Community Shootaround

Spending 13 years together as teammates can create a strong friendship. Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem both broke into the NBA with the Heat during the 2003/04 season, although they entered the league under vastly different circumstances. Wade was the fifth player taken in the 2003 draft, while Haslem went undrafted in 2002 and spent a year in France before signing with Miami as a free agent.

Wade is gone now from the Heat, signing a two-year, $47MM deal with the Bulls in July. He leaves with three NBA titles, two other finals appearances and a host of career franchise records. Haslem is still there, one of the few constants in an offseason roster shakeup. The bonds they formed through years of winning and losing are strong, so it’s understandable that they feel an absence as the opening of training camp nears.

Wade was back in Miami this morning, participating in a bike ride with police to promote unity. Asked what he’ll miss most about playing for the Heat, he immediately mentioned Haslem’s name. Haslem had the same reaction, but with an interesting addition.

“I was thinking more him of him coming here,” Haslem said when asked about the possibility of he and Wade ever joining forces again. “I never said [I’d leave the Heat]. I won’t ever say that. When I said play with him again, I never said leave.”

Wade’s deal with Chicago includes the chance to opt out of a $23.8MM salary for 2017/18 and become a free agent again. Although contract talks broke down with the Heat this summer, Wade didn’t leave on bad terms. Team president Pat Riley said he regrets how the negotiations worked out and admitted that he should have done more to keep Wade in Miami.

That brings us to tonight’s question: Will Wade ever decide to return to the Heat? He is still a beloved figure in Miami and is highly respected throughout the organization, It would create a buzz throughout the league if it happened next summer, and he would get a reception that would rival LeBron James‘ homecoming in Cleveland.

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

The NCAA’s rules regarding its restrictions on student-athlete transfers are facing a legal challenge. A lawsuit filed this past spring is asserting that these restrictions are illegal via antitrust laws. As it currently stands, the rule regarding student-athletes switching institutions is: If an athlete wishes to transfer from one four-year institution to another, he or she must sit out an entire academic year before being eligible to play again.

This rule doesn’t apply to coaches, who can change jobs at will without any penalty. So, as Tom Ziller of SB Nation points out, an athlete who chooses a particular school based on the desire to play for a specific coach and that coach then heads off to greener pastures (literally given the salaries these men/women pull down), would have to put his/her college career on hold for a full year. This system also creates circumstances where players wanting to transfer lose out because coaches generally prefer athletes who can contribute immediately.

I can’t see any circumstance or rationale where this is fair to the athletes. But it’s not just the NCAA who wants to keep things status quo, as many college basketball coaches fear what the elimination of the current transfer eligibility rules would do to the sport, as ESPN’s Jeff Goodman relayed. As Goodman notes in his article, there were a total of 750 transfers last year, and coaches claim that if the courts shoot down the transfer eligibility restriction, that number could rise to 1,000 or more.

Despite the current rules, transfers are on the rise as unhappy players are accepting the one-year penalty in order to find better situations for themselves. Plus, an increasing amount of players are using the graduate transfer rule to use their remaining NCAA eligibility while pursuing an advanced degree at a new school with no penalty. This is possible if players earn their Bachelor’s degree in three years or pick up a redshirt year, or both, as Ziller points out.

This brings me to the topic for today’s discussion: Should the NCAA transfer rules stay in place as is, or are alterations needed? If you believe that changes are in order, what would be a fair compromise for all parties?

One compromise that I believe should be implemented, is that if a head coach is fired, retires or leaves for another school, then his/her players should also be free to change schools without penalty. Many of these players based their decisions specifically on who would be their coach and who they felt comfortable with guiding them through their college years. Or year, in the case of many of the top players. The only sticky point with this idea is that coaches could theoretically switch schools and bring with them a large chunk of their roster. This could lead to some “package hires,” where coaches’ deals depend on who they can bring along with them. That could cause some major ethical issues, so perhaps some restrictions would be needed in those instances.

What do you think the answer is? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and potential fixes to the system. We look forward to what you have to say.

Can Kevin Garnett return for a 22nd NBA season? As he once famously said, anything is possible.

The problem is that Garnett hasn’t informed the Timberwolves of his intentions. With training camp opening in two weeks and important roster decisions to be made, Minnesota officials are going to need a decision soon.

Garnett is entering the final year of his contract with the Wolves and will make $8MM if he suits up. However, he turned 40 in May and is probably pondering whether the rigors of another season are worth it at his age. With Tim Duncan retiring and Andre Miller still unsigned, Garnett would be the league’s oldest player if returns for another season.

Garnett has eased into a mentor’s role since he returned to Minnesota in 2015. He appeared in 38 games last season, averaging just 14.6 minutes and 3.2 points per night. However, he has provided valuable instruction to the team’s young players, especially Rookie of the Year Karl-Anthony Towns.

Wolves owner Glen Taylor doesn’t want to rush Garnett into a decision, even if one doesn’t come before camp begins.

“Kevin hasn’t told me or informed me yet if he’s coming back to play or if he isn’t coming back,” Taylor said recently. “I can only assume I’ll be hearing from him in the next three weeks.”

That brings us to tonight’s question: Should Garnett try to play one more season or should he accept some other role in the Wolves organization? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inducted another star-studded class Friday night, headlined by NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson and Yao Ming. All three reached the hall in their first year of eligibility, which created a problem for some other players who are hoping to join them.

Former Suns point guard Kevin Johnson was a finalist for induction, but failed to receive enough votes. During a career that lasted more than 12 seasons, Johnson was a five-time All-Star who made five all-NBA teams and turned Phoenix into one of the league’s elite teams.

Johnson’s best opportunity at enshrinement will come next year, according to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. There won’t be any slam-dunk enshrinees joining the ballot in 2017, but that changes in 2018 when Jason Kidd, Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady become eligible.

Johnson will have plenty of fellow contenders when the votes are cast next year. There are several players who have been lingering on the ballot for a long time, and like Johnson, they may be approaching their last really good chance to reach the hall.

Along with K.J., these are the players with the best shot at induction in 2017, according to Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders:

• Jack Sikma — The former SuperSonics and Bucks center has a championship ring and seven All-Star appearances on his resume. All other eligible players who reached the All-Star game at least seven times are already in the hall.
• Shawn Kemp — He made it to the NBA Finals once and the All-Star Game six times. Kemp had more than 15,000 career points and 9,000 rebounds in 14 seasons. He is one of the greatest players in Sonics’ history and one of the most electrifying dunkers ever to play the game.
• Mark Aguirre — The first pick in the 1981 draft, Aguirre won two rings with the Pistons’ “Bad Boys” teams. Aguirre was a three-time All-Star and averaged 20 points per game in his 14-year career.
• Ben Wallace — The defensive anchor of the 2004 champion Pistons, Wallace could become the first undrafted player to reach the hall. He was named Defensive Player of the Year four times and was voted to the All-Defensive First Team five times.
• Tim Hardaway — A member of the highly regarded “Run TMC” teams in Golden State, Hardaway also prospered in Miami. He made five All-Star teams and was a first-team all-NBA selection in 1996/97. He topped 15,000 points and 7,000 assists in a 14-year NBA career.
• Chis Webber — He was the top star on the highly successful Kings teams from a decade ago. Webber made five All-Star teams and was a five-time all-NBA selection. He scored more than 17,000 points in 15 years in the league.
• George McGinnis — An ABA legend and a three-time NBA All-Star, McGinnis is the only eligible MVP from the NBA or ABA who hasn’t reached the hall. McGinnis won two ABA titles with the Pacers and played in the 1977 NBA Finals with the Sixers.

That brings us to tonight’s question: Who is the best eligible player not currently in the Hall of Fame? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.

Normally filled with 50-win teams, the Western Conference had a few “haves” and way more “have nots” last season. The Warriors and Spurs separated themselves from the pack quickly, while the Thunder and Clippers cruised to the third and fourth spots. No other team won more than 44 regular-season games and spots 5-9 were separated by a mere four games.

That suggests we could see some upheaval in terms of the playoff picture this season. The Thunder will struggle to match, or even come close, to the 55 wins they collected last season with Kevin Durant now wearing a Golden State uniform. The teams in the bottom half of last season’s playoff bracket could be in danger of falling into the lottery, as most of the non-playoff teams appear to be on the upswing.

The Jazz just missed out on the playoffs and have fortified their young core with playoff-tested veterans, including George Hill, Joe Johnson and Boris Diaw. The Nuggets have a deep team led by point guard Emmanuel Mudiay, who could be poised for a breakout season after getting a trial by fire in his rookie season.

The Pelicans were a colossal disappointment a year ago after making the 2014/15 playoffs but any team anchored by Anthony Davis has to be respected. If rookie guard Buddy Hield makes an immediate impact as a scorer, New Orleans could be poised for a turnaround.

Perhaps no team in the league has more young talent than the Timberwolves. Led by franchise player Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, the club could take a big jump with defensive-minded coach Tom Thibodeau at the helm.

The Suns added power forwards Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss in the draft and with better health for guards Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight, they should be much more dangerous.

The Kings made some curious off-season moves but they still have arguably the league’s top center in DeMarcus Cousins. The Lakers did some roster tinkering, including the addition of veteran forward Luol Deng, but their biggest hope is that lottery pick Brandon Ingram develops into a franchise player.

This leads us to our question of the day: Which Western Conference team that missed last season’s playoffs will make the postseason in the upcoming season and what will put that team over the top?

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

No matter when he decides to retire, Paul Pierce will probably be five years away from the Hall of Fame. However, that day may come sooner than anyone anticipated. At age 38 and with training camp less than three weeks away, Pierce is reportedly still deciding whether to return for his 19th NBA season.

That bit of insider information comes from Pierce’s coach with the Clippers, Doc Rivers, who also coached Pierce during some of his best seasons with the Celtics. Although it was reported last month that Pierce was definitely returning, Rivers said he hasn’t decided for sure.

“Depends on the day I talk to him,” Rivers said during an appearance Tuesday in Boston. “Paul has had the summer, he’s gone back and forth. … Paul didn’t have the best year last year. I don’t think he wants to go out that way. So I think that’s why he’s working to try to come back. But he still may change his mind next week. So we just have to wait. I told him if I see him at training camp, I’m assuming he’s playing.”

Rivers added that Pierce needs to retire as a Celtic, presumably with a one-day ceremonial contract. And although Pierce will always be associated with Boston, he hasn’t worn kelly green since the 2012/13 season, playing one year each for the Nets, Wizards and Clippers since then.

Pierce has been slipping for a while, as can be expected of any player in his late 30s, but the dropoff last season was sharp. He played in 68 games, but averaged just 6.1 points in 18.1 minutes, both career lows. In addition, his shooting percentages were way down — 36% from the field and 31% from 3-point range. He played less than 11 minutes per game in the playoff loss to the Blazers.

Pierce still has two seasons and $7.2MM left on the contract he signed with the Clippers last summer, but he made it clear at the time that he didn’t intend to play out the entire deal. As the clock ticks toward training camp, the question seems to be whether he wants to put his body through the rigors of one more NBA season.

That brings us to tonight’s question: Should Pierce try to play in 2016/17 or should he join all-time greats Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan in what is shaping up to be a legendary 2021 hall of fame class? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.

With nearly all of 2016’s most notable free agents off the board, it’s time to take an early look ahead to what next summer’s free agent period may look like. Our lists of 2017 free agents by position and by team are up to date, and are packed with interesting names.

We’ll publish the first installment of our 2017 free agent power rankings later this week, but before we reveal our list, we want to get your thoughts on next year’s potential free agent class.

Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Paul Millsap, Danilo Gallinari, Kyle Lowry, Gordon Hayward, Rudy Gay, and Greg Monroe are some of the players who could hit the open market, and those are just the guys with player options.

Stephen Curry, Zach Randolph, Serge Ibaka, Jeff Teague, Derrick Rose, George Hill, Jrue Holiday, and Andre Iguodala will highlight the unrestricted free agent group, while Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steven Adams, Rudy Gobert, Victor Oladipo, Nerlens Noel, and several others will be RFAs if they’re not extended this offseason.

Which free agents will be the most coveted next offseason? Which of those premier FAs may actually change teams, like Durant and Al Horford did this summer? Which below-the-radar free agents intrigue you the most? And which potential RFAs do you expect to come off the market within the next couple months, as they sign extensions with their own teams?

Take to the comments section below to share your opinions on the NBA’s free agent class of 2017. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.

If anyone is qualified to rate the most important transaction in Miami Heat history, it’s Pat Riley. As team president, Riley has overseen everything the franchise has done since he accepted the position in 1995.

Riley has been responsible for dozens of moves each season, some large and some small, but there were two that shook the foundation of the NBA. In 2004, with the Lakers coming off a loss in the NBA Finals and the feud between Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant simmering out of control, Riley made a bold offer to bring the big man to Miami. He sent Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Brian Grant and two draft picks to Los Angeles in exchange for the most dominant force in the game at the time.

Six years later, Riley again reached out to the NBA’s top player. After seven seasons in Cleveland and on the heels of a bitter playoff loss, LeBron James was concerned about his place in NBA history. With some help from Dwyane Wade, Riley recruited James and fellow free agent Chris Bosh to come to South Beach and form a Big Three that made four consecutive trips to the NBA Finals and won two titles.

For the fanfare that surrounded Shaq and LeBron, neither stayed in Miami all that long. O’Neal helped the Heat win a title in 2006, but played just 40 games the following season and was traded to Phoenix in February of 2008. James and Bosh brought a rock-star aura to the Heat, who drew comparisons with the greatest teams in history, but LeBron decided to return to Cleveland with his two rings in 2014, leaving Miami to rebuild around Bosh and Wade.

That brings us to tonight’s question: Riley says the trade for O’Neal was the most important move the franchise ever made, ahead of LeBron and the formation of the Big Three. Do you agree? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.

In a piece published by The Ringer earlier this week, Kevin O’Connor conceded that “all is quiet on the mega-trade front, for now,” but wondered if there are a handful of situations around the NBA that could result in blockbuster trades over the course of the next 12 months.

As O’Connor notes, the trade market appeared to be primed for some significant deals earlier this summer, with the Bulls reportedly looked into moving Jimmy Butler, and names like Russell Westbrook, DeMarcus Cousins, and Blake Griffin popping up in the rumor mill as well. However, those players’ teams ultimately decided to stand pat, or even doubled down on investments in their stars — the Thunder signed Westbrook to a contract extension, while the Bulls opted to build around Butler after moving Derrick Rose.

None of those players will be on the move anytime soon, but O’Connor suggests that, if things don’t go well this season for some of those clubs, trade talks could materialize at the deadline or next summer.

For instance, if the Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo additions don’t work out well in Chicago, would the team consider embarking on a full-fledged rebuild and moving Butler? If the Thunder and Kings aren’t playoff teams this season, will those clubs look to fortify their rosters around Westbrook and Cousins, respectively, or will they explore trading him? Will Griffin’s impending free agency concern the Clippers, or will the team continue to be confident he’ll re-up? O’Connor also throws the Indiana Paul George into the discussion, suggesting that if George doesn’t sign an extension right away and the new-look Pacers struggle, PG-13 could become a trade candidate.

We’re still far away from any of those players genuinely landing on the trade block, and if those teams play well this season, speculation will die down. But if certain clubs are hit with a worst-case-scenario outcome this year, some intriguing players could become trade candidates.

What do you think? Will any of the players mentioned above become available, or be moved, by next summer? Is there another star player around the league that you expect to land on the trade block? Or will the 2016/17 league year be relatively quiet when it comes to trades?

Take to the comments section below to share your opinions on the possibility of a blockbuster NBA trade or two in 2016/17. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.