Community Shootaround

Community Shootaround: Mike Conley

April 24th, 2016 at 7:32pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Mike Conley era in Memphis may have ended today. As the Grizzlies closed their season with a Game 4 loss to the Spurs, the clock officially began ticking toward Conley’s free agency on July 1st.

The nine-year veteran has spent his entire career in Memphis after being drafted fourth overall in 2007. Conley developed into one of the top point guards in the game, averaging 13.6 points and 5.6 assists over his career and turning the Grizzlies into a perennial playoff team. However, Conley’s season was cut short by Achilles tendinitis that kept him out of action since March 6th. He appeared in just 56 games, the fewest since his rookie season.

Conley is expected to be the most sought-after point guard on the free agent market this summer, and teams like the Knicks and Nets are already rumored to be suitors. The Bucks, Pacers and Rockets are three other franchises with point guard issues and likely enough cap room to offer a maximum deal.

Memphis has several advantages when it comes to keeping Conley at home. The Grizzlies own his Bird rights and can offer more money and more years than any competitor. There’s also the matter of loyalty, as Conley seems to have strong ties with the community and a good relationship with teammates Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Tony Allen, who have formed the heart of the “Grit ‘N’ Grind” era. “I’ve never seen anything different,” Conley recently told Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal in response to a question about staying in Memphis.

However, Conley may have some concerns about the Grizzlies, who are rapidly becoming an old team. Gasol is 31. Randolph and Allen are both 34. Matt Barnes is 36, Chris Andersen is 37 and Vince Carter is 39. Age likely played a role in the physical breakdown that forced Memphis to use 28 players this season. Conley, who is just 28, has to decide if he wants to commit the rest of his prime to a team on which his best teammates are over 30.

That brings us to tonight’s question: Where do you think Conley will be playing next season? Will the combination of loyalty and dollars be enough to keep him in Memphis? Or will he opt for a fresh start with a younger, healthier team that has a better shot at an NBA title?

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: Rookie Of The Year

April 23rd, 2016 at 10:30pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The league will announce the winner of the 2016 Rookie of the Year award sometime this week and Karl-Anthony Towns is expected to pick up the hardware. Towns looked like a future star for the Wolves this season, averaging 18.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. No other player won Rookie of the Month in the Western Conference, as Towns took home all six honors throughout the season.

Kristaps Porzingis won the honors for the Eastern Conference for the first three months of the season and through the first half of it, he appeared to be a challenger for the Rookie of the Year award. Porzingis, who averaged 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game this season, tailed off during the second half of the season, but he should come in at No.2 on most ballots once the results are announced.

Third place on this year’s ballot won’t be as unanimous, as there as many contenders for this spot. That brings us to tonight’s question: Who are you putting on your top three for Rookie of the Year? Towns and Porzingis may be firmly atop many ballots, but if they’re not at the top of yours, tell us who took their spot. If they are atop your list, let us know who the third place finisher is. There are slew of candidates for this spot.

Emmanuel Mudiay had a slow start to the season, but he started to find his form after returning from an ankle injury in January. The 2015 No. 7 overall pick averaged 12.8 points, 5.5 assists and 1.0 steals during 30.4 minutes per game this season.

Jahlil Okafor looked monstrous at times for the Sixers this season, averaging 17.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. He also added 1.2 blocks per game and sported a player efficiency rating of 17.1. He looked to be a lock for the third spot, but he missed 29 games as a result of injury and suspension, which could very well keep him off many ballots.

Myles Turner finished the year strong, but he missed 22 games earlier in the season with an injured thumb. The No. 11 overall pick in the 2015 draft didn’t rack up the minutes per game that the other contenders saw, but he did win the Eastern Conference’s Rookie of the Month award in February and averaged 16.3 points and 2.3 blocks per 36 minutes this year.

Devin Booker, who wasn’t as involved in the offense until late in the season, impressed once he received an opportunity. The 2015 13th overall pick averaged 13.3 points per game while shooting 34.3% from behind the arc.

Norman Powell, Josh Richardson and Justise Winslow all deserve consideration as well. Even though they don’t have the numbers to match some of the other contenders, all three are playing key roles for playoff teams.

Let us know who you think the top three rookies are in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!

Community Shootaround: Brooks/Durant

April 22nd, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Wizards have reached an agreement in principle with Scott Brooks that will make him the team’s new head coach. Brooks has reportedly landed a five-year, $35MM pact to come to Washington and take over for Randy Wittman, whom the franchise fired last week. In seven seasons as an NBA coach, all with Oklahoma City, Brooks has a regular season record of 338-207. His career postseason mark is 39-34.

There was apparently a time element involved in the negotiations, with Washington wanting to secure Brooks prior to the Rockets post opening up, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Brooks and Jeff Van Gundy were the reported co-favorites for Houston’s head coaching job. The Rockets still haven’t officially decided the fate of interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who reportedly enhanced his chances of keeping the job when the team clinched a playoff berth on the final night of the regular season, but the latest reports seem to cast significant doubt on his return. Brooks was reportedly wary of the uncertainty surrounding Dwight Howard‘s player option, as Ken Berger of CBSSports.com noted, even though Howard has long been expected to opt out. Stein reported earlier that the Rockets were second only to the Wizards among the options Brooks was considering.

While Brooks is certainly a solid coach, one of the reasons the Thunder fired him was that his teams were believed to have underachieved. It remains to be seen what impact Brooks can have for the Wizards on the court, but he may have been hired just as much for what he can do off of it with regard to Kevin Durant. The Oklahoma City small forward, who is from Washington, D.C. and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, played for Brooks with the Thunder and the pair reportedly had a solid relationship. Signing Durant is apparently far from assured for the Wizards, with friends of the forward telling the Vertical’s Chris Mannix that he doesn’t want to deal with the pressure of being surrounded by family, friends and hangers-on from his native Washington.

This brings me to the topic for today: Was Scott Brooks a smart hire for the Wizards if the team FAILS to land Kevin Durant this summer?

If hiring Brooks leads to Durant signing with the Wizards, then it was a wise move for the franchise to lock him up before other teams came calling. But how will the addition of Brooks appear if Durant remains in OKC or heads elsewhere? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions on the hiring of Brooks, to declare whether you believe this tilts the scales in Washington’s favor in regard to signing Durant, and to express what you think of the move if the team fails to land the Slim Reaper. We look forward to what you have to say.

Community Shootaround: Tom Thibodeau

April 21st, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Wolves and Tom Thibodeau reached an agreement Wednesday on a five-year deal that made Thibodeau the new head coach and president of basketball operations for Minnesota. “We are extremely excited to welcome Tom Thibodeau back to the Timberwolves,” team owner Glen Taylor said in the team’s official release. “Through this process we quickly identified Tom as the best leader to shape our talented team and help them realize their full potential. Tom’s resume speaks for itself. He is a proven winner, leader, and one of the most well-respected NBA head coaches over the last decade. His teams have annually been among the league leaders in defense and we are excited about the approach and mentality he will bring to that side of the ball. The future of the Minnesota Timberwolves has never been brighter and we are very pleased to have Tom as our basketball operations leader moving forward.”

Thibodeau had plenty of on-court success in his five seasons with the Bulls, who had given the longtime assistant his first NBA head coaching job. He went 255-139 in the regular season, winning the 2010 Coach of the Year award, though he was just 23-28 in the playoffs. Chicago parted ways with Thibodeau last May. The main criticisms regarding Thibodeau from his time in Chicago were regarding his lackluster offensive system and play calling, as well as his propensity to wear his veteran players down through brutal practices and excessive regular season minutes.

The Wolves as an organization have a wealth of young talent and are certainly one of the up and coming franchises in the league as a result. The addition of Thibodeau is a solid fit given the defensive talent already on Minnesota’s roster, but there are likely to be some concerns raised about whether he has the right temperament to properly nurture and develop his younger players.

This brings me to today’s topic: Is Tom Thibodeau the right fit for the Wolves?

Take to the comments section to share your thoughts on the hire, express any reservations regarding Thibs joining the Wolves, or simply to offer a prediction on how well the team will fare in 2016/17 under Thibodeau. We look forward to what you have to say.

Community Shootaround: Earl Watson

April 20th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

On Tuesday, the Suns removed the interim tag from Earl Watson‘s title and formally named him head coach. “Earl did a very good job with our team last season after taking over as interim head coach during a challenging time for the organization,” Suns GM Ryan McDonough said during the team’s official press conference. “Earl’s natural leadership qualities and his ability to connect with and motivate our players have stood out throughout his time here in Phoenix. We are excited to see what he can do with a healthy roster after having a full offseason to prepare.”

The news of Watson’s hiring came as no shock, seeing as people in the Suns organization and around the league considered him the front-runner for the job as the team prepared to begin its search in earnest last week, according to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. The Suns were reportedly poised to pursue Mike D’Antoni even before they fired Jeff Hornacek, but a reunion with D’Antoni, who won Coach of the Year honors with the Suns in 2005, never came to pass. The team eyed Steve Nash, but the former MVP wasn’t interested. Conflicting reports emerged about Phoenix’s interest in Villanova coach Jay Wright, while the team was also apparently fond of Dan Majerle and Luke Walton.

Watson has a reputation for having a strong influence on free agents, and that helped build his case for the job, along with his work to rehabilitate the trade value of Markieff Morris, Phoenix’s defensive improvements down the stretch and perhaps his ties to the Klutch Sports Group, the agency that also represents Eric Bledsoe, according to Coro. Soon-to-be free agent power forward Mirza Teletovic cited Watson as he spoke about why he wants to re-sign with the team. The Suns only went 9-24 under Watson, though Bledsoe was already out for the season by the time of the coaching change, and Brandon Knight missed most of the games that Watson coached.

This brings me to the topic for today: Did the Suns make the right call by naming Earl Watson head coach?

Are you a fan of the hire? Then take to the comments section to tell us why. Think Phoenix could have done better? Tell us why you believe so and whom the team should have hired instead. We look forward to what you have to say on the matter.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Community Shootaround: Al Horford

April 19th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Al Horford‘s future with the franchise is perhaps the biggest question facing the Hawks this offseason. The 29-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent. He stands to more than double his salary in free agency and may change the perception of who deserves a max contract, opined Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders. Horford is making $12MM this season, but when he hits the open market this summer after completing his ninth NBA season, he’ll be eligible for a contract starting at approximately 30% of the salary cap. That works out to a first-year salary of approximately $26MM and means that a four-year maximum contract for the veteran player would cost a team in the neighborhood of $111MM.

That is certainly a hefty sum for a player who has never averaged higher than 18.6 points per game in a season, but with the salary cap set to increase markedly for next season, the perception of player worth is likely to change dramatically as well. That brings me to the topic for today: Is Al Horford worth a maximum salary contract?

The big man is coming off a solid, if unspectacular campaign that saw him post averages of 15.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 32.1 minutes per outing. Horford is a perfect fit in coach Mike Budenholzer‘s offense, which certainly should factor into the Hawks’ decision-making process regarding the center. Signing any big man to a long-term pact is a major risk these days, and Horford, who turns 30 in June, is entering the decline phase of his career, which isn’t a plus when weighing the pros and cons of committing a sizeable chunk of cap space to him. The center has had injury issues in the past, missing significant parts of the 2011/12 and 2013/14 campaigns.

But what say you? Is Horford worth annual salaries of $26MM or more? If so, do you think he re-signs with the Hawks for that amount or heads elsewhere? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.

Community Shootaround: Timberwolves Job

April 18th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Timberwolves finished the season with 29 wins, stretching their playoff drought to 12 seasons. That was a 13-win improvement over the 2014/15 season, but owner Glen Taylor dismissed interim coach Sam Mitchell and apparently wants to lure a big-name coach to Minnesota.

Jeff Van Gundy and Tom Thibodeau appear to be the co-favorites for the Timberwolves’ job. Thibodeau was interviewed over the weekend, while Van Gundy met with them on Monday, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst. The Rockets are also keenly interested in hiring Van Gundy.

Among the other names that have been floated around are ex-Thunder coach Scott Brooks and current Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger.

The Timberwolves are reportedly willing to sweeten the pot for these candidates by also offering them the title of president of basketball operations, similar to the setup that that Pistons agreed to when they hired Jeff’s brother Stan Van Gundy.

What makes the Minnesota job enticing, despite its recent history, is its stash of young talent. Big man Karl-Anthony Towns is the surefire Rookie of the Year after living up to his billing as the top pick in last year’s draft. The 2014 No. 1 overall selection, small forward Andrew Wiggins, established himself as a consistent 20-point scorer in his second season.

Gorgui Dieng also developed his game while pairing up with Towns in the frontcourt, and dunk champion Zach LaVine made strides during his second year in the league while playing both guard positions. Shabazz Muhammad had some big games off the bench, including his 35-point outburst in an April victory over the Warriors.

Now, Taylor must decide which high-profile coach will be the right choice to nurture this young core.

This leads us to our question of the day: Which coach should the Timberwolves hire to turn them into a perennial contender?

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: Kenny Atkinson

April 17th, 2016 at 9:19pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets filled their head coaching vacancy this afternoon, hiring Hawks assistant Kenny Atkinson to lead the team. Atkinson has been the top assistant to Mike Budenholzer for the past two seasons, and Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical writes that league executives consider Atkinson most ready to become a head coach among current assistants.

Atkinson is in his fourth year with the Hawks. Prior to that, he served as an assistant with the Knicks from 2008-2012 and spent 2007/08 as director of player development for the Rockets. Beyond his experience, he is known for a positive, optimistic personality that should serve him well as he starts the rebuilding job in Brooklyn.

The Nets had been negotiating with Atkinson for several days, but they also talked to other high-profile candidates. Former NBA coaches Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy and Vinny Del Negro were all rumored candidates for the job, along with Warriors assistant Luke Walton, Bucks assistant Sean Sweeney and Spurs assistant Ime Udoka. Also reportedly in the mix was current Sixers head coach Brett Brown, who may not be brought back to Philadelphia next season. It’s not known how much consideration was given to interim coach Tony Brown or what his future in Brooklyn might be.

The Nets’ road back to contention might be more daunting than any other team’s. Brooklyn finished 21-61 this season, a drop of 17 wins from last year. Trades have left the Nets low on draft picks, as the franchise won’t have a first-rounder this year or in 2018 and will probably have to swap picks with the Celtics next season. Brooklyn has about $56.66MM committed in salary for 2016/17, meaning the Nets will have a little more than $35MM to offer free agents if the salary cap is set at $92MM as expected. That number could be higher if Wayne Ellington, Thomas Robinson and Shane Larkin decide to opt out of their current deals.

That brings us to tonight’s question: Considering the state of the franchise, did the Nets hire the right coach? Was picking a top assistant the best strategy, or would Brooklyn have benefited from the instant credibility of someone with head coaching experience? Also, do you expect ownership to be patient with the 48-year-old Atkinson and 40-year-old general manager Sean Marks, or is Mikhail Prokhorov going to panic if his team keeps losing?

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: Toronto Raptors

April 16th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Raptors have a recent tradition of being really good in the regular season, but not in the playoffs. Toronto entered this season with two straight division titles and two straight first-round exits. The Raptors earned their third consecutive division crown, but today’s Game 1 loss to the Pacers has raised fears of another early knockout.

In 2013/14, Toronto won the Atlantic Division with a 48-34 record before losing to the Nets in seven games. Last season, the Raptors improved to 49-33, but were swept by the Wizards in a stunning playoff loss. They entered this year’s playoffs with a 56-26 mark and the second seed in the East. The team is clearly improving, but its postseason troubles create a difficult decision for the front office. Should the Raptors be judged by their performance in the regular season or the playoffs?

If Toronto suffers another first-round flameout, it’s not clear what changes might be made. Head coach Dwane Casey could be in trouble, but he may be saved by his regular-season success and good relationship with the players. Casey has compiled a 210-184 record in nearly five full seasons with Toronto. He has one year left on his current contract at $3.75MM.

The foundation of the team seems set. Its All-Star backcourt of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry work well together. DeRozan is headed for free agency this summer and is expected to re-sign, while Lowry still has two seasons and $24MM left on the contract he inked in 2014. Starting center Jonas Valanciunas signed a four-year, $64MM rookie-scale extension over the offseason and is under contract through the 2019/20 season. Backup swingman Terrence Ross received a three-year, $31MM extension in November and is signed through 2018/19.

The Raptors are coming off a productive summer in free agency, signing combo forward DeMarre Carroll for $58MM over four years, point guard Cory Joseph for $30MM over four years, center Bismack Biyombo for $6MM over two years with a player option for next season and power forward Luis Scola for one season at $3MM. In addition to DeRozan, Biyombo and Scola, power forwards James Johnson and Jason Thompson will be free agents this summer. The Raptors won’t have nearly as much cap room to chase free agents this year and are locked into the 27th pick in June’s draft.

That leads us to tonight’s question. If the Raptors exit the playoffs in the first round again, what should be done to shake up the team? Would you decide that Casey is a poor postseason coach and make a change on the bench? Would you break up the starting backcourt, either by letting DeRozan leave in free agency or trying to trade Lowry? Would you attempt to move Valanciunas, Ross or Carroll to get out from under those contracts?

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: Kobe Bryant’s Legacy

April 15th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Kobe Bryant‘s storied career came to an end Wednesday night with the Lakers’ 101-96 victory over the Jazz in Los Angeles. The veteran shooting guard scored an amazing 60 points while shooting 22 for 50 from the field. Bryant’s remarkable career includes 18 trips to the All-Star game, where he won the MVP award on four occasions, one NBA MVP award, and most importantly — five NBA titles. The 37-year-old’s final career numbers are 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.4 steals over a total of 1,346 regular season contests. His slash line is .448/.331/.816.

Bryant had the reputation of being one of the fiercest competitors to ever play the game, a trait that didn’t always make him the ideal teammate. The Mamba reportedly scared away a number of the Lakers’ free agent targets over the years, and one can only wonder how many more titles he and Shaquille O’Neal could have snagged had the pair been able to coexist amicably. Love him or hate him, there’s no denying that Bryant was one of the greatest to ever step onto the hardwood, and the league won’t feel the same next year with him no longer a part of it.

This brings me to the topic for today: Where does Kobe Bryant rank among the greats who have played the game?

Give us your opinions on where Bryant lands in the all-time rankings, share your fondest memory from his career or take one last parting shot at the Mamba if you don’t count yourself among his fans. We look forward to what you have to say.

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