Community Shootaround

We’re about 25 games into the 2018/19 NBA season, which is enough of a sample size to start taking stock of which players have been the most valuable to their teams so far.

Coming into the season, LeBron James was viewed by oddsmakers as the slight favorite to win this season’s MVP award. He has certainly built a strong case so far, leading the Lakers to a 15-9 record with averages of 28.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 6.6 APG, plus his usual efficient shooting rates (.525 FG%, .369 3PT%). Despite averaging a career-low 34.8 minutes per game, James’ 28.4 PPG would be his highest per-game scoring rate since 2009/10, the final year of his first stint in Cleveland.

Still, LeBron probably isn’t the frontrunner for the MVP award at this point. That honor belongs to Giannis Antetokounmpo, whose Bucks rank second in the Eastern Conference at 16-7. Antetokounmpo, who turns 24 today, has been a one-man wrecking ball in Milwaukee, establishing new career highs so far in PPG (27.0), RPG (13.0), APG (6.0), and FG% (.575), among other categories. While he’s struggling more than ever to make three-pointers (.111 3PT%), Giannis is contributing in just about every other area on either end of the court.

Among the other strong candidates for MVP consideration so far? Kawhi Leonard, who has a team-high 26.1 PPG and 8.6 RPG for the Raptors, the best club in the NBA so far; Anthony Davis, whose Pelicans have a +8.9 net rating when he plays, compared to -10.3 when he sits; and Joel Embiid, who has taken his game to another level for the Sixers.

There’s no shortage of other stars who should be in this discussion. Kevin Durant is probably a top-three player in the NBA and might be the second-best MVP candidate on his own team, given how the Warriors have played without Stephen Curry. James Harden is currently leading the league in scoring for the Rockets. Damian Lillard, Blake Griffin, and Kemba Walker are arguably playing as well as they ever have for the Trail Blazers, Pistons, and Hornets, respectively. Nikola Jokic has helped lead the Nuggets to the best record in the Western Conference so far. Russell Westbrook is once again averaging a triple-double for the Thunder, who have the second-best record in the West.

It’s way too early to make a call here, but we want your early assessment of the MVP race. Is this Giannis’ award to lose, or do you view another player as a stronger bet to become the frontrunner over the course of the season?

Head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!

After Larry Drew replaced Tyronn Lue on the Cavaliers‘ bench earlier this season, we took a closer look at the NBA’s in-season head coaching changes from the last several years.

Our deep dive revealed that, outside of 2016/17 – the rare NBA season that featured no firings – and the 2013/14 campaign – in which Pistons head coach Maurice Cheeks was the only one replaced – there have been at least three in-season coaching changes during every season so far this decade.

That didn’t necessarily mean that we should have expected two more coaches to be dismissed after Lue was fired, but it seemed like a safe bet that Lue wouldn’t be the last one to go this season. That turned out to be the case, with the Bulls announcing on Monday that they’ve parted ways with Fred Hoiberg.

With two head coaches down, we could still have at least one more firing to go, if recent history is any indication. But it’s unclear which coach is most at risk now that Lue and Hoiberg have been ousted.

Many of the NBA’s very worst teams, including the Suns, Hawks, Knicks, Cavaliers, and Bulls, have hired new coaches within the last year, reducing the odds that additional changes are on the way. And many of the league’s biggest underachievers so far, including the Celtics, Jazz, Rockets, Heat, and Spurs, have highly respected coaches who should be in no danger of losing their jobs.

Scott Brooks (Wizards) and Luke Walton (Lakers) seemed to be on the hot seat earlier in the season, but their teams have been on the upswing lately, as have Tom Thibodeau‘s Timberwolves. There has reportedly been friction between Dave Joerger and the Kings‘ front office, but it seems hard to believe Sacramento would make a change in the midst of the team’s most surprisingly successful start in years.

What do you think? Will there be a third head coach fired during the 2018/19 season? If so, which coach do you view as most at risk of losing his job?

Head to the comment section below to share your two cents!

Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith joined former teammate Carmelo Anthony in NBA purgatory this week — technically still with a team, but not playing again until his next move can be worked out.

The Cavs confirmed yesterday that Smith will no longer have an active role with the organization as they work with his representatives to find a mutually acceptable outcome. However, the 33-year-old and his $14.72MM salary remain on the roster. Smith has asked twice for a trade, but has resisted a buyout that would require him to give back any of this year’s money.

Smith has been an important part of Cleveland’s success over the past four years, but he became obsolete when LeBron James announced that he was leaving for the Lakers. The Cavaliers are transitioning into a youth movement, leaving Smith with a much smaller role.

Management decided fewer minutes would be allotted to Smith and other veterans, although coaches Tyronn Lue and Larry Drew both ignored that edict for a while in pursuit of more wins. Smith wound up averaging 20.2 minutes in 11 games while contributing just 6.7 PPG and shooting .342 from the field.

Smith may have also contributed to his own departure with a pattern of controversial behavior over the years. Two that stood out from last season were a soup-throwing incident that resulted in a one-game suspension and his infamous decision to run out the clock at the end of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, believing the Cavaliers were leading when the score was actually tied.

Although Smith’s salary may scare some teams away from making a deal, he is owed very little money beyond this season. His $15.68MM figure for 2019/20 carries just a $3.87MM guarantee until the end of June, so any team that acquires him wouldn’t be making a long-term commitment.

We want to get your opinion on Smith’s future. He admits that he has a checkered past, but he also hit a lot of clutch shots for the Cavs on their way to four straight Eastern Conference titles and one NBA championship. Do you believe anyone will trade for him or will he have to accept a buyout to get out of Cleveland? Please leave your responses in the space below.

A month into the season, there’s one division that doesn’t have a team with a winning record.

It shouldn’t come as a big surprise that division is the Southeast. Washington seemed like the class of the five-team grouping heading into the season but the Wizards got off to a horrendous start. They lost nine of their first 11 games and both John Wall and Bradley Beal called out their teammates. There were also questions about the status of coach Scott Brooks and speculation that the team’s high-priced backcourt would be broken up.

A three-game winning streak has temporarily muffled the Wizards’ critics, though they often seem like a team that’s on the verge of imploding. Wall and Beal have an uneasy partnership, Otto Porter Jr. hasn’t lived up to his big contract and Dwight Howard has a habit of wearing out his welcome quickly.

The Hornets led the division entering Friday’s action with a .500 mark. The Hornets are heavily reliant on their guards for offense — their top four scorers are the starting backcourt of Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb and backups, Malik Monk and Tony Parker. Their rotation of frontcourt players doesn’t scare anyone.

The Heat have plenty of depth but no stars, except for one near the end of his career (Dwyane Wade). Josh Richardson has been their top scorer in the early going but coach Erik Spoelstra has a tricky task of divvying up minutes and it will be an even more delicate situation when James Johnson and Dion Waiters return from injuries. Hassan Whiteside has never been one to hide his displeasure concerning his playing time but emerging big man Bam Adebayo needs to have a defined role.

The Magic need to develop their young bigs, Mohamed Bamba and Jonathan Isaac, but they’re currently backing up the team’s top two scorers, Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon. The point guard duo of D.J. Augustin and Jerian Grant doesn’t make a lot of turnovers but Orlando sorely lacks players who can create and draw fouls. The Magic rank last in free throws attempted.

The rebuilding Hawks can be dismissed from the discussion.

That brings us to our question of the day: Which team do you feel will wind up as the Southeast Division champion?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

The Sixers went through the offseason without adding a third star to join Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, but they finally got their man today when an agreement was reached to acquire Jimmy Butler from the Timberwolves.

A four-time All-Star, Butler figures to provide immediate improvement on offense and defense. He will help Simmons with playmaking duties and will give Philadelphia another proven shot maker. At 29, he provides some veteran leadership on an otherwise young team along with a fiery presence.

This appears to be the start of a long-term relationship, although nothing is set in stone because Butler is expected to opt out of his $19.8MM salary for 2019/20 and become a free agent. Philadelphia will have nearly a whole season to watch Butler in action before committing to a new five-year contract that would be worth nearly $190MM.

Today’s deal provides a measure of vindication for a franchise that had two big misses during the summer. The Sixers were the only other team LeBron James met with before deciding to sign with the Lakers. And even if LeBron always had his heart set on L.A., Kawhi Leonard was a much more realistic target. Philadelphia was reportedly in the running to land Leonard before the Spurs opted for Toronto’s offer of DeMar DeRozan and Jakob Poeltl.

The Sixers drew criticism for taking their time in replacing former president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo. He resigned from his position in early June and Elton Brand wasn’t installed as GM until mid-September, leaving a group effort in charge of the team during some of the NBA’s most crucial months.

Brand quieted much of that criticism today, with some help from owner Josh Harris, who reportedly closed the deal in direct talks with Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor. The East’s new Big Three is now in place in Philadelphia and the Sixers appear to have a roster that can make a run at a title.

We want to get your opinion on how today’s trade shakes up the Eastern Conference. Are the Sixers the new favorites or are they still a notch below the Raptors, Bucks and Celtics? Please leave your responses in the space below.

R.J. Barrett set the Duke record for most points by a freshman in his debut game last night, but on social media all the talk has been focused on his electrifying teammate, Zion Williamson.

Both players were impressive in their first taste of college basketball, with Barrett pouring in 33 points and Williamson adding 28 in a rout of Kentucky in the Champions Classic. But Williamson’s thunderous dunks and stunning athleticism for his 6’7″, 285-frame have captured the imagination of fans — including a few with NBA connections.

“I though LeBron [James] was a one-shot deal,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after seeing Williamson in action. “But apparently the next guy’s coming.”

“He’s very explosive, he’s very quick and he has a very large frame,” said Bulls center Wendell Carter Jr., who played for the Blue Devils last season. “That’s very rare. Not many people can guard that.”

More than 70 NBA personnel attended Tuesday’s game, which was preceded by a matchup between traditional powers Kansas and Michigan State. Adam Zagoria of FloHoops talked to a pair of unidentified scouts who raved about Williamson, but they were impressed by Barrett as well.

“Spectacular talent. No. 1 fan favorite,” one scout said of Williamson. “Great dunker, great explosion. Quick off his feet. Great strength. Surprisingly good passer. He’s a great basketball player. He showed that [Tuesday] night against some outstanding athletes.”

“He’ll end up being the best player in this draft,” the other scout said in assessing Barrett. “Versatile. Can score in three different ways. He can make the 3-pointer. He can get to the basket. He can shoot the mid-range. He’s got great positional size. Most dangerous in the open floor. If he were to come out, I think he’s the best all-around talent this year.”

Barrett, who already has international experience with Canada in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers, tops the latest mock draft compiled by Jonathan Givony of ESPN, which was put together in August. Givony slotted Williamson with the No. 3 pick and states that there’s much more to his game than spectacular dunks. He exhibited an ability to drive, pass and play defense during an exhibition tour, but some NBA executives they’re not convinced that he’ll be a dominant player at the next level.

We know college basketball season just started, but we want to get your opinion on Williamson. Do you believe he’s an NBA star in the making? Will he or Barrett be the top pick in June, or will that honor go to somebody else? Please leave your responses in the space below.

The Cavaliers‘ firing of Tyronn Lue last month represented the first in-season coaching change of the 2018/19 NBA season, but odds are it won’t be the last. As I outlined last week, six of the last eight NBA seasons have featured multiple in-season coaching changes, with at least three head coaches being replaced during the season in all six of those years.

Those numbers don’t guarantee that two more head coaches will be dismissed during the 2018/19 season, but they suggest it would be a bit of a surprise if the NBA’s other 29 coaches make it through the year unscathed.

So which head coaches may be on the hottest seats this season? The underperforming clubs deserve the first look. That means Scott Brooks, whose Wizards are just 2-7, and Luke Walton, who has led LeBron James and the new-look Lakers to a 4-6 start.

Of course, multiple recent reports have suggested that Brooks still has the full support of the Wizards’ organization. And after word broke that Lakers president Magic Johnson “admonished” Walton following the Lakers’ slow start, Johnson gave his head coach a strong public vote of confidence.

If Brooks’ and Walton’s seats weren’t at least a little warm though, there’d be no need for those votes of confidence in the first place. The Rockets, for instance, are off to an underwhelming 3-5 start, but there has been no chatter about Mike D’Antoni‘s job security — presumably because the organization is confident that he’ll turn things around.

Expectations weren’t terribly high for the Bulls (2-8) entering the season, and injuries have decimated their lineup, but it’s possible we may soon begin hearing some speculation about Fred Hoiberg‘s future if the losses keep piling up.

A former Chicago coach, Tom Thibodeau, also appears to be on the hot seat in Minnesota, as Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic notes in his latest mailbag. But even with the Timberwolves off to 4-6 start and dealing with Jimmy Butler drama, the team has shown no inclination to make a change at this point.

What do you think? Which coaches around the NBA deserve to be under serious scrutiny? Which coach will be the next one ousted?

Jump into the comment section below to weigh in!