Community Shootaround Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 1/3/16

January 3rd, 2016 at 10:35pm CST by Will Joseph

The Wolves reportedly made shooting guard Kevin Martin in trade discussions during December. This, of course, is nothing new for Martin, who is 32 and has played on four different teams, including two stints each with the Kings and Rockets. Martin was a part of trade talk last winter, too, when a series of reports identified the Mavericks, Wizards, Bulls, Kings and Rockets as interested parties.

We covered today that Sam Smith of Bulls.com doesn’t believe there is any substance to the idea Chicago will acquire Martin because the veteran has another year on his contract worth nearly $7.4MM, and because his scoring average and shooting percentage are near career lows. But it seems like some team will, indeed, take a flier on him. While Martin’s numbers are down (mainly his shooting percentage), he is still quite serviceable. He is averaging 12.1 points per game in 26 games, including 12 starts. Several teams could use his experience and scoring production.

That leads us to today’s shootaround topic: What team do you think would benefit the most from adding Martin?

Being mindful of our commenting policy, let us know in the comments section below what your thoughts are. We look forward to what you have to share.

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Community Shootaround

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 1/2/16

January 2nd, 2016 at 8:08pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Jimmer Fredette hasn’t lived up to expectation since entering the league as the No. 10 overall pick in the 2011 draft, but he has impressed since re-joining New York’s D-League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks. Ticket sales, and not strictly Fredette’s basketball skills, reportedly fueled the team’s decision to select Fredette in the D-League draft, yet after an impressive stretch of games, I bet the team is happy to have him on its side. The BYU product torched the Delaware 87ers today, accumulating 27 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists.

The Knicks are looking to add a young scorer or a shooter in the backcourt, as sources told Ian Begley of ESPN.com a few weeks ago. Team president Phil Jackson apparently likes Fredette, as Begley wrote at the time, and he would seem to fit a need. New York is running the triangle much better than last year, but the offense runs stagnant at times, as the team is only scoring 97.5 points per game, which is the seventh worst mark in the league. Adding Fredette, who is a career 38.0% shooter from downtown, might be a good way to bring in some offense without making a drastic change.

That leads us to tonight’s shootaround topic: Should the Knicks sign Jimmer Fredette to bolster their offense and if not New York, is there another team that would be a good fit for him? Being mindful of our commenting policy, let us know in the comments section below what your thoughts are. We look forward to what you have to share.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 1/1/16

January 1st, 2016 at 10:40pm CST by Will Joseph

We all made our fair share of mistakes in 2015. Granted, some made more than others. So much is true in the NBA, too, of course. While several teams improved after certain signings and acquisitions, others seemingly miscalculated or completely missed on a move or two.

We discussed favorite transactions from 2015 on this site yesterday and to continue our look back on the year, we thought it best to talk about some not-so-favorite moves, too. Of course, while 2015 has ended, the season is far from over so there is still time for our thoughts to change on certain transactions.

Still, some are definitely looking better than others with 2016 underway.

So, here is today’s question: What was the worst transaction of 2015?

Sometimes players just don’t mesh as well in a new system, in a new city or with a new coach, as a prospective team had hoped for. With that said, I have to hand it to the Pelicans. New Orleans’ re-signing of Omer Asik in July is my pick for the year’s worst move. This is not one of those moves that make or break a franchise, but Asik is definitely not playing up to the five-year deal worth nearly $52.978MM in base salary he signed. I didn’t think he would, either, given his overall deteriorating value and playoff struggles coming into this season. The signing was odd right when it was announced, in my opinion. Asik is averaging a career low 2.8 points per game.

But what do you think? Surely, there are more transactions that teams would love to hit a “redo” button on. Being mindful of our commenting policy, let us know in the comments section below what your thoughts are. We look forward to what you have to share.

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Community Shootaround

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 12/31/15

December 31st, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Will Joseph

The Warriors captured the title. There was the untimely death of Flip Saunders. Superstar Kobe Bryant announced his plans to retire after this season. Those are only three from a long list of vital news stories around the league this year. Indeed, plenty happened in 2015. The year was also filled with significant transactions in the league.

With the year coming to a close tonight, we find it fitting to look back and discuss the most interesting and important moves over the past 12 months. From Greg Monroe choosing the Bucks to LaMarcus Aldridge signing with the Spurs, there are plenty worth revisiting.

So, here is our question of the day: What was the best transaction made by your favorite team in 2015?

It’s an easy topic to digest (it is New Year’s Eve, after all), of course, but regardless of who your favorite team is, there are likely a few moves to choose from. I’ll get us started: While the Knicks’ decision to draft Kristaps Porzingis is likely the organization’s most important move, my favorite transaction was the signing of Arron Afflalo because the veteran has proven to be the rare player who can easily pick up the triangle offense and mesh with Carmelo Anthony.

Being mindful of our commenting policy, let us know in the comments section below what your thoughts are. We look forward to what you have to share.

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Community Shootaround

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: 12/30/15

December 30th, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Will Joseph

The Pistons have an interesting situation on their hands with point guard Brandon Jennings. He made his season debut Tuesday night against the Knicks after working his way back from an Achilles injury. While Jennings was out with the injury, however, starter Reggie Jackson shined and backup Steve Blake, who is 35, proved he still has something left. In other words, the Pistons, who are now 17-15, survived without Jennings.

Hoops Rumors’ Dana Gauruder recently profiled Jennings as a trade candidate because Jennings has an expiring contract at $8,344,497. With Jennings set to be a free agent, Frank Isola of The New York Daily News opines that the Knicks should make a play for the 26-year-old.

Of course, it behooves both parties — Jennings and the Pistons — for Jennings to have a successful return from injury. If Jennings plays well, he puts himself in line for a significant pay day this summer. From the Pistons’ perspective, a positive comeback would likely help the team on the court and also boost his trade value.

That leads us to today’s question: Which team will Brandon Jennings be playing for after the trade deadline? Why? Will he still be with the Pistons? How much would it take to acquire him?

Being mindful of our commenting policy, let us know in the comments section below what you think. We look forward to learning about what you have to share.

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Community Shootaround

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: 12/29/15

December 29th, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Eastern Conference standings more closely resemble a wild card race than the typical separation seen in most seasons. All but five of the 15 conference teams have records at or above .500 entering play Tuesday, a stunning development given the Western Conference’s dominance in the past 15 years.

As expected, the Cavaliers are at the top, though they lead the pack by just two games while dealing with inconsistency and point guard Kyrie Irving‘s absence. Irving returned to action last week and it’s generally assumed that Cleveland will pull away from the cluster of winning teams and grab the top seed in the playoffs.

Beyond the defending conference champions, it’s a game of musical chairs where a team could be in a comfortable spot one week and drop to the bottom half of the standings the next. The teams from No. 2 through No. 10 have at least 12 losses but no more than 14.

Even the team currently in the No. 12 spot, the Knicks, have realistic ambitions of getting into the playoffs this season. The Hawks, who led the conference during the regular season last year, got off to a mediocre start but have won six of their last seven games. The Raptors once again top the Atlantic Division but have the Celtics nipping at their heels.

Veteran, playoff-tested teams like the Bulls and Heat are still in the mix but look more vulnerable than they have in recent seasons.
This leads us to our question of the day: Assuming the Cavaliers will take the top spot in the East, which conference team will emerge as the No. 2 seed in the playoffs?

Please take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 12/28/15

December 28th, 2015 at 8:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Many expected the Pelicans to challenge for a spot in the top echelon of the Western Conference. Instead, through two months of the season, New Orleans is idling in the cellar and the team’s defense is a major reason why. The Pelicans are hemorrhaging points, allowing 107.1 per game, with the Lakers the only team to allow more.

Despite the defensive letdowns and the 10-20 start, the team sits only three games back of the Jazz for the eighth seed in the conference entering Monday’s contests. There’s still time to turn the season around and tonight’s shootaround is about the moves that New Orleans should make. If I were in GM Dell Demps‘ seat, I would give a call to the Magic and try to work a trade for Channing Frye.

The Arizona product was reportedly available for very little return prior to the start of the season, according to Zach Lowe of ESPN.com, although the big man’s play, along with Orlando’s win total this season, probably raises the asking price. The Magic found success inserting Frye into the starting lineup last month, going 11-5 since the move, and they sit in the thick of the playoff hunt with a record of 17-13 on the year. Still, I speculate that an offer of Omer Asik and a protected first-round pick would get the attention of GM Rob Hennigan since the 32-year-old Frye doesn’t fit into the Magic’s long-term plans.

Frye has been a stalwart on the defensive end this season. He ranks fourth among power forwards in ESPN’s Defensive Real Plus/Minus and he ranks 14th among all players in Possession Adjusted Points Saved per 36 minutes, an advanced stat developed by Seth Partnow of Nylon Calculus to measure rim protection. His offense has been excellent, especially from downtown, where he is making 46.9% of his attempts, which is good for third in the league this season.

Frye has played less than 20% of his minutes this season at the center position, but he has proven over his career he is comfortable playing the five. New Orleans could form a lethal unit that could spread the floor with Anthony Davis, Ryan Anderson and Frye sharing the frontcourt. With the addition of Frye, the Pelicans could also shop Anderson in hopes of adding an upgrade on the wing.

Tell us what you think of this hypothetical trade and let us know what you would do if you were running the show in New Orleans. Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.

Chris Crouse contributed to this post.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: 12/27/15

December 27th, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

The positive momentum the Suns gathered from nearly landing LaMarcus Aldridge this past summer was short-lived. Markieff Morris demanded a trade later in the offseason, and though he seemingly recanted that at the start of training camp, Phoenix has apparently engaged in serious talks about dealing him away, and coach Jeff Hornacek is reportedly in danger of following him out the door. Eric Bledsoe isn’t going anywhere, but it doesn’t look like he’ll be on the court anytime soon, as the initial belief is reportedly that he’ll be out until the All-Star break is through with an injured left knee.

Suns ownership and management has been reluctant to fire Hornacek, but owner Robert Sarver and GM Ryan McDonough had one-on-one meetings with Suns players today to try to understand why the team has fallen to 12-20, a record that includes an ugly home loss to the Sixers on Saturday, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.

Assistants Mike Longabardi and Earl Watson are possible replacements if the Suns oust Hornacek, Wojnarowski writes. A source with ties to the Suns who spoke with Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck a few weeks ago speculatively predicted that the Suns would get rid of Hornacek and go after Warriors interim coach Luke Walton in the offseason (Twitter link). Morris is in the middle of a two-game suspension the team handed down after he threw a towel that connected with Hornacek during Wednesday’s game, though Morris says he didn’t mean to hit the coach.

It all leads to our question for the day: What do the Suns need to do to fix their issues? Should they fire Hornacek? If so, with whom should they replace him for the short term and long term? Should they trade Morris? If so, who or what should they realistically try to obtain in return? If they keep Hornacek and Morris, what’s the solution to their problems?

Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: 12/26/15

December 26th, 2015 at 8:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

ABC analyst Mark Jackson is taking heat from fans, players and media in the wake of comments during Friday’s telecast that reigning MVP Stephen Curry has “hurt the game” because of his shooting prowess. Jackson, who coached the Warriors before being replaced by Steve Kerr prior to last year’s championship season, theorizes that young players are too focused on trying to shoot like Curry rather than developing their all-around talents.

This is the complete quote from Jackson, as reported by Marissa Payne of The Washington Post: “Steph Curry’s great. Steph Curry’s the MVP. He’s a champion. Understand what I’m saying when I say this. To a degree, he’s hurt the game. And what I mean by that is I go into these high school gyms, I watch these kids and the first thing they do is run to the 3-point line. You are not Steph Curry. Work on the other aspects of the game.”

Jackson’s broadcast partner, Jeff Van Gundy, also a former NBA coach, came to Curry’s defense, saying, “Those shots that he takes, if some high school joker takes them, and it’s allowed by their coach, shame on them.” Sam Moses, an AAU coach in the Oakland area, tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports that Curry is a “perfect role model,” adding, “If a kid comes in and says they want to be like Steph, they talk about ball-handling more than his 3-ball. He gets to the basket more than he shoots 3-pointers. You would think kids just want to work on the long ball, but they’re working on their dribbling.”

After Friday’s game, Curry expressed confusion about the comments from his former coach. “I have to talk to him,” Curry said. “I don’t know what he means by that. If you can shoot, shoot. If you can’t, stop.”

This brings me to the topic for today: Does Curry’s remarkable shooting actually “hurt the game” because of its influence on young players? And are there other current or former players you can say the same thing about?

For decades, youths on playgrounds or in high school gyms have been dreaming about dunking like Michael Jordan, passing like “Magic” Johnson, blocking shots like Hakeem Olajuwon, rebounding like Moses Malone or handling the ball like Pete Maravich. When youngsters see their favorite players with an exceptional skill, it’s natural for them to try and copy it. Does that limit their overall development? Does Jackson have a legitimate point, or is he is speaking out of bitterness over how his tenure in Golden State ended?

Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: 12/23/15

December 23rd, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Rockets and representatives for Ty Lawson are reportedly working in tandem to look for possible deals that would send the point guard out of Houston, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. Houston reportedly wants to keep Lawson, but the point guard’s camp is seeking a way for him to receive more playing time on another team, as was relayed by Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com.

The news that the Rockets are involved in trade discussions involving Lawson represents an apparent change from earlier this month, when Houston was holding off on the idea despite interested teams around the league believing that they’d be able to trade for him on the cheap, as Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders reported. The level of interest in Lawson around the league is up for debate, with Ken Berger of CBSSports.com noting that there isn’t currently much of a market for the point guard, and teams are likely waiting to see if the Rockets will ultimately waive him.

This brings me to the topic for today: Should the Rockets look to trade Ty Lawson, even if the return is negligible?

Lawson’s contract has him slated to earn $12,404,495 for 2015/16, which will be a difficult salary to trade without taking back a bad contract or two. The only teams currently possessing enough cap room to absorb Lawson’s pact without needing to ship out a significant amount of salary are the Sixers and Blazers. Portland seems like an unlikely fit given the presence of Damian Lillard, so I’d rule them out as a potential landing spot for Lawson. The Sixers certainly could use help in the backcourt, but given Lawson’s off the court troubles, he doesn’t quite fit the bill as the veteran leader the team is looking to add.

The most logical fit for Lawson would be with the Knicks, given the team’s lack of production from the one spot. Lawson’s deal would not necessarily be an issue for the cap space conscious Knicks since his 2016/17 salary is non-guaranteed until either the day after the completion of the NBA Finals or the day after the 2016 NBA draft, whichever occurs later. Matching salaries for this season could be tricky, unless New York is willing to part with Robin Lopez, who could be dealt for Lawson straight up. It’s unclear if Houston would be interested in Lopez, but he could be viewed as a palatable replacement should Dwight Howard depart after this season as a free agent. A package of Jose Calderon and Derrick Williams, two players New York would likely love to part with, would also work salary-wise, though it’s unclear if the Rockets would be willing to take on Calderon, who still has one year remaining on his deal.

No matter which team Houston paired up with on a potential deal, the franchise isn’t likely to receive much in the way of value in return. So what say you? Should Houston look to cut ties with Lawson, no matter what the return? Or should the team hang onto him for the remainder of the season and hope he can pick up his play? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.