Community Shootaround Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Community Shootaround: Game 7 Prediction

May 26th, 2018 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

It seems like Boston has fielded two teams in the postseason. There are the Home Celtics, who have been unbeatable, and the Away Celtics, who can’t beat hardly anyone.

Fortunately for Boston fans, it’s the Home Celtics who will be playing the Cavaliers tomorrow for a spot in the NBA Finals. Boston is 10-0 at the TD Garden during the postseason, but just 1-7 on the road. The Celtics have an offensive rating of 107.7 in their home games, about 10 points higher than away from home.

“I truly believe it’s our fans,” Al Horford explained to Jack McCluskey of The Ringer. “I feel like our guys feed off of them and it really just drives us as a group. … You get on the road and you’re just out there against everybody else. Here, I just think that our guys just feel comfortable and good. It’s a credit to the atmosphere that’s here.”

On the other side is LeBron James, who has been brilliant no matter where he has played. James is averaging close to a triple double with 33.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 8.8 assists in 17 playoff contests and kept Cleveland alive with a 46/11/9 performance in Friday’s Game 6.

The Cavs will be short-handed for tomorrow’s game with Kevin Love already ruled out because of a concussion. Love has been one of the few reliable scorers alongside James, averaging 13.9 points per game in the postseason.

The edge in playoff experience easily goes to the Cavs, who have been to three straight Finals [eight straight for LeBron], while the Celtics field a young roster with few players who have ever experienced this level of postseason pressure.

There are many things that could decide Game 7, but we want to get your take. Who pulls out what James called one of the best two-word phrases in sports and represents the East in the NBA Finals? Please leave your responses in the comments section below.

Community Shootaround: Best Seasons Of All Time

May 21st, 2018 at 10:01pm CST by ChrisCrouse

NBA Twitter is a beautiful place where entertainment and debate reign, and great ideas can be found. Recently, the team at NBAMath organized a #TimeMachineDraft in which 30 personalities from around NBA Twitter selected an ultimate roster comprised of individual seasons from NBA greats. Let’s take a look at the top 15 picks:

1. 1988/89 Michael Jordan (Bryant Knox of Bleacher Report).

2. 2012/13 LeBron James (B/R’s Andrew Bailey).

Who else was going to be selected in the top two? The Jordan-LBJ debate has been going on for several seasons now and with James showing no signs of slowing down, it’ll likely continue for quite some time. I wouldn’t determine whether GoodFellas or The Departed is the better film without seeing how each movie ended. With LBJ still playing at a high-level, I’m not ready to pick between the two.

3. 1971/72 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Former Bulls beat writer Sean Highkin).

4. 1986/87 Magic Johnson (HoopsHype’s Bryan Kalbrosky).

5. 2015/16 Stephen Curry (CBS Sport’s Adi Joseph).

You could talk me into these three in any order, though if I were picking third, I might pull the trigger on Curry, a player who looked like his 2015 self during Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals this week.

6. 1999-00 Shaquille O’Neal (T.J. McBride of Mile High Sports).

This pick might be too low or just right. Does this theoretical league play 82 games? When you pick a player, do you get him in peak form or how he looked prior to opening night of a given season? That might influence my pick in this spot. However, if we’re taking a Shaq season, this is probably the best one.

7. 1985/86 Larry Bird (NBAMath’s Coach Adam Spinella).

8. 1993/94 Hakeem Olajuwon (RotoBaller’s Justin Carter).

9. 1963/64 Wilt Chamberlain (NBAMath’s Tony East).

It would be fantastic to see each of these Hall-of-Famers play against each other in their respective primes. Also, can you image any of these players floor, surrounded by the long-range shooting in today’s game?

10. 2002/03 Tim Duncan ( The Score’s Chris Walder).

11. 2013/14 Kevin Durant (B/R’s Tyler Conway).

Two very underrated seasons. Not sure which moment was more emotional for basketball fans: Durant making his MVP speech or Popovich speaking about Duncan after the big man retired.

12. 2003/04 Kevin Garnett (NBAMath’s Tom Rende).

13. 2008/09 Chris Paul (B/R’s Dan Favale).

Two players who have had heard their fair share of criticism. Add being partially responsible for Durant’s signing in Golden State to their haters’ lists.

14. 1993/94 David Robinson (HoopsHype’s Alex Kennedy).

15. 2016/17 Kawhi Leonard (Nylon Calculus’ Krishna Narsu).

Leonard was my selection for the 2016/17 MVP award after putting up a great, efficient season. Russell Westbrook – whose 2016/17 campaign was also selected in the first round of this Twitter draft – won the actual award after averaging a triple-double for the season.

I’m not sure I’d take a player who took over 2,000 shots and committed 438 turnovers in a season with my top pick in this kind of draft, but then again Westbrook provided special moments over and over again during his lone MVP campaign.

So tonight’s Community Shootaround is all about which player had the best NBA season in history and which ones are severely underrated.

Think 2006/07 Dirk Nowitzki should have gone higher in the draft? How about a season from Kobe Bryant? What about Charles Barkley, Anthony Davis or Grant Hill?

Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!

Community Shootaround: Best Expansion Cities

May 19th, 2018 at 8:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kansas City has been off the NBA map since the Kings moved to Sacramento in 1985, but there’s a push to bring it back. A report emerged last night that Kansas City is on the short list to get a franchise the next time the league expands.

“Kansas City will get an NBA team at some point. … Just a matter of time,” an unidentified league executive told NBA scout Jarrett Sutton. “Seattle and KC, to me, are most valuable markets for league expansion when it makes sense.”

Seattle has been among the front-runners for a new franchise ever since the SuperSonics were moved to Oklahoma City a decade ago. Late last year, Seattle’s City Council approved a $650MM renovation project at Key Arena, the Sonics’ former home, with the goal of attracting an NBA or NHL franchise before the end of the decade. The league is planning a preseason game in Seattle in October, so its commitment to the Pacific Northwest city seems solid.

Kansas City is more of a surprise, but it does have a 19,000-seat facility to offer in the Sprint Center. The city was never considered an NBA hotbed when the Kings were there from 1972-85, and they adopted Omaha, Nebraska, as a dual home city for three of those seasons. However, Kansas City is one of the largest media markets without an NBA team and it offers a larger television market than either Oklahoma City or New Orleans.

Here are a few other locations the league may consider when it decides the time is right to expand:

Louisville — The city has a rich college basketball tradition and the 22,000-seat KFC Yum! Center. The Kentucky Colonels were among the most successful and well-supported ABA teams, but the city has never gotten a shot at the NBA. Louisville made efforts to attract the Rockets, Grizzlies and Hornets last decade, but came up empty each time.
Las Vegas — The NHL’s Golden Knights have been a huge hit in their first season in Vegas, and their new T-Mobile Arena could easily house a basketball team. The Las Vegas Summer League has become a must-see event on the NBA calendar with all 30 teams now signed up. The Oakland Raiders are headed to town soon, and the city may want to add a basketball franchise as well.
Vancouver — The NBA struck out in its first attempt to put a team in western Canada, but it hasn’t given up on the market. With the Rogers Arena housing the Canucks, a facility is already in place. However, if Seattle is a lock for an expansion franchise, it’s hard to imagine the league putting another team so close by.
Mexico City — The NBA has long tried to expand the borders of its fan base and has scheduled two regular season games in Mexico City in each of the past two seasons. The Palacio de los Deportes can hold more than 20,000 fans, and commissioner Adam Silver has discussed putting a G League team there and launching an NBA Academy for Latin American and Caribbean players.
Pittsburgh — The Steel City hasn’t had a team since the early days of the ABA, but it does have PPG Paints Arena, which can hold 19,000 people for basketball. The city also boasts an enthusiastic fan base, especially for its NFL and NHL teams. Five years ago, David Stern listed Pittsburgh as a possible expansion site, and the city was mentioned as a potential destination when the Pistons discussed relocation in 2010.

We want to get your input. The next expansion franchise will probably go to Seattle, but if the NBA adds two teams, who should get the other one? Please leave you feedback in the comments section below.

Community Shootaround: Draft Lottery Scenarios

May 15th, 2018 at 12:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2018 NBA draft lottery will take place on Tuesday night, as we noted in our lottery primer earlier today. While the odds favor the Suns, there are 14 NBA teams that could ultimately end up with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, creating some fascinating drama.

In a piece for The Ringer on Monday, Paolo Uggetti broke down some of the most interesting potential scenarios for the draft lottery. As Uggetti observes, the two teams still alive in the Eastern Conference Finals have a chance to get some great news before they take the court on Tuesday, since the Cavaliers own the Nets’ first-round pick, while the Celtics will own the Lakers’ first-rounder if it lands at No. 2 or No. 3 overall. The possibility of one or both of those teams landing a top-three pick at the same time they’re looking to advance to the NBA Finals isn’t good news for the rest of the league.

Of course, the Sixers would keep that Lakers pick if it moves all the way up to No. 1. It’s currently 10th in the lottery standings, so the odds of it becoming a top-three pick are slim, but it would create some terrific drama if it lands in the top three, since the balance of power in the Eastern Conference could shift significantly depending on whether the pick ends up at No. 1 (Sixers) or Nos. 2 or 3 (Celtics).

Uggetti’s other intriguing scenarios include big-market teams like the Knicks and Clippers getting a top pick — L.A. could theoretically move into the top three while keeping a second lottery selection, courtesy of the Pistons. Uggetti points to the Magic or Kings getting the No. 1 pick as interesting scenarios too, since neither of those clubs has had much lottery luck in the last few years — despite several appearances near the top of the draft.

Outside of the teams we’ve already mentioned, the Grizzlies, Mavericks, Hawks, Bulls, Hornets, Pistons, and Nuggets all have a chance to land a top pick.

What do you think? What would be the most interesting draft lottery scenario? Which team deserves some good luck the most (or least)? Jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Community Shootaround: Mike Budenholzer

May 14th, 2018 at 8:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mike Budenholzer has generated more headlines during this offseason than he did in recent years as the Hawks’ head coach.

Since Budenholzer and the Atlanta franchise mutually parted ways, he has been mentioned prominently for virtually every coaching opening. He withdraw consideration from the Suns job but was a major candidate for the Knicks’ opening before they hired David Fizdale.

Budenholzer is now reportedly the focus of coaching searches in Milwaukee and Toronto. The Bucks will meet with him for a second time on Tuesday, while he was first outside candidate linked to the Raptors after Dwane Casey surprisingly got fired last week.

Both jobs hold appeal. The Bucks, of course, have young superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and some other quality pieces, particularly Khris Middleton. The Raptors held the top seed in the East before LeBron James and the Cavaliers swept them out of the playoffs. Perhaps some fresh ideas could squeeze out better postseason results from a roster that won 59 regular-season games.

Budenholzer’s name has also been mentioned for the Pistons’ opening. He would inherit a roster there that includes the All-Star caliber big man duo of Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin.

That leads us to our question of the day: Which coaching job should Mike Budenholzer take if he receives offers from the Bucks, Raptors and Pistons? Or should he wait for another opening?

Please take to the comments section to voice your opinion. We look forward to what you have to say.

Community Shootaround: Boston’s Point Guard Depth

May 13th, 2018 at 5:59pm CST by Austin Kent

While the absence of ex-Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving may detract from some drama in the Eastern Conference Finals, it didn’t slow the Celtics down en route to a convincing victory over his former team in Game 1 of the series on Sunday.

As a matter of fact, the Celtics have thrived despite the Irving injury all postseason thanks in no small part to the contributions of two other point guards on the roster.

In a starter’s workload this postseason, which includes 37.3 minutes per game, third-year guard Terry Rozier has averaged 18.2 points and 5.5 assists per game. The 24-year-old may not star alongside Nick Kroll in an upcoming feature film this June* like Irving will but he’s looked every bit as capable at the helm, piloting the C’s through two playoff series already.

Another major component at play this postseason, a third asset that rounds out Boston’s elite point guard depth chart, is Marcus Smart. While Smart’s playing style has always been unique, the 10.3 points and 4.4 assists per game that he brings along with his toughness and other intangibles, have made him invaluable.

Regardless of how the Celtics fare this postseason, they’ll happily welcome Irving, a bonafide star, back into the starter’s role next season. That, unsurprisingly, could put a squeeze on the rest of the players at the position. Sure, Smart’s role as a reserve combo guard allows him to slot in alongside Irving, but Rozier saw just 24.4 minutes of nightly action in the regular season prior to the opportunity created by Irving.

Our question for you this evening is which of the two guards you’d value more heading into the 2018 offseason?

Should the C’s make bringing restricted free agent Smart back this summer a top priority or could they get by with Rozier and another third-string guard? Alternatively, should Danny Ainge potentially look to deal Rozier instead given that there’s more of an overlap between him and Irving than there is between Smart and Irving?

Is there room for all three long-term?

Consider Boston’s success this postseason proof that a surplus of point guard talent is a pleasant conundrum to have. Weigh in with how you think the situation will develop below.

*Hi film studio, all commissions happily accepted.

Community Shootaround: Best Coaching Hire

May 12th, 2018 at 8:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

Since the regular season ended, the coaching carousel hasn’t stopped spinning. Nine franchises — nearly a third of the league — have conducted coaching searches, and just when it seemed things were slowing down, two more openings occurred this week as the Pistons and Raptors both dismissed their coaches.

When the Hawks introduce Lloyd Pierce at a press conference Monday, they will become the fifth team to officially hire a coach. Let’s take a quick look at those franchises and the new men in charge:

Hawks, Pierce — Nobody understands rebuilding better than someone who has endured “the Process.” Pierce joined Brett Brown’s staff in Philadelphia in 2013 and went through some dismal seasons while the team collected young talent. He inherits another young roster in Atlanta, which will have four draft picks in the top 33.
Hornets, James Borrego — A longtime assistant, Borrego comes from one of the NBA’s top organizations, spending 10 seasons with Gregg Popovich in San Antonio. He also has brief head coaching experience, taking over for 30 games with the Magic when Jacque Vaughn was fired in 2015. He has a veteran roster that could be broken up as Charlotte has a new GM in Mitch Kupchak and pressing salary cap issues.
Grizzlies, J.B. Bickerstaff — He’s not new in town, as Bickerstaff held the job for most of this season, but the interim title has finally been removed. He took over a team ravaged by injuries to Mike Conley, Chandler Parsons and Tyreke Evans, and even though his record doesn’t look good at 15-48, the front office was happy with how Bickerstaff developed the team’s younger players. A healthier roster should give him a better chance to compete next season.
Knicks, David Fizdale — The hottest free agent on the coaching market landed in New York. Fizdale was a highly respected assistant in Miami before getting the head coaching job in Memphis, which resulted in one playoff appearance and a 19-game stretch this season before being fired. He’ll get a shot at redemption in New York, but walks into a difficult situation with uncertainty about when Kristaps Porzingis might return from a torn ACL.
Suns, Igor Kokoskov — He made his reputation as coach of the Slovenian national team before coming to the NBA as an assistant in 2000. Kokoskov has prior experience in Phoenix, helping to guide the organization to some of its best seasons with Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire. He will take over a roster that already has one young star in Devin Booker and owns a 25% shot at landing the top pick in the lottery.

We want to get your feedback on all the coaching moves. Considering their respective rosters and their expectations for the future, which of the five teams made the best hire? Please share your opinion in the comments section below.

Community Shootaround: Big Move in Philly?

May 10th, 2018 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Do they still trust the process in Philadelphia?

That’s the question to be addressed this summer for the Sixers, who are in position to grow into one of the East’s dominant teams over the next decade. With Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons serving as franchise cornerstones, another young talent in Dario Saric, the top pick in last year’s draft in Markelle Fultz and a probable lottery pick coming from the Lakers, the Sixers can stand pat this summer and still be assured of a bright future.

They also have the assets and the cap flexibility to take the opposite approach. Philadelphia is reportedly high on the list of possible destinations for LeBron James, and it wouldn’t take much cap tinkering to open enough cap room to offer a max contract. Philadelphia has roughly $67.4MM in committed salary for next season, which rises to about $70.6MM if the non-guaranteed contracts of T.J. McConnell and Richaun Holmes are both picked up. With a projected cap of $101MM, it would only take a minor move or two for the Sixers to be able to meet LeBron’s asking price.

If James goes elsewhere, Philly is position to trade for a third star. If San Antonio can’t work things out with Kawhi Leonard, an offer centered around Saric, Fultz and the Lakers’ pick could be enough to at least get the Spurs’ attention.

Even though their season ended in disappointment, there may be no team better positioned for the future than the Sixers. They can keep what they have or swing for the fences, and they figure to be among the top teams in the Eastern Conference either way.

What would you do? Would you let Simmons and Embiid develop as team leaders or try to rush the process and add another star? Jump into the comments section below and give us your feedback.

Community Shootaround: Pistons’ Future

May 7th, 2018 at 9:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons owner Tom Gores announced Monday that Stan Van Gundy would not return as head coach and president of basketball operations for the final year of his contract.

Van Gundy resisted making changes that Gores requested, most notably replacing GM Jeff Bower. Gores finally decided after weeks of deliberation to go in another direction.

Van Gundy upgraded the roster during his four seasons with the organization but he and Bower made too many missteps along the way. The biggest problem for the next GM or president of basketball operations is that the Pistons have major cap issues that will hamstring efforts to make necessary improvements.

The trio of Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson could carry the team to the playoffs next season, provided they stay relatively injury-free and the supporting cast is upgraded. That would require a leap of faith. Griffin and Jackson have been nagged by injuries in recent years.

Upgrading the roster could be an even taller task. The Pistons are locked into a couple of bad contracts (Jon Leuer, Langston Galloway) for two more seasons. The stretch provision used to eat up Josh Smith‘s contract gobbles up another $5.33MM in each of the next two years.

The Pistons also don’t have a first-round pick, courtesy of the Griffin deal, unless they get extremely lucky and move into the lottery. They have the mid-level exception and a $7MM trade exception to work with but that won’t help much. It’s tough to imagine another team willing to take on either Griffin’s contract or Jackson’s deal, though the next exec might give it a whirl.

A more viable option would be to deal Drummond, packaged with a bad contract, and essentially hit the reset button. That won’t sit well with fans who have seen their team reach the playoffs once since 2009.

They could also gauge the market value of some younger players like Stanley Johnson and Luke Kennard.

That brings us to our question of the day: If you were the Pistons GM, what moves would you make to revive the franchise?

Please take to the comments section to voice your opinion. We look forward to what you have to say.

Community Shootaround: Toronto Raptors

May 5th, 2018 at 10:19pm CST by Arthur Hill

A few days ago, the Raptors were being praised for keeping the core of their team together and not firing coach Dwane Casey after a string of playoff disappointments. Those decisions led to a 59-win season and the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

Then came an overtime loss to the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the conference semifinals, followed by an embarrassing performance in Game 2 and tonight’s heartbreaker that left them in an 0-3 hole. With another potential early postseason exit looming, sounds of discord are emerging from across the border.

A second-round ouster may be enough to cause a shakeup in Toronto, but as with most contending teams, major change won’t come easily. The Raptors gave new three-year contracts to Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka last summer, adding to the expensive one already owned by DeMar DeRozan. As a result, Toronto is already above the projected tax line for next season with a potential payroll of $133MM, a figure that could go even higher in 2019/20.

No help will be coming from the draft because the Raptors sent both of this year’s picks to the Nets last summer as the price for taking on DeMarre Carroll‘s contract. That also limits flexibility in pre-draft trades as the team can’t deal another first-rounder until 2020.

Over the next two years, Toronto owes more than $64MM to Lowry and nearly $45MM to Ibaka. DeRozan will make more than $27.7MM in each of the next two seasons, with a player option for the same amount in 2020/21. An extension for Norman Powell kicks in for next season, paying him about $42MM over four years.

Rather than upending the roster, the Raptors may opt for a coaching change. Casey, with one year left on his contract, has won 320 games in seven seasons in Toronto, but has been under fire for his lack of success in the playoffs. Assistant Nick Nurse and G League coach Jerry Stackhouse have both been candidates for head coaching jobs this summer, and the Raptors may decide to promote one of them before they leave.

We want to get your input. How would you fix the Raptors if they flame out in the playoffs again? Give us your feedback in the comments section below.