Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 6/4/26
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ARTHUR HILL
11:01
Welcome to this week's chat. We'll start with a few questions about the Pistons.
theBigLip
11:01
Pistons got offseason work to do. How do you handle Duren and Ausar’s extensions? Who do you target w MLE? And finally, who do you target in a trade for a #2 option and what assets do you use to get them? If you answer all correctly, congrats, you get Langdon’s job :-)
ARTHUR HILL
11:12
There are a lot of important decisions to make in Detroit, and Trajan Langdon will need a productive summer to keep the Pistons near the top of the East. Langdon can begin negotiating with Duren and Thompson the day after the Finals end, and I would try to sign them both to below-max extensions before they have a chance to reach free agency. The Pistons need another scorer on the free agent market, and while Ayo Dosunmu or Coby White would be ideal, they're likely to stay with their current teams. Collin Sexton or Anfernee Simons may be more realistic. I don't have a good No. 2 option for you, but a lot of teams will be looking to shed salary, so some unexpected opportunities may arise. Ron Holland looks like a strong trade chip, and maybe Isaiah Stewart too if the return is good enough.
Giannis
11:12
Am I going to be playing for the Heat next season or will another team make a better offer?
ARTHUR HILL
11:20
The Heat seem to have emerged as a clear favorite for Giannis, who appears likely to be traded by draft day. Their projected offer of Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez and three first-rounders isn't overwhelming, but it may be the best the Bucks can do considering Giannis' age and recent injury history. I don't think any current contenders are going to give up stars to gamble on Giannis, so it would have to be another team that's sort of desperate for change like Miami. Keep an eye on the Magic, who may be willing to part with Paolo Banchero now that his extension makes him more expensive. A relatively healthy season from Giannis could vault Orlando into title contention.
Unclemike1526
11:20
It's Draft Day, The Bulls are on the Clock, The first 3 picks are Dybsanta, Boozer and Wilson, Do you trade 4 to OKC for 12,17 and a player? Or do you do what I wanted in the beginning and take Wagler and then look for a new home for Giddey, Or even let Giddey and Wagler play together for a year and see what happens? I'm sorry but Peterson just doesn't do it for me. Thanks Art.
ARTHUR HILL
11:26
I don't expect Peterson to fall that far, but the Bulls would have plenty of interested suitors at No. 4 if your scenario plays out. Teams that are calling the Clippers about moving up to No. 5 would undoubtedly make better offers if they have a chance to land Peterson. If the Bulls are able to trade down and still land Wagler, I would give him and Giddey at least a season together to see how that combination works out. Wagler seems capable of handling either guard position and would benefit from playing alongside an experienced backcourt partner. Giddey may not finish his current contract in Chicago, but there's no rush to get rid of him until the rebuilding process is farther along.
JD
11:27
Can the Knicks afford to keep their core together for the long term? Including RObinson and Shamet?
ARTHUR HILL
11:36
It obviously depends how much management is willing to spend and whether the organization will accept the restrictions that come from eventually moving into the second apron. The first decisions involve Robinson and Shamet, who are heading into free agency. Robinson seems like a necessity because there's not another capable backup big man on the roster. I expect him to get a long-term deal with a generous raise. Shamet is more of a luxury, but he's in the best situation of his career and will probably accept a reasonable offer to stay in New York. Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns and Miles McBride will become extension eligible this summer, so the team is about to get much more expensive. Fans will expect the current core to remain together, especially if the Knicks wind up winning the title, but hard financial decisions will have to be made at some point.
Wack100NBA
11:37
Do you see the Thunder trading Chet Holmgren, Lu Dort and draft picks to the Bucks for Giannis? If not, do you see the Heat as a better trade partner?
ARTHUR HILL
11:45
Sam Presti probably has enough talent and draft capital on hand to top anyone's best offer for Giannis, but he doesn't have a history of making desperation moves. I think Thunder management still believes in the roster they've put together and they aren't ready for major changes just because they lost one playoff series. I believe the public support that Mark Daigneault and several players expressed for Holmgren is genuine, although he obviously needs to be better in the playoffs, especially in future matchups against Wemby. Giannis' recent health issues bring an element of risk on the trade market, and I'm not convinced that any contender will take that gamble if it means parting with current or future stars. It's more likely that he's headed to Miami or another team in a similar situation.
Cale
11:46
Do the lottery changes mean these Spurs are the last team we'll see built around a lot of high-end young talent?
ARTHUR HILL
11:56
San Antonio got very lucky in the lottery for three straight years, producing a young core of Wembanyama, Castle and Harper that looks capable of winning NBA titles for the next decade or so. It's an easy way to build a contender, which is why there's such an epidemic of tanking in a strong draft year like this one. The newly adopted rules prevent teams from having top-five picks for three straight years, so the Spurs wouldn't have been able to add Harper if they were already in effect. They may have settled for Tre Johnson or Jeremiah Fears, who are off to promising starts but aren't considered future stars like Harper. The NBA doesn't want teams to rebuild entirely through the draft like the Spurs and others have done, so I expect the league to insist that provision stays in the next CBA.
Guest
11:56
Is there any realistic way OKC could trade up for Cameron Boozer?
ARTHUR HILL
12:05
That rumor has taken on life since Oklahoma City was ousted from the playoffs, but it's very unlikely that any of the top four teams are going to trade out of their current spots. The Thunder hold picks No. 12 and 17, but that's not nearly enticing enough to move into the top four, even if a player or two is attached. Boozer is projected to be taken at No. 3 by the Grizzlies, and he looks like a perfect fit for a Memphis team that needs to rework its frontline after trading Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah. Boozer would be a foundational piece for the Grizzlies and would be much more valuable than a collection of OKC assets. I can see why the Thunder want Boozer, but they won't be able to get him.
Thanks for all the great questions. We'll talk again next week.
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