Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 7/3/26
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ARTHUR HILL
11:04
Welcome to this week's chat. We'll start with a question on Jaylen Brown.
Embiid’s much shorter brother
11:04
So which trade do you find more shocking - the Luka trade or the Jaylen Brown trade? I’m still trying to wrap my head around what Brad Stevens may have been thinking with this move. As a Sixers fan, I am ecstatic that we were able to dump PG  - I just hope I don’t wake up tomorrow and find out this was all a dream 😜!
ARTHUR HILL
11:10
The Luka trade will always be the champion in that category. It came out of nowhere in the middle of the night, and most people didn't believe it when Shams tweeted it out. The Celtics were shopping Brown for weeks, but it was still surprising that they sent him to the Sixers for such a small return and that they were willing to take back Paul George's contract, which was considered one of the worst in the league. Despite his negative reputation among the analytics community, Brown is one of the league's top scorers with a long history of success in the playoffs. I don't any downside for Philly, which should have one of the league's best offenses next season.
Mardy
11:10
Which forward should the Clippers target? Johnathan Kuminga or Rui Hachimura?
ARTHUR HILL
11:17
Both players are attracting interest from other teams, and I wouldn't get into a bidding war for either of them. The Clippers seem to be focusing on the future with the Kawhi Leonard trade, so I'd prefer to gamble on Kuminga's upside rather than a veteran like Hachimura. However, it's telling that L.A. had interest in Tobias Harris before he signed with the Spurs, so the Clippers front office may not be thinking the same way. Ultimately, Kuminga and Hachimura may both sign elsewhere, so L.A. will have to consider other alternatives.
Just Curious
11:17
The Nuggets haven't made any moves yet and I am wondering what they're waiting for. So you think they might keep all their players into the season to see how they do, and then wait until the trade deadline to reduce salary?
ARTHUR HILL
11:23
One of the strongest rumors heading into the draft and free agency was that Denver would try to trade either Cameron Johnson or Christian Braun to clear out salary before re-signing Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones. The fact that nothing has happened so far seems to point to a leaguewide lack of interest in Johnson and Braun and a high asking price for any team to take on their salaries. The apron structure has made it harder than ever to move salaries, and most teams with cap space have already used it. The Nuggets are probably going to have to accept the cost of re-signing both free agents now and make another effort to cut salary at the deadline.
Lefty
11:23
The Warriors lack of creativity is disheartening. Their ceiling is maybe a first round win if they qualify and the old guys are so
ARTHUR HILL
11:29
That's probably true, but landing LeBron in free agency could still change the equation. Golden State's flexibility was limited by Jimmy Butler's injury and the team's preference not to trade him away while he recovers. Having his $56.8MM salary on the books for a half season at best is an anchor that stands in the way of any big moves. Overall, the Warriors have become a nostalgia show and will probably remain that way until Curry and Green retire. They're more entertaining than competitive, and while that's fun for the casual viewer, it has to be frustrating for Warriors fans.
theBigLip
11:29
I assume the Pistons eventually sign Duren for around 5x$35M. But what about the #2 creator/scorer they were supposed to get? And a backup PF? Seems like they have a lot of work to do. What do you think they should do?
ARTHUR HILL
11:39
They addressed their need for another shooter by trading for Isaiah Joe, but as you point out, they still haven't found the secondary creator that everyone said they needed during the playoffs. Nobody like that is left on the free agent market, so they may have missed their opportunity. Their first-round pick will help a little, but he probably won't be ready for major minutes until later in the season. The Pistons will be searching for bargains as free agency winds down, especially at power forward/center. They've had an active summer and they should still be one of the East's best teams next season, but it's hard to say that they've gotten any better.
Dan Roundfield
11:39
Could the Hawks package Hield and Carter to get Myles Turner. I just feel like we need a little more rim protection.
ARTHUR HILL
11:46
The Bucks will definitely listen to offers for Turner in hopes of getting off his expensive contract, which still has three seasons remaining. However, it's likely going to take a better offer to get a deal done. Corey Kispert or Zaccharie Risacher would have to be included instead of Carter to make the salaries match, and I'm not sure that Atlanta wants to part with either of them. And Turner's $26.6MM salary is a lot to pay a center with Okongwu already on the roster. I expect Turner to be traded by the start of camp, but I don't think he'll be going to the Hawks.
CHIP
11:46
What is the longest chat session have you ever had ? I have joked in the past that you seem to have a timer set to end chat at one hour !!!! A few weeks ago it went over by about 15 minutes and I was stunned !!!! No matter the time the chats are always great and thanks !!
ARTHUR HILL
11:49
I'm glad you enjoy the chats. There's no set time limit going in. I'm willing to answer questions for as long as people want to keep talking about basketball. Obviously there's more interest during the draft and free agency than at other times of the year, so these chats tend to be longer. But as long as the questions are coming in, I'm happy to keep responding.
NBAfan
11:49
Do you see the Kings waiving DeMar DeRozan and stretching his contract? If so, which team is most likely to sign him?
ARTHUR HILL
11:56
DeRozan only has a $10MM guarantee on his $25.74MM salary for next season, so it's hard to imagine a team trading for him and paying the full amount when he'll likely be a free agent soon. Even at 37, he remains one of the league's most reliable mid-range shooters, and he would be a great addition for any contender. The Clippers were mentioned last year as a possible destination, but I don't know if they'll be as interested with Kawhi Leonard gone. Maybe the Hawks? The Rockets now that Dorian Finney-Smith has been traded? A lot of teams could use DeRozan if they can get him at the right price.
Mike Gansey
11:56
Am I already the favorite to win executive of the year in my first year on the job?
ARTHUR HILL
12:02
Gansey's performance in remaking the Sixers' roster shows that he was the right choice for the job. Jaylen Brown was a tremendous addition, but unloading Paul George's contract in the same deal should definitely put Gansey into EOY consideration. Darryl Morey, with his reputation for star chasing, would probably would have been much more aggressive in his pursuit of Brown and paid a higher price, but Gansey was able to wait out the market and get him for a middling collection of draft picks. Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons and Ariel Hukporti were a great use of the team's free agent money, and the Sixers now look like a real contender in the East. It's an A-plus performance from Gansey all around.
Guest
12:02
I get that the Ainges love winning a trade, but wouldn't they be better off with Walker Kessler this season than a bunch of far-off draft picks? Who's going to play center for them?
ARTHUR HILL
12:09
After last year's Jaren Jackson Jr. trade and especially after landing the No. 2 pick in the draft, the talk was that the Jazz were finally ready to get serious about winning. That may have changed with the Kessler deal, which brings back an impressive collection of future picks but leaves a giant hole in the middle. Jaxson Hayes and Jusuf Nurkic are the team's current centers, and neither inspires confidence. JJJ prefers to play power forward, and he's never been a good enough rebounder to be the primary center. The big-man market in free agency seems pretty depleted, so unless the Jazz have a trade target in mind, that's going to be a major obstacle to their chances of contending for even a play-in spot.
Chris D
12:09
The Wizards are headed into a season where they are actually trying to win -- for the first time in what seems like forever. So the lack of big men to rotate around Sarr and Davis seems troubling, especially given how many games Davis has missed in recent years. Most of the top FA big men have signed elsewhere so where do you see the Wizards turning to in the trade market?
ARTHUR HILL
12:16
This might be a good team for Myles Turner if the Wizards are willing to take on another pricey salary. He doesn't fit Milwaukee's new direction, and he would bring playoff experience and an inside presence to a team that badly needs both. Wizards fans aren't going to settle for another season of bad basketball after landing AJ Dybantsa, and Turner would be a sign that the team is serious about competing right away. The biggest factor is whether Washington intends to give an extension to Anthony Davis. If they're committed to that contract, then it limits who they can add through trades.
12:17
Thanks for all the great questions. We'll talk again next week.
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