Community Shootaround

The league deadline for teams to pare down their rosters to the regular season maximum of 15 players has passed, and a flurry of activity transpired over the weekend with upwards of 140 players being waived by their teams. While most of these departing players weren’t expected to make it into the NBA this year, there were still a number of talented athletes who were let go who arguably belong in the league this season.

This brings me to the topic/question of the day: Which player not making his team’s regular season roster came as the biggest surprise?

Who do you feel absolutely should have made the cut and started the regular season with a spot in the limelight? It could be a young player who you believe has more upside or talent than one the team retained, or a cagey veteran whose locker room intangibles you feel outweigh the player kept in his place. But don’t just stop at providing a name … tell us all why you feel this way. Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.

An unwillingness to adjust his freewheeling college game to the NBA style of play led to Jimmer Fredette‘s lack of success in the league, a former NBA assistant told Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports. The Spurs waived Fredette on Wednesday, though four other NBA teams still reportedly have some level of interest in him. Fredette is a former lottery pick, having gone 10th overall to the Kings back in 2011. Still, he didn’t make too much of an impact during his rookie season, and his numbers have declined ever since. He shot only 18.8% from three-point range last season with the Pelicans and didn’t make a three-pointer in the preseason this month for the Spurs.

This brings me to the topic/question of the day: Does Jimmer Fredette have a future as an NBA player? If so, what adjustments to his game need to be made?

Fredette thus far has shown himself to be a one-dimensional player, and his one marketable skill, outside shooting, hasn’t been consistent enough to allow him to stick on an NBA roster thus far in his professional career. Do you believe Fredette can alter his game enough to become a reliable contributor in the league, or is his dream of being an NBA player at an end? Is there a team or system that would be ideal for the shooting guard? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.

Lakers executive vice president of basketball operations Jim Buss said that he doesn’t regret signing Kobe Bryant to a two-year, $48.5MM extension back in 2013, regardless of how Bryant’s tenure with the franchise ends, according to Sam Amick of USA Today. “You give Kobe Bryant $50MM for two years,” Buss said regarding the Mamba’s contract. “Are you kidding me? What did he bring us? In this day and age, what did he bring us, for 20 years? And if that isn’t what you’re supposed to do, then I have no idea what life is all about. You pay the guy. You believe in the guy. If he ends up [staying healthy], that’s fantastic. Well everybody [in the media] cut me up for that, but I’d say over 200 fans have come up to me and said, ‘Thank you so much for letting my kid see Kobe Bryant for two more years.’ And I’m like, ‘You know what? I’m glad I can see him for two more years.’ ”

Buss also took the time to refute a report by Henry Abbott of ESPN indicating that the organization was anxious for Bryant to depart so it could begin rebuilding properly, Amick adds. “It’s [expletive], that’s exactly what that was,” Buss said when asked about the article. “The organization absolutely loves him. You know why? Because he has made a living, as we [have] with the Lakers for the last 20 years, because of this man. Magic Johnson carried us [to] this part [of their history] … and Kobe Bryant has carried us for 20 years. So every person that works in that organization, why would they hate him? Why would they want him out of there? There’s only a basketball or a Kobe hater that would want that. There’s no other reason.”

This brings me to the topic/question of the day: Do you believe that the Lakers made a mistake in signing Kobe Bryant to an extension back in 2013? What are your feelings on franchises rewarding players for their past performances more so than their current production level?

Should a team pay big money for the twilight years of a player’s career as a way to thank him for past service, or should he be forced to take a pay cut that is in line with the production he currently provides? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on Bryant’s deal, as well as the concept of loyalty contracts in general. We look forward to what you have to say on the subject.

As a part of out ongoing series “The Beat” we spoke with Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun regarding a number of Raptors-related topics. One such topic was whether or not small forward DeMarre Carroll would justify the four-year, $58MM contract he inked with Toronto this offseason. Wolstat’s response to our question was:

“Considering how insane the money is getting in the NBA, the Carroll deal seems pretty fine to me. His track record isn’t as long as you’d like, but he’s been a very good player for a while now, and was by far Atlanta’s best performer in the playoffs, and that was a very good team. He’s a perfect fit both on and off the floor. He gives Toronto badly-needed size at small forward, another outside threat in the starting lineup and above-average defense and a willingness to compete against any of the NBA’s top swingmen. He also is a leader with an infectious style of play. His relentlessness, similar to how Lowry plays, already seems to be rubbing off.The Raptors would love to see the postseason version of Carroll every night, but if the regular season guy shows up, that will be fine.”

This brings me to the topic/question of the day: What sort of production will the Raptors need from DeMarre Carroll to justify his new contract?

Do you agree with Wolstat, and believe that Carroll’s stat line of 12.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per contest coupled with his excellent perimeter defense would justify the Raptors’ investment in him? If not, what numbers would the 29-year-old need to put up to satisfy you? What averages do you think Carroll will actually end the 2015/16 campaign with, keeping in mind he’ll be learning a new set of teammates and system in Toronto?

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

The Thunder and shooting guard Dion Waiters have had discussions regarding a contract extension, according to a report by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. The two sides have until November 2nd to come to an agreement or Waiters would be eligible to become a restricted free agent after the 2015/16 campaign, which is just in time for the anticipated jump in the salary cap. For his part, Waiters has been enthusiastic about working toward a new deal with the Thunder, as Wojnarowski’s report noted, and he is eager to compete on a contender as well as comfortable with his growth in a strong atmosphere for player development like Oklahoma City provides.

Oklahoma City already has $59,056,672 in guaranteed salary on the books for 2016/17, and that figure doesn’t include Kevin Durant, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent come the end of this campaign. Any dealings by the franchise this season will certainly need to be conducted with Durant’s pending free agency in mind, which could potentially hinder the two sides in reaching an accord by the league’s deadline. For what it’s worth, Durant believes Waiters will remain in OKC for the long term, telling Royce Young of ESPN.com, “He feels like he belongs here. He’s not going anywhere.”

This brings me to the question/topic for today: Should the Thunder sign Dion Waiters to an extension? If so, then how much is Waiters worth annually?

The Thunder acquired Waiters as part of a three-way trade last January and he contributed 12.7 points in 30.3 minutes while shooting 39.2% overall and 31.9% from long range after arriving in OKC. Hardly earth-shattering numbers, but in fairness to the 23-year-old, he was learning a new system and collection of teammates on the fly. With the Thunder more than likely to be over the salary cap for the next few seasons, especially if the team re-signs both Durant and Russell Westbrook, who is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency in 2017, retaining existing talent will take on increased importance.

But is Waiters worth holding onto, and for what price? That’s your call to make, and we want to know your thoughts on the matter. Take to the comments section below and share with us whether or not you think the Thunder should work out an extension with the young shooting guard without the benefit of full season with the team, or if it is wiser to risk letting Waiters become an unrestricted free agent. We look forward to what you have to say.

Last year’s NBA All-Star game saw six players earn themselves an invite for the first time, and for many of these players, it won’t be their last appearance at the annual showcase. While the league has averaged approximately five first-time All-Stars per year since 2005, the 2013 and 2014 events saw a combined 13 first-time All-Stars join the ranks of the elite. The 2014 first-timers were DeMar DeRozan, Paul Millsap, and John Wall in the East, and Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, and Damian Lillard out West. While being named as an All-Star starter is occasionally based more on a player’s popularity than actual on-court production, it’s difficult to argue against any of last season’s rookie All-Stars making the cut.

This brings me to the topic/question for today: Who will earn their first NBA All-Star game invitation this season?

Which player(s) do you predict will take the next step this season and emerge as an All-Star? Or are you on the other side of the fence, and believe that there won’t be any new additions to the All-Star rosters of either Conference? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.