination. Maybe Washington or New Orleans, if he falls that far?
GrizzMan
1:33
Would/could the Grizz absorb Brad Beal and pick up some assets in the process?
Luke Adams
1:35
I suppose it's technically possible, but it would require stacking a bunch of contracts and wouldn't be doable for a couple months (until KCP and Anthony can be re-aggregated). And I'm just not sure the Suns could offer enough sweeteners to make it worth Memphis' while.
arcman
1:35
Any idea what the Nets are planning to do this off season? So many rumors are they planning to sign big name free agents, make trades, or rebuild through the draft?
Luke Adams
1:39
If they're targeting any specific free agents, they've kept it quiet so far. I think there will probably be better options available to them than overpaying a free agent. They'll be getting calls from literally every team looking to send an unwanted salary somewhere in a multi-team trade, so they'll have their pick of the best opportunities.

If I were them, I'd be focusing on the trade scenarios where I could accommodate salary-dumps for players who could potentially be flipped for positive value by the 2026 deadline. Sort of like what the Thunder did with Al Horford a few years ago, when they acquired extra assets for taking him on, then did so again when they traded him.
Heatbaby!!!!
1:39
Read a few articles about Durant to the Heat and the Heat not having enough to get him. Is DeRozan your pick for the Heat to pick up as a plan B? I mean, Morant/Williamson in there as well? How do you see the Heat offseason unfolding?
Luke Adams
1:42
The Heat probably DO have enough to get Durant -- it's just a matter of whether they want to actually put the pieces on the table that would be necessary to get him. Selling off most of their draft picks + youth in order to build around a core of Adebayo/Herro/Durant is a questionable long-term strategy, so I get why they'd be hesitant.

The idea of DeRozan to the Heat is intriguing to me. He feels more attainable to me, with the Kings likely to shake up their roster a bit under a new front office. I wonder if Sacramento would have any interest in Wiggins. He's inconsistent, but when he's right, he's the sort of two-way wing they've been missing in recent years.
ThunderFan
1:42
Could you give a brief synopsis on what you think the thunders offseason will be? i.e. trade one draft pick, keep one, trade xyz player and sign a FA?
Luke Adams
1:44
If I recall correctly, the Thunder have 13 players on guaranteed deals, with team options of Jaylin Williams and Ajay Mitchell, so they could essentially bring back the exact same time if they want to (and if they win a title tonight or Sunday, maybe they WILL want to).

Having said that, I think there will be at least a minor tweak or two. Wouldn't shock me if Ousmane Dieng is no longer on the roster by the fall. I also don't think they'll use both first-round picks -- maybe they use them both to trade up, or maybe they trade one or both of them for future assets, since they don't really need to add another rookie to this roster with Topic coming back from his ACL tear.
TC
1:45
What do you think the CLT Hornets do with pick 4 and their 2 early 2nd rounders?  Do you think they consider trading back to 6 with the Wizards so they can pick up Ace Bailey and the CLT picks up future trade assets?
Luke Adams
1:47
I like Edgecombe for them, so it's too bad it seems increasingly as if he might be the pick at No. 3.

I don't hate the idea of them rolling the dice on Bailey, but if they're not sold on him and Washington is, a trade down would make sense -- that would put them in position to take their pick from three of Tre Johnson, Jeremiah Fears, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach (Utah will presumably take one of them). All of them could be fits, especially if Mark Williams is back on the trade block and/or they aren't sure about LaMelo Ball's long-term future in Charlotte).
Bob
1:48
With the Magic off the table, who do you think is a logical landing spot for Garland, assuming the Cavs break up their backcourt? Heat?
Luke Adams
1:50
I kinda like the idea of the Kings making a play for him. For what it's worth, a package of Monk/Valanciunas/Keon Ellis would likely work from a financial perspective. As a straight-up 3-for-1 without any additional pieces, that's probably not enough for the Cavs to pull the trigger, but it could be an interesting starting point.
Matthew
1:50
Wanted to build off the Nets question above. What are the chances you think they stick and pick with all 4 first rounders? Seems like overkill to draft 4 and not use at least 2 of them to trade up.
Luke Adams
1:52
Would be absolutely shocked if the Nets hang onto and use all four of those day-one picks. Trading up definitely makes sense if there's a specific guy they like and think they need to move up to get. Otherwise, I could see them rolling over at least one or two of those picks to future years to make sure their collection of draft assets stays well-stocked for a potential blockbuster.
Benny
1:52
Vucevic for Kuminga in S&T who says no? Fits both teams
Luke Adams
1:53
I suspect the Bulls would like it more than the Warriors, as long as Kuminga's contract price wasn't too outrageous. Everyone loves proposing trades that get the Warriors an established center, but Golden State has never seemed nearly interested in that sort of player as fans have.
CA Celtics Fan
1:53
The Celtics wouldn't really trade Brown or White would they??  It would take beyond a boatful to do so or fans would be enraged!
Luke Adams
1:55
Put it this way: While I don't think Brown or White are untouchable, they're not trading either of those guys just to save money. It would have to be a return that either makes them a better team or at least doesn't make them a worse one. Brown and White are still in their primes and are both on long-term contracts, so they'll both continue to be valuable pieces by the time Tatum gets healthy.
Guest
1:56
Besides a new head coach, the Knicks probably need a shake up to the lineup and bench.  Mitchell Robinson’s free throwing was exposed during the playoffs what kind of market is there available for his services.  Can the Knicks trade him for a late first rounder or even 2 solid bench players?
Luke Adams
1:57
He's had a pretty extensive injury history and will be on an expiring contracts in 2025/26, and any potential suitors would have those same concerns about that free throw red flag that the Knicks do. Would probably be tough to get a first-rounder or two quality bench players for him without taking on a worse contract.
Mark not cuban
1:58
Did mark cuban get shafted on the question of remaining team 'governor' ?
Luke Adams
1:59
Don't know what the story behind the scenes was there, but it was apparently never in writing that he'd hang onto that position, and it didn't seem like he put up too much of a fight about losing it.
Red Holtzman
1:59
What does it say for an organization to fire their head coach and their first alternatives are other team's head coaches?
Luke Adams
2:01
It's probably annoying for those other teams, but I honestly didn't mind it for the Knicks. They didn't have any success with that approach, but a couple of those coaches they asked about have since worked out extensions with their current teams.

If the worst-case outcome from the Knicks' perspective is that you make some of your rivals committing more long-term money to a coach who isn't guaranteed to finish out that contract, that's OK.
GrizzMan
2:02
Could Memphis be a third team in a Spurs deal, and take on Harrison Barnes?
Luke Adams
2:03
They don't have an exception big enough to take on his $19MM salary, but sending out Brandon Clarke or (more likely) Cole Anthony would be enough to make the money work. Wouldn't say it's likely, but it's possible.
arcman
2:03
When the warriors go after a center I see them going after a defense first rim blocker type of center. Vucevic seems more like a older Post they already have. A shooting center who is not a defense first center. Is there a center out there that is defense first and can fit under their MLE amount?
Luke Adams
2:06
Luke Kornet would be an interesting fit.

Brook Lopez and Clint Capela could probably do better than the taxpayer MLE on the open market, but they've also both made plenty of money over the years and might be interested in playing alongside a Hall of Famer like Curry on a contender (if they are, the Lakers and LeBron would also be an option for them).
Guest
2:06
Could a Jalen green swap happen for Demar & Malik Monk
Luke Adams
2:08
From a salary-matching perspective, Houston would need to a little more to make it work.

In terms of whether it would actually appeal to either team, I'm not so sure. I get the sense the Rockets prefer a consolidation trade, given their crowded rotation, rather than bringing in MORE rotation options. As for the Kings, they'd really have to believe in Green's upside.
GrizzMan
2:08
Do you like Cam Thomas or Cam Johnson as a better fit for the Grizz?
Luke Adams
2:11
I like Johnson more (both as a player and for the Grizzlies) because of his shooting/defense. Wouldn't feel great about investing in Thomas until he shows he can do more than score a lot of points on a lot of shots.
Edwill
2:11
Do you think that Simons out if Portland would have been a better option than bane. I know Simons contract expires soon but bane has a huge contract and the magic will have a expensive team in the future. They will have 3 players on 200 million dollars deal bane Palo Franz
Luke Adams
2:13
I get the concern about Bane's contract, but I like his on-court fit a lot more. Think he edges out Simons in terms of scoring efficiency, play-making, positional size, etc. And it's not like extending Simons beyond his expiring deal would've come cheap either.
Guest
2:13
when is the mock draft dropping lol?
Luke Adams
2:15
We used to do an annual mock draft, but haven't done so for the last few years. In my opinion, we do a lot of things really well (salary cap analysis, evaluating the free agent market and roster-building decisions, etc.), but scouting college players wasn't among our biggest strengths, so the mock draft was a lot of work for something that you could get better versions of elsewhere.
Matthew
2:16
Pick 18 and Corey Kispert to the Spurs for pick 14?
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