Community Shootaround

Since the Magic made Victor Oladipo the No. 2 overall pick back in the 2013 NBA draft the team has been waiting for him to develop into a franchise player. The results have been mixed during his first two seasons in the league, though Oladipo did demonstrate improvement in virtually every statistical category in 2014/15 over his rookie numbers. New head coach Scott Skiles is still experimenting with his rotation, and one of his riskier moves was shifting Oladipo to a sixth man role. Oladipo has responded well and has averaged 20.0 points per game over his three appearances as a reserve, and the team has gone 3-0 in those contests.

This brings me to the topic for today: Should the Magic keep Victor Oladipo in the sixth man role for the remainder of the season?

The easy response is the affirmative, going by the logic that if it’s working, then it’s best for the squad. But there are other concerns that accompany any dramatic role change, especially for a player expected to develop into a star. The 23-year-old will be eligible for a rookie scale extension next summer, and any displeasure with his playing time or role on the team could impact Oladipo’s willingness to commit to Orlando for the long term. The Magic are 9-8 thus far in 2015/16 and appear to be a much-improved team from last season, especially on the defensive end, which comes as little surprise given the presence of Skiles. But if the team hopes to take the next step toward being a contender in the East, Oladipo’s talent and buy-in will be needed, which makes any changes in his role a risky proposition.

But what say you? Is keeping Oladipo in a reserve role the best tactic for the team, or should he return to the starting lineup full-time? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.

The Warriors and Rockets have been on completely different paths since meeting in the Western Conference Finals last spring. Golden State went on to win the title and set a record for consecutive victories to start a season. Houston started so poorly that coach Kevin McHale was sent packing after 11 games, as we chronicled in our Offseason in Review.

The Rockets’ 6-10 start is even worse than it looks on the surface. They have played 11 of their first 16 games at home, where they are just 4-7, including losses to the Nuggets, Nets, a depleted Mavericks team and then nearly to the winless Sixers on Friday night. That two-point win over Philadelphia and an overtime decision over Portland on November 18th (where Corey Brewer hit a long three-pointer off one leg at the buzzer to force the extra session) are all that separate the Rockets from a nine-game losing streak. They are 0-3 in the Southwest Division, 4-6 in the Western Conference and have an average point differential of -6.5.

In the James Harden era, the Rockets have succeed by bombarding their opponents with three-point shots. This season, they’re still taking them, but they aren’t making them. Going into today’s games, Houston led all NBA teams with an average of 31.7 three-point attempts per game, but is 29th in three-point percentage at an abysmal 31%. Some of the biggest offenders behind the arc include Trevor Ariza at 31%, Ty Lawson at 25% and Brewer at 23%. Even Harden, who has built a reputation as a three-point marksman, is connecting on just 31%.

Things aren’t any better when their opponents have the ball, as the Rockets are 28th in the league in points allowed. They are also 29th in committing turnovers and 17th in rebounding, mostly because of Dwight Howard, who gets 12.7 per game.

There is some hope, however. Point guard Patrick Beverley returned from an ankle injury this week, and power forward Donatas Motiejunas, out since April with back problems, may be ready next month. Plus it’s only November, and despite their awful start, the Rockets are just two games out of a playoff spot.

That leads us to our question of the day: Will the Rockets be a playoff team this season?

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject. Please be aware of our commenting policy and use the comments section below to give us your opinion.

Kobe Bryant has suffered several major injuries in recent seasons but the biggest pain he’s experiencing now is the sting of criticism. The longtime Lakers superstar has been struggling mightily with his shooting and coach Byron Scott is getting bombarded with questions and critiques regarding what he should do about it.

Bryant is shooting a career worst 31.1% from the field and 19.5% from 3-point range. Just this week, Bryant matched the worst shooting performance of his career by going 1 for 14 from the field against the Warriors. Bryant, as always, remains supremely confident in his ability and says he’s not concerned about his shooting slump.

Scott has held firm that Bryant will come around. Scott indicated this week that he has no plans to cut down on the veteran small forward’s minutes. When asked on Friday if he might bench Bryant for poor play, Scott shot back that he would “never, never, never” do that.

However, there’s a strong argument that removing Bryant from the rotation would help the Lakers in the long run. Bryant won’t be around when lottery picks Julius Randle and D’Angelo Russell hit their prime, so having him play such a prominent role — especially at the offensive end — does nothing to facilitate their development and chemistry.

On the flip side, Bryant has given so much to the franchise that it’s hard to shove him to the end of the bench. Bryant doesn’t seem interested in finishing his career somewhere else and his contract is so huge that even if he agreed to a trade, it would be hard to move him. He’s also still a huge fan favorite and a draw. Love him or hate him, people still like to see him play.

This leads us to our question of the day: Should the Lakers reduce Kobe Bryant’s minutes or even bench him?

We’d love to hear your thought on this subject. Please be aware of our commenting policy and use the comments section below to give us your opinion.

Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis has been impressive thus far in 2015/16 and has taken New York by storm. The 20-year-old is averaging 13.7 points and 9.1 rebounds in 26.9 minutes per night over his first 15 contests. While Porzingis’ early season production has turned some heads around the league, questions still remain about what the Latvian’s long-term position will be. He has primarily played power forward for the team thus far, and his ability to hit outside shots certainly makes him valuable as a stretch-four. But New York may look to use Porzingis as a center down the line, though he’ll almost assuredly need to add some bulk onto his 240-pound frame to be effective in the pivot full-time.

This brings me to today’s topic: What position do you think Kristaps Porzingis is best suited for going forward in his career?

Should the Knicks continue to develop Porzingis as a power forward, despite the presence of Carmelo Anthony, who may need to slide over to the four spot as he ages? Or should the Knicks move Porzingis to center, where his athleticism would be an asset but his slender frame could make him a liability on defense? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.

The Sixers are off to an 0-15 start, and while the sun may always shine in Philadelphia, this is a franchise clearly in the shade the last few seasons. In an Insider-only piece, ESPN.com’s Chad Ford and Kevin Pelton looked at the frontcourt pairing of Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel and concluded that the two play better when not sharing the court. This is certainly a problem for the team and coach Brett Brown, seeing as the two big men are easily the team’s best players, and it is looking more and more like GM Sam Hinkie will need to make a trade in order to change the team’s dynamic and balance out its roster.

This leads me to the topic for today: Should the Sixers trade Jahlil Okafor or Nerlens Noel? If so, then which player should GM Sam Hinkie look to part with?

Okafor is clearly the better offensive player of the two, and he appears to have the higher overall upside as well. Plus, he’s in just the first year of his rookie scale deal, which means a team acquiring him would control his rights longer than Noel’s, who is eligible for restricted free agency in 2017/18. Dealing away Okafor so soon after using the No. 3 overall pick on him would almost certainly upset the team’s fanbase further, as well as cast more doubt on the viability of Hinkie’s build-through-losing strategy. The only tangible benefit to making such a move is that Okafor would likely bring back a higher return if shipped out of town.

What are your thoughts? Should the team trade either Okafor or Noel, or is the sample size too small to judge adequately if the two young big men can coexist alongside one another for the long term? If you believe a move needs to be made, which big man should Hinkie focus on trading and why? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.