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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 9/16/25
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ARTHUR HILL
11:01
Welcome to this week's chat. We'll start with a question on Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors.
Guest
11:01
How will the Jonathan Kuminga standoff with the Warriors end? Do you think he'll take the QO if the Warriors don't make him an offer where he gets to keep his no trade clause?
ARTHUR HILL
11:12
Control over his future seems to be the primary concern for Kuminga, so signing the qualifying offer becomes a more realistic option the closer we get to training camp. Even though he would be playing for $8MM, which is far below his market value, it would make him an unrestricted free agent next summer, giving him the opportunity to find a team that will pay him big money and make him the starting power forward. Kuminga's chief objection to the Warriors' offers so far is their insistence on a placing a team option in the final year. After seeing his minutes drastically cut following last season's Jimmy Butler trade, Kuminga doesn't want to risk being stuck in a situation where playing time isn't guaranteed. Golden State may improve its offer in the next two weeks to avoid the possibility of losing Kuminga with no return next summer, but I think he's already convinced that staying with the Warriors isn't his best career option.
Alperen Sengun
11:12
I looked like a star at EuroBasket. How will that translate to the NBA this season?
ARTHUR HILL
11:24
Sengun was one of the breakout performers of the tournament and likely would have been named MVP if Turkey had won the gold medal game. He ranked seventh in scoring, fourth in rebounds and fourth in assists during EuroBasket and was the centerpiece of a Turkish team that went unbeaten until the finals. He also outdueled Nikola Jokic in a memorable showdown with Serbia. Sengun was already an All-Star last season, and he's one of several reasons that the Rockets' rebuilding plan is ahead of schedule. He should be even more dangerous this year with Kevin Durant around to attract attention from opposing defenses. Sengun heads into the season as a legitimate candidate for All-NBA honors.
Guest
11:24
How long do you expect the Clippers/Kawhi investigation to take and what will the outcome be? Will the Clippers be impacted this season at all?
ARTHUR HILL
11:36
Adam Silver's comments last week about the burden of proof being on league investigators suggest that it won't be a speedy process. There's a lot of information and accusations to sort through, and the law firm conducting the probe hasn't been given a definite deadline to wrap things up. From the outside, there's certainly an appearance that the team has been caught red-handed. Owner Steve Ballmer and minority owner Dennis Wong both made investments in the company in roughly equivalent amounts to what was paid to Leonard in an endorsement deal where he didn't actually do anything. If the Clippers are found guilty, any disciplinary action will likely involve fines and the loss of draft picks. Voiding Leonard's contract in midseason, as some have suggested, would cause chaos and I don't think it's an avenue the league wants to pursue. Even if the Clippers receive a harsh punishment, it's not likely to impact the upcoming season.
JD
11:36
It seems like the same few players (Jokic, Giannis, Luka, Embiid when healthy) were in the MVP conversation for a few years before SGA broke through. Do you see another player making that sort of leap to legiti MVP candidate this season?
ARTHUR HILL
11:48
My pick would be Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards. He's a three-time All-Star and has received MVP votes the past two seasons, but I think this is the year he fully establishes himself as one of the NBA's very best players. He turned 24 this summer and is starting to reach the age where players hit their career peak. He averaged career highs of 27.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game last season while leading the league in both three-point attempts and makes. He's already an elite scorer and I think he'll hit another level this year. The Wolves are a legitimate title contender after reaching back-to-back conference finals, and it helps Edwards' case that he's one of the league's most exciting players to watch. I expect him to become an annual candidate for MVP honors.
Scott S.
11:48
Is there any current coach who has a chance to break Pop's record for all time wins?
ARTHUR HILL
12:03
Health issues forced Popovich to retire with 1,390 career wins, making his record more vulnerable than it otherwise would have been. Doc Rivers leads active coaches with 1,162 victories, so another five years or so with good teams should get him there. Rick Carlisle is next at 993, but he's already 65 and may not want to keep coaching long enough to chase the record. Erik Spoelstra, with 787 career wins, is 11 years younger than Carlisle and appears to have job security in Miami for as long as he wants to stay there. If he has decent teams for another decade or so, he could reach Popovich territory. A dark horse candidate is Mark Daigneault in OKC. He's only 40 and the Thunder have a chance to be among the league's elite teams for a long time. He could rack up a lot of wins fairly quickly and may reach the top of the list someday.
Thanks for all the great questions. We'll talk again next week.
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