Community Shootaround Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 9/2/15

September 2nd, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Restricted free agent Tristan Thompson, who has already rejected a five-year, $80MM contract offer from the Cavaliers this offseason, also nixed a four-year, $52MM extension offer from the team last fall. The power forward’s agent, Rich Paul, has reportedly informed the Cavs that his client would not put pen to paper on a new deal unless it was a maximum salary arrangement, and that Thompson would be OK with signing his one-year qualifying offer worth $6,777,589 if a deal can’t be worked out between the two sides prior to the deadline in October.

One reason that Thompson is reportedly willing to risk playing without the security of a long-term pact in 2015/16 is that Paul believes he can wrangle a max deal out of the Raptors next offseason, as was noted by Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher. Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops had previously broached the possibility of Thompson, a native Canadian, joining the Raptors in 2016/17. Raptors GM Masai Ujiri has stated that he considers it a priority to add Canadian born players to the team, which obviously makes Thompson a natural target for the franchise.

This brings me to the topic for the day: Which would be a better situation for Tristan Thompson long-term, re-signing with the Cavaliers or joining the Raptors next Summer?

Would the young forward be better served to remain a key reserve in Cleveland, and have the opportunity to chase NBA titles for as long as LeBron James is still on the roster? Or would he be better served to chase the bigger dollars and a likely role as a starter for the Raptors back in his country of birth? 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 9/1/15

September 1st, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

During the offseason it’s OK for teams to carry as many as 20 players, but franchises must pare down their rosters down to a maximum of 15 by opening night. The Pistons find themselves in a bit of a difficult situation, with the team currently possessing 17 players with fully guaranteed pacts, as Hoops Rumors’ Chuck Myron examined last week.

This brings me to the topic of the day: Looking at the Pistons’ roster below, which two players with fully guaranteed deals should the team waive or trade prior to the start of the regular season?

The players who own fully guaranteed deals are listed below alphabetically, and I’ve also included the 2015/16 salary for each player, courtesy of the Basketball Insiders salary pages, for your convenience.

Joel Anthony (C) — 6’9″/32 years old/$2,500,000
Aron Baynes (F/C) — 6’10″/28 years old/$6,500,000
Steve Blake (G) — 6’3″/35 years old/$2,170,465
Reggie Bullock (G) — 6’7″/24 years old/$1,252,440
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (G) — 6’5″/22 years old/$2,891,760
Spencer Dinwiddie (G) — 6’6″/22 years old/$845,059
Andre Drummond (C) — 6’11″/21 years old/$3,272,091
Danny Granger (F) — 6’9″/32 years old/$2,170,465
Darrun Hilliard (F) — 6’6″/22 years old/$600,000
Ersan Ilyasova (F) — 6’10″/28 years old/$7,900,000
Reggie Jackson (G) — 6’3″/25 years old/$13,913,044
Brandon Jennings (G) — 6’1″/25 years old/$8,344,497
Stanley Johnson (F) — 6’7″/19 years old/$2,841,960
Cartier Martin (F) — 6’7″/30 years old/$1,270,964
Jodie Meeks (G) — 6’4″/27 years old/$6,270,000
Marcus Morris (F) — 6’9″/25 years old/$5,000,000
Anthony Tolliver (F) — 6’8″/30 years old/$3,000,000

Keep in mind that Detroit has no choice in the matter, and will have to part ways with a minimum of two of the players listed above prior to the regular season tipping off. Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on which two players need to go, and more importantly, why? We look forward to what you have to say.

Note: Since these Shootarounds are meant to be guided by you the reader, we certainly welcome your input on the topics we present. If there is something you’d like to see pop up here for a discussion, shoot us a message at hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 8/31/15

August 31st, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There was plenty of drama and intrigue regarding this summer’s free agent class, highlighted by All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge signing with the Spurs and the DeAndre Jordan saga, which ultimately left the Mavs fuming and the Clippers rejoicing.

Next summer promises to be another fascinating chapter in the league’s annual player sweepstakes but no other situation bears more watching than Kevin Durant’s decision on his long-term future. Durant, who will make more than $20MM this season, becomes an unrestricted free agent in July. The prospect of one of the league’s true superstars going on the market will have executives and fans around the league salivating. As Bleacher Report’s Kevin Ding recently put it, Durant’s foray into the open market is shaping up as the “biggest non-LeBron free agency the NBA has ever seen.”

It’s no secret that the Wizards have been clearing salary-cap space to make a run at the Washington, D.C. native. The Mavs, Lakers, Heat, Knicks and Nets are other teams expected to make a spirited run at Durant. Several other suitors are likely to surface in the Durant sweepstakes by the time next summer rolls around.

Of course, it’s no lock that Durant will change uniforms. If he fully recovers from the foot injuries that plagued him last season, Durant could lead the Thunder to their second appearance in the NBA Finals. The dynamic duo of Durant and Russell Westbrook now has an interior scoring threat with the presence of Enes Kanter, and Serge Ibaka is still around to provide rebounding and defense in the middle. A deep playoff run, perhaps even a championship, could convince Durant to stay right where he is.

Thus, our question of the day is as follows: Will Kevin Durant re-sign with the Thunder or will he change uniforms next summer? If he leaves, which team has the best chance to land his services?

Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on Durant’s future.

Note: Since these Shootarounds are meant to be guided by you the reader, we certainly welcome your input on the topics we present. If there is something you’d like to see pop up here for a discussion, shoot us a message at hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 8/30/15

August 30th, 2015 at 10:35pm CST by Will Joseph

As we learned earlier today, the Rockets‘ Dwight Howard is generating little buzz with his potential 2016 free agency. Howard signed a four-year deal with Houston worth more than $87MM, but has a player option for 2016/17. With the salary cap expected to soar next summer, he will likely test the market once again. While there may not be much buzz now, there is intrigue when the variables in play are brought up. There’s Howard’s age (he’ll soon be 30) and injury history, for starters.

Thus, the question of the day: What type of deal will Howard land if he becomes a 2016 free agent?

Personally, I see Howard — if he stays healthy and produces this season — getting a long-term deal from the Rockets worth at least $100MM.

Being mindful of our commenting policy, let us know in the comments section below what you think is the most underrated signing of the summer so far.

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Community Shootaround

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 8/29/15

August 29th, 2015 at 6:45pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Earlier today, Eddie Scarito of Hoops Rumors handed out his draft grades to each team in the Central Division. The Pacers earned the highest grade with their selections of Myles Turner and Joseph Young. Turner is a defensive presence and he has the potential to be the team’s anchor down low for years to come. The Texas product is extremely raw and is likely to struggle early, but Scarito believes he could end up being one of the best players in the entire draft.

The Pistons and Bucks both earned high marks for their selections of wing players. Rashad Vaughn gives Milwaukee a high upside project in its backcourt. The guard will certainly take some time to develop, but based on the team’s current roster, he won’t feel the pressure to produce immediately. Vaughn could end up one of the best players in this year’s draft based on potential and he’s in a good spot to expand his game.

Detroit’s selection of Stanley Johnson has been criticized, not because of Johnson’s talent, but rather because the Pistons took him over Justise Winslow, as Scarito points out in the column. Johnson’s poor outside shooting will be something the rookie has to overcome, but the Arizona product should be able to slip into the Pistons’ rotation immediately. He’s already a solid defender, but he’ll need some work on the offensive side of his game in order to reach his ceiling.

Bobby Portis was a surprising pick by the Bulls with the No.22 overall pick as the team already has Taj Gibson, Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic at the four spot. The Arkansas product likely won’t see significant playing time this season unless the team’s frontcourt suffers an injury or two. However, Portis is an offensive threat with decent range. If he develops into a reliable low post defender over the next few seasons, it wouldn’t be out of the question for him to become the team’s starter at four and eventually earn a few All-Star appearances.

So here’s the topic of the day: Which Central Division rookie will have the best career?

Which player will become the cream of the crop in the division? Will it be Turner, Johnson, Vaughn or Portis? Or will a second rounder turn into the steal of the draft and dominate for years to come?

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

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 8/28/15

August 28th, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The NBA fined the Clippers $250K for a violation of the league’s rules against circumventing the salary cap during their free agency pitch to DeAndre Jordan. During their meeting with the big man on July 2nd, the Clippers presented Jordan with a potential third-party endorsement opportunity with Lexus that would pay the center $200K annually. That was before Jordan gave his commitment to the Mavericks, an agreement that later came undone when he expressed second thoughts about leaving the Clippers, who convinced him to re-sign.

The league’s investigation concluded that the violation didn’t influence Jordan’s ultimate decision to return to the team. But the NBA imposed the fine anyway, since rules prohibit teams from arranging compensation for players outside of the salary set forth via the contractual terms allowed under the collective bargaining agreement. The violation was unintentional, owner Steve Ballmer wrote in an internal memo he sent to members of the Clippers organization that Dan Woike of the Orange County Register obtained.

“As I shared with everyone on day one of purchasing the Team, being part of the Clippers family means operating with the highest integrity,” Ballmer wrote in part. “We believed we were doing this the right way, and any circumvention was inadvertent. In our effort to support our players in every way possible, we as an organization must be diligent in complying with the CBA.”

This brings me to the topic of the day: Was the league’s punishment of the Clippers fair? If not, what penalty should have been handed down from the NBA?

If you were a member of the Mavericks organization, would you feel satisfied with the Clippers simply having to pay a $250K fine? Or would you argue that no matter what the official findings, the endorsement deal could have indeed played a part in Jordan reversing course and heading back to L.A.? Would a penalty as severe as a forfeiture of a future draft pick be warranted in your eyes? Or are you on the other side of the argument and feel that the punishment was too severe? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the issue. Feel free to expand the boundaries of the discussion if need be. We look forward to what you have to say.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 8/27/15

August 27th, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Wednesday brought with it an entertaining Twitter debate (hat tip to Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel) between Heat center Hassan Whiteside and Warriors forward Draymond Green, who had a back-and-forth exchange regarding the merits of small ball versus traditional big men holding down the pivot. It should go without saying that Whiteside was in the pro-big man corner, while Green, whose Warriors captured the NBA crown this past season using a smaller lineup, was firmly in the opposing camp.

The last four NBA titles have been won by teams willing, and in the case of Golden State, preferring, to utilize smaller, faster, non-traditional lineups to get the job done, so that helps Green’s point. It would appear in today’s NBA that outside shooting and positional versatility, and perhaps ambiguity, are more valuable than size and strength. Having grown up with the privilege of watching the likes of Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Alonzo Mourning, and Shaquille O’Neal play in their primes certainly makes it difficult at times for me to embrace the league’s new style of play. The basketball purist in me still bristles at 6’8″ power forwards playing center, or seeing 7-footers who are more adept at launching three-pointers than they are at scoring with their backs to the hoop. But on the flip side of the coin, I can certainly appreciate the skill and athleticism that today’s taller players possess.

This segues into the topic of the day: Is the traditional NBA big man a thing of the past, or is small ball just a passing fad?

Do you think that the league has completely moved on from the concept of back-to-the-basket big men, or will the next revolutionary concept be a return to the post-up game? Is this shift more a result of a lack of talent at the position, or is the ever-increasing athleticism of players rendering the traditional ideas we had regarding positions obsolete? Do you miss the older style of play and watching two 7-footers wrestling for post position, or are you a fan of the quicker tempo and reliance on the deep ball of today’s frontcourt players?

Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions, or to just wax nostalgic about your favorite big man you watched while you were growing up. We look forward to what you have to say.

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Community Shootaround

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 8/26/15

August 26th, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

OKC shooting guard Dion Waiters is eligible to sign a rookie scale extension prior to the deadline this fall. The Thunder are reportedly open to extending the 23-year-old’s deal if he would do so at a discounted rate, something that Waiters might not be too keen on, especially given the impending salary cap jump next offseason. Further complicating matters is that Waiters is coming off a poor statistical season that saw him post career lows in points (11.8), assists (2.0), overall field goal percentage (39.6%), and three point shooting percentage (29.7%).

To be fair to Waiters, his production was likely affected by the Cavs’ multitude of roster additions, as well as by the trade that landed him in Oklahoma City, though few would argue that he was at his best during the 2014/15 campaign. Unfortunately for Waiters and his agent, Rob Pelinka, the decline in the guard’s numbers won’t aid them at the negotiating table this offseason.

This brings me to the topic/question of the day: Should the Thunder sign Dion Waiters to a rookie scale extension? If so, then what sort of deal would be fair for both sides?

Waiters is set to earn $5,138,430 this season, and if he doesn’t ink an extension he’ll be eligible to become a restricted free agent next Summer, provided that the Thunder tender him a qualifying offer worth $6,777,589. It’s unknown just how much Waiters’ camp will be looking for on his next contract, and if it is anywhere near the ballpark of a maximum salary request, the two sides will likely have difficulty reaching an accord since the franchise has more pressing financial concerns, namely the upcoming free agency of Kevin Durant next offseason followed by Russell Westbrook in 2017.

Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on whether or not the Thunder should sign Waiters to an extension prior to the deadline. Would the franchise be better served to see how he performs this season? That would risk him hitting restricted free agency during an offseason when numerous teams should have ample available cap space. If you don’t believe he’s worth extending, tell us why you feel that way. If you agree that OKC should pony up the cash and lock up Waiters on an extension, chime in with what length and terms you believe would be warranted. We look forward to what you have to say.

Note: Since these Shootarounds are meant to be guided by you the reader, we certainly welcome your input on the topics we present. If there is something you’d like to see pop up here for a discussion, shoot us a message at hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com.

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Community Shootaround

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 8/25/15

August 25th, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Hornets and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist are reportedly putting the finishing touches on a four-year, $52MM contract extension for the small forward. The 21-year-old out of the University of Kentucky has had an inconsistent NBA career thus far, with him struggling to improve upon his shaky outside game over the past three campaigns. But Kidd-Gilchrist has been working hard behind the scenes to improve upon that aspect of his game, according to coach Steve Clifford, who said, “He’s totally changed his shooting mechanics really more than any player I’ve ever seen. It’s increased his confidence level. His whole leadership, assertiveness on the court and his understanding of the game has come out more for his teammates as he’s gotten more confident.”

While Kidd-Gilchrist apparently has his coach’s support, the results in the stat sheet haven’t been as readily apparent. The player’s field goal percentage from the 2014/15 season was 46.5%, down from the 47.3% of his shots he connected on back in 2013/14. Of course, Clifford was likely referring to Kidd-Gilchrist’s improved shooting form, which will hopefully garner the player and team better results moving forward. The forward did manage to notch career bests in points (10.9) and rebounds last season (7.6), though his campaign was cut short thanks to an ankle injury he suffered at the end of March.

Despite his debatable offensive skills, Kidd-Gilchrist’s defensive abilities are some of the best at his position in the entire league. The Hornets were 27-28 in 2014/15 with him in the lineup and just 7-18 without him on the court. “Last year he was a really good individual defender and a very solid team defender. But now he’s much more verbal and takes much more of a lead in organizing our defense,” Clifford said of Kidd-Gilchrist. “I think he is one of the few guys in this league who has the ability to make it hard on many of the primary scorers.”

This brings me to the topic of the day: Is Michael Kidd-Gilchrist worth the $13MM annually he is set to make on his contract extension?

In today’s NBA, where outside shooting is a major focus, is a throwback type of player like Kidd-Gilchrist worth that level of financial investment? A defensive stopper like Kidd-Gilchrist can change an opponent’s strategy on a nightly basis, which is arguably just as valuable as dropping 20 points a night in the league. The other factor that needs to be considered when weighing the value of any new contract is the impending salary cap explosion that is set to occur next offseason. The economics of deals and how they are viewed are certainly going to change over the next few seasons as a result, which could potentially make $13MM per season for the young forward seem like a bargain.

What do you think? Is $13MM in line with what Kidd-Gildchrist is worth on the open market? If he were to hit unrestricted free agency, what sort of offers do you think he would draw? Take to the comments section below to weigh in with your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have top say.

Note: Since these Shootarounds are meant to be guided by you the reader, we certainly welcome your input on the topics we present. If there is something you’d like to see pop up here for a discussion, shoot us a message at hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com.

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Community Shootaround

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 8/24/15

August 24th, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks have been among the NBA’s most glamorous franchises for decades. They play in two of the country’s biggest cities with large media followings and passionate fan bases.

The Lakers have also been the league’s most successful franchise outside of the Celtics, collecting 11 championships since moving from Minneapolis in 1961. Knicks fans have been thirsting for a title since New York beat the Lakers in the Finals twice in the early ’70s, though they made two trips to the Finals in the ’90s.

It’s hard to believe that a franchise with a winning tradition like the Lakers and a team with the advantage of playing in storied Madison Square Garden like the Knicks could fall on such hard times the past two seasons. Los Angeles won 27 games in 2013/14 and, thanks to Kobe Bryant’s torn rotator cuff, plunged even further into the abyss with a 21-61 mark last season. The Knicks also went from bad to worse, finishing eight games under .500 two seasons ago and then winning just 17 games in last season’s painful campaign marred by Carmelo Anthony’s knee issues, which limited him to a career-low 40 games.

Things appear to be looking up on both Coasts, thanks to trips to the lottery, trades, free agent signings and improving health. The Lakers drafted D’Angelo Russell to be their floor leader, signed free agents Brandon Bass and Louis Williams and traded for center Roy Hibbert. They’ll also have last year’s lottery selection, Julius Randle, back in action after a season-long injury and Bryant on the comeback trail.

The Knicks drafted European big man Kristaps Porzingis, signed free agents Arron Afflalo and Robin Lopez to fill starting roles and retooled their bench. They’ll also have Anthony back to lead the offensive attack while playing in a division that had just one team finish above .500.

Neither club is expected to make the postseason but with the upgrades, they should be much more competitive or, at the very least, watchable. So our question of the day is as follows: Which team will win more games this season, the Lakers or the Knicks?

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

Note: Since these Shootarounds are meant to be guided by you the reader, we certainly welcome your input on the topics we present. If there is something you’d like to see pop up here for a discussion, shoot us a message at hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com.