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Poll: Which Piston Is Most Likely To Be Traded?

January 19th, 2014 at 9:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

This wasn’t the result that Joe Dumars had hoped for when he signed Josh Smith to a four-year, $54MM contract, and Brandon Jennings to a three-year, $24MM contract, last summer. The Pistons currently have a record of 17-23, are third in the Central Division, and are tied with the Nets for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. If they hold that seed and make it to the playoffs, they have a first-round meeting with either the Heat, or the Pacers to look forward to. That doesn’t bode well for a deep playoff run.

With the rest of the league trending towards smaller lineups, the Pistons went against the grain with their front court pairing of Andre Drummond (6-10), Greg Monroe (6-11), and Smith (6-9). Josh Smith’s shot selection has come under fire, and Jennings is more of a scorer at the point, than a true facilitator. Currently, the Pistons average 99.4 PPG, good for 20th in the league, while giving up 102.6 PPG, which ranks them 25th overall. The larger front court hasn’t translated into the defensive presence they had hoped for. The Pistons do average 45.1 RPG, which is good for 7th overall.

With the trade deadline less than five weeks away, and the on court results not what they hoped for, the Pistons are expected to be very active on the trade front. Some NBA insiders think the team should take a run at Rajon Rondo, if the Celtics change their minds and make him available. Detroit has a number of assets that may be of value to other teams. Here’s a quick breakdown of the four main players that they could try and use to change their make-up:

Josh Smith, 28 years-old, is playing out of position at small forward, and would be better suited to play power forward. Smith is in the first year of a 4 year, $54MM deal. He’s averaging 15.5 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 3.3 APG. His slash line is: .406/.423/.592.
Greg Monroe, 23 years-old, earning $4,086,454 MM, and set to become a restricted free agent after the season. Monroe is averaging 14.4 PPG, and 8.8 RPG. His slash line is: .503/.000/.632.
Andre Drummond is only 20 years-old, earning $2,462,400 MM this year, and set to make $2,568,360 MM next season. He also has a team option for 2015-2016, of $3,272,091 MM. Drummond’s numbers are: 12.6 PPG, 12.7 RPG, and 1.8 BPG. His slash line is: .601/.000/.379.
Brandon Jennings, 24 years-old, and just signed to a 3 year, $24 MM deal. He’s the team’s leading scorer at 16.4 PPG, and also leads them in assists, with 8.4 APG. His slash line is: .374/.340/.781.

The Pistons can choose to stand pat, but could find themselves in a similar position next season. In addition, Monroe can leave as a restricted free agent, with the team getting nothing in return. So the Pistons have some difficult decisions to make. They could trade Monroe, and hope to get an impact player, or a first-round draft choice in return, though teams might be hesitant to deal a pick for a player they could lose after the year. Dumars could admit that signing Smith was a mistake, and attempt to deal him to a team that can let him return to his natural position, but that contract will be difficult to move. They could try and trade Jennings, similar to what they did with Brandon Knight, and attempt to upgrade at the point. Jennings’ contract isn’t unmovable, and as a young player under team control for two more years, he has value. The least likely to be moved would seem to be Drummond, who is under contract at a reasonable salary for two more seasons.

The Pistons also have other assets they could use to sweeten any potential deal. They could have a decent first-round selection this year, if they fail to make the playoffs. The Pistons keep their pick if they land in the first eight picks. If they make the playoffs, or if the pick falls between say, 9-14, then the pick goes to the Bobcats. They also have Rodney Stuckey, who is making $8.5 MM in the final year of his deal, as well as Charlie Villanueva‘s expiring $8.58 MM deal. So, let us know which of the four starters mentioned you think is most likely to leave Detroit by the February 20th trade deadline, and fill us in on your choice in the comments.

Poll: Which Sixer Is Likeliest To Be Traded?

January 17th, 2014 at 5:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Sixers are clearly in rebuilding mode, with a bargain payroll and just four players making more than $3.2MM this season. One of them is Jason Richardson, who’s been out all year with injury. Philadelphia would surely like to find a taker for his albatross of a contract, but most of the trade talk around the team this season has focused on the other three: Spencer Hawes, Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young.

GM Sam Hinkie is reportedly prioritizing the addition of first-round picks as he scours the market, and apparently he won’t take on a “lesser player” unless the Sixers receive such draft considerations in return. Those sorts of constraints might make it more difficult to pull off a deal, but the consensus around the league seems to indicate that Philadelphia will make a move. The Sixers have begun to more aggressively engage other teams in conversations about Young, according to Grantland’s Zach Lowe, who adds that most executives think it’s a “lock” that Hinkie will try to trade Turner. There’s been less talk about Hawes, but when the Rockets were shopping Omer Asik, they appeared to make Hawes, and not Turner or Young, their primary target.

Hawes will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, while Turner’s free agency this summer will be restricted. Young is under contract through 2015/16, as I noted when I examined his trade candidacy earlier this week. Each plays a different position with a different skill set, offering the Sixers, and other teams, an array of choices. So, let us know which of the three you think is most likely to leave Philly by the February 20th trade deadline, and elaborate on your choice in the comments.

Poll: Where Will Andrew Bynum Sign?

January 14th, 2014 at 8:18pm CST by Cray Allred

Last Tuesday, Andrew Bynum was released by the Bulls on the other side of the trade that sent Luol Deng to the Cavs. While there has been buzz around many potential suitors, he still remains unsigned days after clearing waivers. The 26-year-old 7-footer had worked his way back to playing 20 MPG after losing all of last season to chronic knee injuries. The big man was reportedly prepared to be choosy with where he signed, wanting the best combination of playing status, contending opportunity, and salary available.

However, in recent days Bynum’s choices have been dwindling. Interest from the Heat and Clippers has waned. The Mavericks, who pursued Bynum as a free agent last summer before winding up with Samuel Dalembert, now seems to be a possibility with the latest comments from owner Mark Cuban. Dallas could only offer the minimum salary exception. The Heat and Clippers are contenders that could benefit from frontcourt depth, but are also already in the luxury tax, so a Bynum signing would cost them more than his contract figure. The Clippers have gotten improved play from DeAndre Jordan this year, and the Heat already have two reclamation projects on their roster in Michael Beasley and Greg Oden. The Pacers were linked to the situation, but their presumed motivation of keeping him away from the Heat would disappear if the Heat have truly moved on. The Knicks and Nets are also tax teams, but are more desperate to establish playoff position after rocky starts to the season and a rash of injuries to their frontcourt starters. The Nets are reportedly staying away from the situation, but the Knicks have shown interest.

The short-lived stint with the Cavs was considered Bynum’s shot at proving he could stay motivated and perform at a high level in order to cash in later on a more rewarding contract. Since he didn’t make it through round one of the non-guaranteed contract window, it’s possible that there aren’t any successful franchises willing to let their team become another proving ground for him. It doesn’t make sense for most teams further down the standings to take that risk, since the short-term benefit of a half-season of solid Bynum production would worsen their odds in the vaunted upcoming draft, without any guarantee of the long-term services of Bynum should he play well.

Where do you think he ends up? If and when he’s signed, where will it be?

Poll: Will Luol Deng Remain With Cavs?

January 10th, 2014 at 9:33pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Cavaliers turned their experiment with Andrew Bynum into one of the game’s top perimeter defenders this week, sending the oft-injured center and three draft picks in a trade for Luol Deng. It’s a successful deal for Cleveland, opines Jim Ingraham of The News-Herald. It will become exponentially more beneficial for the Cavs if they can convince Deng, who’s in the final year of his contract, to stay, Ingraham writes.

The Cavs and Deng’s agent, Herb Rudoy, aren’t ready to discuss an extension yet, but Rudoy said those talks will happen at some point. Deng reportedly rejected a three-year, $30MM offer from the Bulls shortly before the trade, so it’ll take more than that to keep him around. A $12-13MM range seems realistic, and Rudoy has also pointed to Andre Iguodala‘s deal with the Warriors, which has an average annual value of $12MM, as comparable to the kind of contract he feels his client deserves. Deng and Rudoy are adamant that they haven’t set the price at $15MM a year, but it looks like they might come close to that.

Cleveland, by rule, can do whatever it takes to keep Deng, since the team has his Bird rights and can give him a deal for up to the max. The Cavs surely aren’t going that high, but the question might not revolve around exactly how much the team is willing to pay him.

Deng has been used to contending for championships in Chicago, and the Cavs are a long way from those kinds of aspirations. GM Chris Grant has promising young point guard Kyrie Irving as the linchpin of his rebuilding effort, but it will take much more to get into the title hunt. Deng could wind up as the most sought-after free agent this summer if he doesn’t sign an extension and if more prominent names like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony take themselves off the market. A team with legitimate championship hopes for next season could prove more attractive, even if they don’t offer quite as much money or years as the Cavs do.

Still, Cleveland has the built-in advantage of Deng’s Bird rights and nearly four months to make an impression. An extension isn’t out of the question, so Deng, who turns 29 this spring, might not even get to free agency.

Let us know what you think Deng will decide to do, and elaborate on your thoughts in the comments.

Poll: What Should Knicks Do With J.R. Smith?

January 9th, 2014 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s been an ugly few months in New York for J.R. Smith, who has had little go right since signing a three-year, $17.95MM contract to remain with the Knicks. Smith has undergone knee surgery, seen his numbers slip across the board, and has been involved in incidents on and off the court, ranging from a suspension for a drug violation to a $50K fine for repeatedly trying to untie opponents’ shoelaces.

It came as no surprise then that a report yesterday indicated the Knicks were exploring the market for trade options involving Smith. The real question though is whether or not the club will actually be able to get anything in a trade for the 28-year-old — the general consensus suggests they won’t. Executives who spoke to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com about Smith jokingly proposed Shanghai or Erie as potential destinations for the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, while one exec said to Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv that “only an idiot” would trade for him.

Of course, it’s very possible that the Knicks know all this already. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports indicated that the club understands there’s no market for Smith and that leaking word of the supposed trade talks represents an attempt to scare him straight.

As we’ve seen demonstrated over and over again, no NBA contract is untradable, and Smith’s salary is modest enough that I think the Knicks could find a taker. The team would likely have to take on a worse contract or throw in a sweetener to get a rotation player in any deal, but it probably could be done. Still, Smith is just a few months removed from finishing the 2012/13 season with 18.1 PPG and a 17.6 PER. It may make more sense for the Knicks to hang on to him in the hopes that he can approach that form again, rather than moving him for pennies on the dollar.

What do you think? What’s the Knicks’ best course of action for dealing with Smith?

Poll: What Should Lakers Do With Pau Gasol?

December 31st, 2013 at 11:01am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this morning, we passed along an overnight report from ESPN that revealed the Cavs and Lakers have discussed a potential swap centered around Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Such a deal would be financially motivated for the Lakers, potentially allowing the club to dip below luxury-tax territory, avoiding the repeater tax, creating some future flexibility, and saving $20MM+. It could also better position them for a top pick in the 2014 draft.

According to ESPN.com’s Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne, the Lakers would still want assets of value in such a deal, but it’s hard to imagine the Cavs parting with a player like Dion Waiters to rent Gasol for a few months. If the Lakers want to acquire real talent, or real future assets, for Gasol, they’ll likely have to take on longer-term contracts than Bynum’s, which would only be worth $6MM if he’s waived by next Tuesday.

The Lakers have set themselves up to have room for a max-salary free agent in either the summer of 2014 or 2015, so taking back long-term salary in exchange for Pau’s expiring $19MM+ contract may not be in the team’s best interests. In fact, Gasol may end up being one of the better free agents on the market next summer, so it could make sense for the Lakers to hang onto him, re-sign him at a lower salary, and pursue other second- or third-tier free agents with their remaining room.

In a perfect world, the Lakers would find a trade for Gasol that allowed the team to cut costs and maintain flexibility while simultaneously adding young talent or future draft picks, but I’d be surprised if that perfect deal materialized. For the purposes of this poll, we’ll assume that the Lakers would have to choose between two kinds of Pau trades: One that cuts costs and increases cap flexibility without adding much real talent, or one that nets the team assets at the expense of future cap space.

So what do you think? What’s the best course of action for the Lakers with Gasol in the coming weeks?

Poll: What Happens To Andrew Bynum Now?

December 28th, 2013 at 9:14pm CST by Jonathan Nehring

News broke this morning that the Cavaliers have indefinitely suspended Andrew Bynum for conduct detrimental to the team. This news started a flurry of rumors regarding Bynum’s future with the Cavaliers. We have put together a comprehensive list of all those rumors. Most of those rumors have included teams that will not be interested in trading or signing Bynum if waived rather than teams that are interested in Bynum. Two teams – the Heat and Clippers, have emerged as teams that would be interested in Bynum if waived.

Due to Bynum’s injury history, the contract he signed with the Cavaliers is not fully guaranteed. This will make the guarantee date of January 7th an important date for Cleveland’s front office. If they don’t trade or cut Bynum by then, they will owe him his entire $12.25MM salary for 2013/14 instead of his only $6MM currently guaranteed salary.

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Poll: Most Memorable NBA Story Of 2013

December 25th, 2013 at 4:20pm CST by Luke Adams

As another calendar year nears an end, it seems like an appropriate time to look back on 2013 in the NBA. Another year removed from 2011’s lockout, the NBA was firing on all cylinders in 2013, providing a great seven-game Finals in June, plenty of big offseason moves, and a handful of surprises to start the 2013/14 season.

While there were plenty of stories worth remembering in 2013, we want to know which one will stick with you the most. Was it Game Six in Miami, when Ray Allen made one of the biggest shots in NBA history? The Dwight Howard saga that finally ended with the big man leaving the Lakers for Houston? Or perhaps a bid to move the Kings that pitted Sacramento against Seattle for several months, before the team ultimately stayed put?

Vote for your most memorable 2013 NBA story below, and if we left out your pick, feel free to add a comment.

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Poll: Is Wheel System Ideal Solution For Draft?

December 23rd, 2013 at 1:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we passed along a piece from Grantland’s Zach Lowe that outlined a proposal to overhaul the draft system, by abolishing the lottery and introducing a “wheel” system. The proposal, which is in the very early stages of being considered by the league office, would ensure that every NBA team drafted once in each spot between 1 and 30 over a period of 30 seasons. Teams would receive a top-six pick once every five years, under the proposed cycle.

There would be plenty of pros for such a system, which would entirely disincentivize tanking and would provide each team with an equal opportunity to add young talent. However, you could argue there’d be just as many cons. Bottom-dwelling teams would only be guaranteed one high pick every few years, which could make for a significant uphill climb, and may result in years of apathy from fans. It’s also not hard to imagine college players deciding whether or not to enter the draft based on which teams are known to have high picks for that year.

Our earlier post and Lowe’s original article detail plenty more pros and cons, and if the NBA ever became serious about implementing the idea, it’s possible that it would undergo several modifications before taking effect. Still, based on the general concept, do you like the idea of the wheel system? Is it improvement on the current draft lottery, or would it simply create a new and equally problematic set of issues? And if you don’t think either system is ideal, what would your preference be?

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Poll: How Should The Nets Respond To Lopez’s Injury?

December 21st, 2013 at 7:18pm CST by Jonathan Nehring

Earlier today, the Nets announced they will be without center Brook Lopez for the remainder of the season with a broken foot. Losing Lopez for the season creates a big hole for the Nets to fill as the center was averaging 20.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg, and 1.8 bpg. Without a pick in next year’s draft and a league-high $102MM payroll, the 9-17 Nets options seem very limited but rumors have already begun as to what Brooklyn’s next move, if any, could entail.