Community Shootaround Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Community Shootaround: Frank Vogel

May 4th, 2016 at 5:20pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Pacers coach Frank Vogel‘s contract expires this summer, and he and the team reportedly haven’t discussed an extension yet. Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post heard that Vogel might have been coaching for his job Sunday, when the Pacers lost the deciding game of their first-round series to the Raptors. President of basketball operations Larry Bird declined to answer a question after Sunday’s contest about whether Vogel would return for next season, saying, “Come on, man, the game just ended.”

Bird had spoken in January about a philosophical difference between himself and Vogel, saying that he preferred an up-tempo attack with Paul George at the power forward while Vogel favored a more conventional approach with two traditional big men. George put up resistance to playing the four at the beginning of the season and Indiana largely abandoned the idea. The executive said he’ll speak with owner Herb Simon at an undetermined point to figure out whether to re-sign Vogel. Finding a way to generate more offense is the key, Bird insisted. “We need to score more points,” Bird said to Gregg Doyel of the Indianapolis Star. “If Frank comes back, what can we do to get better offense? It’s on all of us. Frank’s a great guy. He’s going to be fine no matter what happens. If he’s back, he’ll be fine here. If he’s not, he’s not. We’ll see.”

Vogel has a record of 250-181 in parts of six seasons with Indiana, his only NBA head coaching stop. That mark doesn’t include a 31-30 record in the playoffs, where Vogel guided the Pacers to back-to-back appearances in the Eastern Conference finals in 2013 and 2014.

This brings me to the topic for today: Should the Pacers retain Frank Vogel as their head coach?

Has Vogel done enough in your eyes to be re-signed, or is it time to bring in some new blood to coach the team? Keep in mind that many of the top coaching targets are already off the board this offseason, which may weight things in Vogel’s favor. Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.

Community Shootaround: Hawks Free Agents

May 3rd, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Hawks lost to the Cavaliers on Monday night by a score of 104-93 and have fallen a game behind Cleveland in the series. Atlanta, coming off a 48-34 campaign, has a busy offseason ahead of it, and with a number of key players set to hit free agency, the franchise will certainly have some difficult calls to make.

Al Horford (15.2 points, 7.3 rebounds), Kirk Hinrich (0.5 points, 1.3 assists), Kent Bazemore (11.6 points, 5.1 rebounds) and Kris Humphries (6.4 points, 3.4 rebounds) are all set to become unrestricted free agents, Mike Scott (6.2 points, 2.7 rebounds) and Lamar Patterson (2.4 points, 1.4 rebounds) both have non-guaranteed deals, plus, the Hawks have a team option for Mike Muscala worth $1,015,696. Atlanta currently has $51.7MM in guaranteed salary committed for 2016/17, which means the franchise could have approximately $40MM in cap flexibility to work with this offseason.

This brings me to today’s topic: Who among Atlanta’s potential free agents should the team re-sign/retain this summer? Who should the team let walk?

Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and voice your opinions on the subject. Tell us who the team should prioritize retaining for the 2016/17 season and why. If you are against one or more of the players mentioned above remaining in a Hawks uniform, share your thoughts with us on that as well. We look forward to what you have to say.

Community Shootaround: Expansion

May 2nd, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The NBA has not seriously looked at expansion in recent years and seems content with its current 30-team setup. The league hasn’t added an expansion team since 2004, when the Charlotte Bobcats were created.

That’s a shame for major cities currently without NBA franchises that have the capability of supporting them.

Commissioner Adam Silver recently addressed the topic and doubted that expansion would be coming any time soon. Current owners feel that adding franchises would detract from their global following.

“The way the owners see expansion at the moment is really the equivalent of selling equity in the [league],” Silver said.

Silver also admitted that not all of the current teams are “must-see experiences” and that additional teams would lead to a watered-down product with the top talent spread thin. However, Silver did not shoot down the possibility of expansion.

“I don’t think the there is any doubt that at some point we will turn back to looking at whether we should grow the league,” he said.

That process could be accelerated during negotiations with the National Basketball Players’ Association, which has every incentive to add more high-paying jobs through expansion.

Seattle, which lost its franchise to Oklahoma City, would certainly get serious consideration if the NBA decided to expand. But plenty of other cities can also make strong cases for inclusion. St. Louis, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Buffalo, San Diego, Louisville, Nashville and Kansas City all seem like viable options, as many of those cities previously had NBA or ABA franchises.

Las Vegas has been clamoring for a major pro sports franchise and the NBA could even take an international view. Regular season games have been played in London with an enthusiastic response. Logistics aside, that would be a bold step for a league that has always taken a worldwide view with its product.

This leads us to our question of the day: If the NBA decides to expand in the near future, which city is most deserving of a franchise?

Please take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.

Community Shootaround: NBA Finals

May 1st, 2016 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The first round of the playoffs wraps up tonight, and if we’ve learned anything about the teams involved it’s that, in the famous words of former NFL coach Dennis Green, “They are who we thought they were.” The Warriors and Spurs still look like teams that tore through the regular season at a record pace. The Cavaliers seem like the only dominant group in the East. The Raptors are still good in the regular season, but shaky in the playoffs. The Heat have the talent to raise their game when they need to. The Celtics have many good players, but not enough stars. And the Clippers remain as snakebit as ever.

There were few surprises in the opening round, but things figure to become more competitive as we move on. The Western Conference has already started second-round play, with Golden State and San Antonio holding 1-0 leads over Portland and Oklahoma City. In the East, Cleveland and Atlanta will tip off their series Monday night, while Miami, which prevailed in a seven-game tussle today, awaits the winner of Game 7 between Toronto and Indiana.

The East feels set up the same way it has been for the past five seasons, with LeBron James‘ team as a heavy favorite. Shooting for his sixth straight trip to the NBA Finals, James and the Cavaliers looked sharp in a first-round sweep of the plucky Pistons. LeBron could be headed for an intense Eastern Conference finals showdown with his former team in Miami if the Cavs and Heat survive the second round.

Out West, Golden State and San Antonio seem destined to collide in the conference finals. The Spurs opened their series with the Thunder with a 32-point pasting Saturday night, and the Warriors followed with a 12-point victory over the Trail Blazers this afternoon despite missing probable league MVP Stephen Curry. Either series will need a dramatic turnaround to prevent a clash of the two superpowers.

That brings us to tonight’s question: Now that we’ve seen the first round of the playoffs, who are your picks to meet in the NBA Finals? Will LeBron make his annual trip to the league’s biggest showcase, or will the Hawks, Heat, Raptors or Pacers find a way to stop him? And are the Warriors and Spurs the NBA’s version of an irresistible force, or will the Thunder or Blazers be able to turn those series around?

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

Community Shootaround: Clippers’ Trio

April 30th, 2016 at 10:00pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Clippers will enter the offseason earlier than expected after losing the final game in their series against the Blazers on Friday night. The team lost Chris Paul and Blake Griffin to injury during Game 4 of the series and Los Angeles was unable to win another game without two of its stars on the floor.

The arrival of the offseason carries questions for the Clippers. The front office has to figure out if Paul, Griffin and DeAndre Jordan can be the foundation of a championship team and they were hoping to get another postseason to gather more data. Instead, the franchise got three games of postseason play, two of which it won, to evaluate its core and that brings us to tonight’s question. Should the Clippers break up the Paul-Griffin-Jordan trio?

Let us know what you would do if you were sitting in Doc Rivers‘ chair. Which player(s) should be moved? Would you give this core another year and if so, what minor changes would you make? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say!

Community Shootaround: Evan Turner

April 29th, 2016 at 5:53pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Evan Turner has never lived up to the expectations that come with being the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA Draft, but that doesn’t mean that the swingman doesn’t provide value to his squad on a nightly basis. The 27-year-old is coming off a solid campaign for the Celtics that saw him average 10.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 28.0 minutes per outing, while primarily coming off the bench for Boston. While Turner’s numbers aren’t necessarily eye-popping, he was a vital cog in the Celtics’ rotation this season and was my choice for this season’s Sixth Man of the Year award that went to the Clippers’ Jamal Crawford.

Turner, who earned $3,425,510 this season, is set to become an unrestricted free agent and could be in line for a starting salary of over $10MM per year on his next contract, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. “You hear players talk all the time about doing whatever it takes to win, but he’s doing it,” one NBA executive told Blakely regarding Turner. “Start, come off the bench, play a few minutes, play a lot of minutes. He’s done everything they’ve asked him to do and from what I hear hasn’t grumbled a day about it. Every team needs a guy like that in their locker room.”

“If you’re looking for him to come in and put X amount of points and X amount of assists per game and [shoot] this or that from the field, he’s probably not your guy,” another executive told the CSN scribe regarding the future unrestricted free agent. “He helps you win games. That’s probably his greatest strength.”

This brings me to the topic for today: How much is Evan Turner worth on the open market?

Turner may not put up gaudy statistics and he isn’t capable of being a team’s primary scoring option on a nightly basis, but his versatile skill set certainly allows him to be a solid contributor on a winning team. With the salary cap set to increase significantly next season, the league should see some interesting deals inked this offseason, with quite a few players assuredly set to end up with player-friendly pacts over the summer. But how much will Turner be worth on his next deal and what team would be the best landing spot for him? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.

Community Shootaround: DeMar DeRozan

April 28th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Raptors swingman DeMar DeRozan has struggled mightily this postseason, averaging 17.4 points per game and shooting a woeful 33.3% from the field in five playoff outings. The 26-year-old is reportedly poised to turn down his player option worth only slightly more than $10MM and hit free agency this summer, but he has made it clear on several occasions that he prefers to remain in Toronto. The Lakers, however, are reportedly ready to make a maximum-salary offer to him.

“My whole mindset has always been this is home for me,” DeRozan said of Toronto. “I never think otherwise unless it’s brought up to me, or you see things, or people ask you about certain things. This has always been home to me. I took pride in putting on this Toronto Raptors jersey since I’ve been drafted here. And my whole goal was to get this team to the point where it is now. And I feel I’ve been a major key to that.”

The shooting guard’s woes certainly come at an inopportune time for him if he indeed intends to opt out and become an unrestricted free agent this summer. DeRozan had an excellent regular season for the Raptors, appearing in 78 games and averaging 23.5 points (a career-high), 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists to accompany a shooting line of .446/.338/.850. Based on his regular season numbers, it’s difficult to argue against shelling out big money to retain DeRozan, but in a league where reputations are made in the postseason, his struggles are bound to raise some questions among NBA executives.

That brings me to the topic for today: Is DeMar DeRozan worthy of a maximum-salary deal?

If DeRozan indeed decides to opt out and become a free agent, do you believe he is worthy of such a large contract? If so, should the Raptors be the ones to give it to him, or should he head elsewhere? If you are opposed to the player being paid a max salary, what contract parameters would you recommend for his next pact? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.

Community Shootaround: Coach Of The Year

April 27th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The league announced on Tuesday that Steve Kerr was selected as the NBA’s Coach of the Year. Kerr missed the first 43 games of the season while recovering from multiple operations on his back, but it appears voters were willing to overlook that in light of Golden State’s 73-9 record overall, the best in the history of the league. The Warriors adapted seamlessly to his absence, going 39-4 under acting head coach Luke Walton, who was also eligible for the award.

Kerr, 50, maintained a consistent presence around the team in practices while he was recovering, and it was clear the relaxed tone he set during last year’s championship season remained. He finished second in last year’s voting to Mike Budenholzer. Golden State went 34-5 to close the regular season after Kerr returned in January, though a knee injury that will sideline Stephen Curry for at least the next two weeks threatens Golden State’s bid for a repeat championship.

This brings me to the topic for today: Should Steve Kerr have won Coach of the Year?

There’s no denying the success Kerr has had since arriving in Golden State, and it is certainly a credit to him and his staff that the team seemingly didn’t lose a beat despite his early-season absence. But is coaching under half a season’s worth of games, no matter how successful the team was, worthy of snagging such a prestigious award? The success the Warriors had under Walton’s command certainly lends weight to the argument that Kerr wasn’t necessarily deserving of the accolade, but it’s arguable that it was his system and culture that allowed the team to continue to be successful in his absence.

But what say you? Are you OK with Kerr winning the award, or do you feel another coach was more deserving? Take to the comments section to lend your support to Kerr’s selection, or if you are on the other side of the argument, share with us whom you believe should have won the award this season. We look forward to what you have to say.

Community Shootaround: Dell Demps

April 26th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Pelicans had the unfortunate distinction of finishing the 2015/16 campaign with their players missing a total of 351 games due to injury and illness, which was the most in the NBA in the past six years. “It’s been disappointing,” GM Dell Demps said of the seemingly never-ending string of physical maladies New Orleans endured this season. “We had a lot of high hopes coming into the season. And, obviously, not being at full strength has really … it’s been tough. It’s been tough on us. It’s been tough on the organization.“

New Orleans, which had been predicted by many to be a playoff contender this season, went just 30-52 on the campaign, which was a decrease of 15 wins from its 2014/15 showing. Demps is on the hot seat as a result and his position with the organization in doubt. The executive was originally scheduled to have his season-ending press conference on Monday, but it was abruptly rescheduled for an unspecified later date. The Pelicans have reportedly not made any final decision regarding Demps’ future with the team and evaluations of the rest of his staff are still ongoing, though current indications are that the executive will remain in his post for next season, according to Brett Dawson of The Advocate.

This brings me to the topic for today: Should the Pelicans retain Dell Demps as GM?

New Orleans has gone 203-273 while under Demps’ control, hardly an earth-shattering track record, but the Pelicans did appear to be a franchise on the rise before the season’s parade of injuries commenced. Do you believe the executive should be given another season to show results, considering how the team’s glut of injuries could not have been foreseen? Or have you viewed a large enough sample size of Demps to decide that he’s not the one to lead the Pelicans to the next level? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject, weigh in on what you believe Demps’ best and worst moves were as an executive, or simply to vent about New Orleans’ frustrating season. We look forward to what you have to say.

Community Shootaround: Warriors Sans Curry

April 25th, 2016 at 6:45pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Stephen Curry will miss, at minimum, the next two weeks as he recovers from a sprained right MCL, the team announced earlier today. Curry injured his knee in the Warriors’ Game 4 contest against the Rockets on Sunday afternoon. Last season’s MVP has already missed two games this postseason with an ankle injury, and the team is 1-1 in those contests.

If Curry only misses two weeks, that should bring him back during the Western Conference Semifinals against the winner of the Clippers-Blazers series. Two weeks is an optimistic outlook and there’s no guarantee that will be all the time Curry misses. In the meantime, his teammates are planning on picking up the slack. “One thing we’ve always talked about is our depth, and we’ve gotta use that to win games,” Draymond Green told ESPN after yesterday’s game.

That brings us to tonight’s topic: How far can the Warriors make it without Curry? Teams don’t win 73 games because of one player, although Curry’s presence on the floor is special for this squad. The Warriors should be able to win one more game against the Rockets to close out this series, but could the team make it to the Western Conference finals without him? How about the NBA finals? Could the Warriors win it all? Let us know what you think in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!