We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.
If the Lakers hire Tyronn Lue as head coach, is it the right hire or just not putting in the effort and going with the easy hire? Or maybe both? — NoSpoilersPlease, via Twitter
It’s not easy for a coach to build a rapport with LeBron James, and Lue will have that from the minute he takes over the team. They had a very successful partnership in Cleveland that resulted in a championship and three trips to the NBA Finals. Lue also has a history in L.A., spending his first three years as a player with the Lakers. He may not be the right long-term coach for the franchise, but as long as LeBron is there — at least for the next two or three years — it’s best to have someone running the team that he trusts.
If the Knicks don’t get the first pick, what could they get for pick 2, 3, 4 or 5? – Howie2104
Whether the Knicks want to trade their pick — and what they’ll ask in return — will depend on their luck in free agency, and that won’t be known until early July. If they can’t hit the jackpot with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving or some other combination of stars, it make more sense to hold onto the pick and continue building for the future. While Zion Williamson is obviously the biggest prize in the draft, Ja Morant could solve New York’s long-running point guard problem, and R.J. Barrett would provide another scoring wing player to pair with Kevin Knox. If the Knicks do get lucky in free agency, their need for youth goes away and they’ll start looking for a combination of veterans who fit well with their new stars.
What are the chances that the Sixers replace Brett Brown if they don’t reach the conference finals? –R.B., via Twitter
Brown received an extension after last season ended and is under contract through 2021/22, so he shouldn’t be in any immediate danger. He suffered through a lot of lean years in Philadelphia as the Sixers tanked tanked away seasons to accumulate assets and he has done a much better job than his 178-314 record indicates. Management wanted to give Brown a chance to show what he could do with a real team, and that chance is just starting. Brown has built up a lot of trust in his six years behind the Sixers’ bench. He should be safe no matter how long their playoff run lasts.