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Poll: Which Impact Player Will Be Traded Next?

December 20th, 2013 at 6:12pm CST by Chuck Myron

The past few days have been disappointing for those who like to see trades happen. Houston’s much-ballyhooed December 19th deadline to trade Omer Asik came and went without a move, but he’s not the only significant player who appears to be staying put for now. Wednesday we heard that the Lakers aren’t interested in trading Pau Gasol. That news came just a couple hours before a report indicated that the Celtics were similarly disinclined to trade Rajon Rondo. The Bulls are “determined” not to trade Luol Deng, as we passed along this morning.

Still, there are a few noteworthy trade candidates who could be shipped out well in advance of the February 20th deadline. Just about any Raptor seems liable to go, and Kyle Lowry has been the most-discussed Toronto player, even if GM Masai Ujiri isn’t urgently trying to unload him. Iman Shumpert has consistently emerged in rumors for weeks. Dion Waiters and Thaddeus Young have had to beat back reports that they’re anxious to be traded. Jason Thompson is reportedly on the block amid roster upheaval in Sacramento, as our Luke Adams examined this afternoon. Then there’s Asik, who doesn’t seem long for Houston, even if he’s still a Rocket for now.

Let us know which player you think is most likely to be the centerpiece of the next trade. I’ve included “Someone Else” as a choice in case your pick isn’t on the list. If you choose that option, leave a comment to let us know who you have in mind.

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Poll: How Many Games Will The Lakers Win?

December 19th, 2013 at 10:07pm CST by Charlie Adams

The Lakers are 25 games into their season and sit just one contest below the .500 mark. Kobe Bryant, the face of their franchise, started out the year sidelined, recovering from a torn Achilles. Upon his return, he played in just 6 games before going down with another season ending injury. The team was just 2-4 with him in the lineup, but his recent injury has still caused a great deal of panic in Los Angeles. Sam Amick of USA Today went so far as to write that the club’s entire future is in jeopardy as a result of the future Hall of Famer going down.

It doesn’t help that fellow guards Steve Nash, Steve Blake, and Jordan Farmar have had their own share of injury woes. Nash is at least a month away from returning. Blake will be sidelined a minimum of six more weeks. Farmar is set to return soon, but the team still felt it was necessary to add some backcourt depth, so tonight they agreed to terms with former lottery pick Kendall Marshall.

So the question: how many games will the Lakers end up winning this year? It’s true that they’re lacking depth right now, but it might be too early to completely give up on the season. Xavier Henry, Jordan Hill, Wesley Johnson, and Nick Young have all played surprisingly well, although you won’t find many people who believe those four along with Pau Gasol can lead a team to the playoffs. The Lakers have managed to play close to .500 basketball without much star power, but can they continue to succeed without Bryant?

Let’s hear your thoughts. Vote in the poll below, and leave a comment to share your thoughts!

Poll: Will Woodson Be First Coach Replaced?

December 18th, 2013 at 2:55pm CST by Luke Adams

In a Tuesday article, ESPN.com’s Marc Stein examined the possibility of coaching changes around the NBA, noting that each and every one of the last 20 NBA seasons has seen at least one in-season change, often before Christmas. A league-record 13 new coaches were hired over the offseason, so teams may be more reluctant than usual to make any quick changes this season, since many of those new coaches are still getting their bearings.

Still, in Stein’s view, at least one NBA coach is in a tenuous position: Mike Woodson. Frank Isola of the New York Daily News believes a home loss to the Bucks tonight could be the last straw for Woodson in New York, and as Stein notes in his piece, betting site Bovada.lv believes Woodson is the NBA coach most likely to be fired next, giving him 5/4 odds as of Monday morning (Jason Kidd was second at 5/2).

On the other hand, Stein’s colleague at ESPNNewYork.com, Ian Begley, hears from a source that the Knicks plan to give Woodson a chance to turn the team around now that Tyson Chandler is set to return to action. And Woodson himself isn’t worried about being replaced, telling Marc Berman of the New York Post that he has the support of GM Steve Mills.

As we’ve seen in the past, the situation in New York could quickly head in one direction or the other. Another disastrous loss or two might push Woodson out the door, while a three- or four-game winning streak would likely cool off his hot seat considerably.

Where do you see the Knicks’ situation heading? Will Woodson be the first NBA coach replaced this season, or will another team make a change first?

Poll: Where Will Omer Asik Land?

December 17th, 2013 at 8:41am CST by Luke Adams

By all accounts, the Rockets still intend to move Omer Asik by this Thursday, thereby allowing players involved in the deal to be included again in trade packages at the deadline, if necessary. Houston is said to be targeting some combination of young players, draft picks, or a forward who can contribute immediately.

If there’s a frontrunner for Asik, it may be the Sixers, according to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio, who cites several league insiders. In my view, Asik, whose contract expires in 2015 and includes a balloon payment of nearly $15MM for 2014/15, doesn’t fit all that well in Philadelphia’s rebuilding plan, so if the club acquires him, perhaps it’s simply about obtaining an asset for below-market value.

Still, the Sixers are far from the only team in the hunt. Amico also mentions the Thunder, Celtics, Bucks, and Hawks as potential destinations, while a report from Chris Sheridan at SheridanHoops.com names the Sixers, Celtics, Cavs, Hawks, and Bobcats as the teams “most squarely in the mix.” Complicating matters further is the fact that multiple reports have suggested a three-team deal is a real possibility, meaning any of the aforementioned teams could be involved in a trade for Asik without actually landing the big center himself.

The number of suitors for Asik could also potentially double if we include Western Conference teams. Reports have indicated that Daryl Morey is unlikely to send Asik to a conference rival, but if a club like the Thunder, Mavericks, Pelicans, or Trail Blazers offered up the best package, it may be hard for the Rockets to turn it down.

So what do you think? Which team’s uniform will we see Asik wearing at this time next week?

Poll: Should Suns Deal Picks For Immediate Help?

December 13th, 2013 at 9:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Suns entered the season seemingly destined for the bottom of the Western Conference after an offseason in which they traded away veterans and signed only one player who made their opening night roster. Phoenix used their swaps to stockpile draft picks, and the team could end up with as many as four first-rounders for the deep and star-studded 2014 class.

Phoenix has nevertheless managed to jump out to a 12-9 start this year, and that’s apparently enough to prompt GM Ryan McDonough to change gears. He revealed to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com that the team is shopping its first-round picks as it looks for an established star.

It’s an abrupt philosophical shift, especially considering we’re only a quarter of the way into the season. A 12-9 record would give the Suns the third seed in the Eastern Conference if the playoffs started today, but they’re only the seventh-best team in the West, clinging to a one-game lead for a postseason berth. A losing streak of any significant length could bury Phoenix’s playoff hopes.

Of course, the Suns didn’t seem to have much hope of making the playoffs when the season started. McDonough has only been on the job since this past summer, and the team has appeared destined for a lengthy rebuilding process. The draft is not a panacea, and McDonough suggests that he would be reluctant to bring four highly drafted rookies to the team all at once, but mortgaging the future for the present might not be the best idea for a roster that looked depleted when the season began.

Let us know if you think it’s time for the Suns to pivot toward trying to win this season at the expense of seasons to come. Feel free to elaborate on your thoughts in the comments.

Poll: What Will Rudy Gay Make On His Next Deal?

December 10th, 2013 at 3:14pm CST by Chuck Myron

Rudy Gay is in Sacramento after yesterday’s trade, the second swap he’s been a part of in an 11-month span. He’s the anti-hero of basketball analytics, a player with a 7’3″ wingspan who fits the classic profile of an elite small forward but doesn’t look quite so appealing under the bright glare of advanced statistics. Traditional numbers show averages of 19.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game since 2007/08, but they belie the lack of a consistent outside shot. Gay seems to attempt to make up for that by simply shooting more often, and his field goal attempts this season are at a career high just as his field goal percentage is at a career low.

The Kings nonetheless believe in him. Owner Vivek Ranadive reportedly coveted him for months. GM Pete D’Alessandro thinks Gay’s shooting will at least return to the level he displayed in Memphis now that he’s again playing with a first-rate inside force in DeMarcus Cousins. Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee suggests that the team might be planning to offer Gay an extension if he performs well this season. It’s not clear if the team is truly considering that, and even if the Kings are, an extension wouldn’t have to include salaries resembling Gay’s nearly $17.9MM payday for this season, or his $19.3MM player option for 2014/15.

Still, it’s clear the Kings value him more highly than the executives from other teams who recently told Grantland’s Zach Lowe that they wouldn’t sign Gay to a deal for as much as the mid-level exception if he were a free agent. Gay sparks much debate, with front offices across the league seemingly assigning him drastically different valuations. Let us know what you think Gay will wind up with, and feel free to be more specific in the comments. Bear in mind that this poll asks what you think Gay will receive on his next deal, not what he should get.

Poll: Is This Gasol’s Final Season With Lakers?

December 7th, 2013 at 8:02pm CST by Chuck Myron

Pau Gasol was one of the most frequently mentioned trade candidates in 2012, but he stayed put, and such chatter has decreased considerably in 2013, even though he’s on an expiring contract this year. It doesn’t appear now as if the Lakers will part with Gasol this season, but the four-time All-Star may nonetheless be playing his final games in purple and gold.

Kobe Bryant‘s two-year, $48.5MM extension took quite a chunk out of the Lakers’ projected cap space for this summer, leaving room enough under the cap for one marquee, maximum-salary free agent along the lines of LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony, but little else. The Lakers have Gasol’s Bird Rights, so they can go over the cap to re-sign him if they want, but unless Gasol agrees to a pay cut soon after free agency begins, the Lakers would have to sacrifice those Bird rights in order to clear the cap space necessary to sign another team’s superstar. Gasol could make as much as $20,250,143 next season, so that salary will remain as a cap hold on the Lakers’ books until they either re-sign him at a cheaper salary or renounce his rights.

A pay cut seems inevitable for Gasol, who’s making nearly $19.3MM this season. Just how much he’ll have to sacrifice to remain with the Lakers is a matter of debate. Gasol has said already this season that he’d love to stay with the team, a stance he reiterated recently to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. He’s said he’ll prioritize more than just money as a free agent, and he’s close with Bryant, who wrote the foreword for his new book. Still, he acknowledges there are plenty of unknowns. Gasol could sign an extension, but he and the Lakers haven’t talked about it and it seems a long shot at best. Both sides appear willing to let free agency happen, leaving open the possibility that he could play for another team.

Gasol is 33, and his best years may be behind him, but he’s still one of the best and most versatile big men in the game. The challenge for the Lakers and the Arn Tellem client appears to be settling on a fair value for his services. Let us know whether you think they’ll come to an agreement or go their separate ways before next season. Feel free to elaborate in the comments.

Poll: Who Will Win The Atlantic Division?

December 3rd, 2013 at 3:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The futility of the Eastern Conference has been a major theme of the first few weeks of the NBA season. Eastern teams have now played the equivalent of a full season’s worth of games against Western Conference clubs, and have compiled an abysmal 23-60 record, good for a .277 winning percentage.

As bad as the East has been, the Southeast and Central divisions at least each have an elite team at the top of the standings. The Pacers are off to a 16-2 start, while the defending champions in Miami have gone 14-3. In the Atlantic, however, the division-leading Raptors are just 6-10.

Toronto was expected to be a borderline playoff contender this season, and many pundits pegged the Celtics and 76ers for spots near the bottom of the conference. The Atlantic’s two New York teams have been the real disappointments, combining to go just 8-25 so far. The Knicks have lost nine games in a row and are now tied for the NBA’s worst record at 3-13, and the Nets’ 5-12 mark isn’t much better.

It’s easy to say that at least one of the New York teams will turn things around, but we’re nearly a quarter of the way through the season, and neither team has shown signs of improvement so far. When we asked over the weekend whether the Nets and Knicks would make the playoffs, the most popular answer suggested neither team would earn a spot.

So what do you think? Which team ultimately ends up at the top of the division that’s on pace to be the worst ever in any major North American sport?

Poll: Will Nets And Knicks Make The Playoffs?

November 30th, 2013 at 10:11am CST by Zachary Links

Is it time to panic in New York? While there’s still a long way to go in this NBA season, we are nearly at the quarter-mark and the dreadful starts for the Nets and Knicks cannot be ignored. The Nets fell to 4-12 last night with a dreadful loss in Houston thanks to their matador defense and lack of ball movement on the other end of the floor. The Knicks, meanwhile, dropped their eighth straight contest, losing 97-95 on the road to the Nuggets after Carmelo Anthony‘s last second shot to force overtime missed. New Yorkers aren’t known for their patience and as both teams languish at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, both Jason Kidd and Mike Woodson find themselves on the hotseat.

While everyone is still busy chuckling at Kidd’s “cup-gate” scandal, the Nets have much larger problems facing them at this juncture of the season. Under Kidd, the Nets look like a team without direction or motivation and frankly, they look downright old. Granted, there have been injuries. Deron Williams and key reserves Andrei Kirilenko and Jason Terry are still sidelined with TBD return dates. Center Brook Lopez was out for seven games with a tweaked ankle before coming back last night to have the only solid performance of anyone wearing black and white. Still, the team looked out of sorts before the injury bug hit. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett appear to be fractions of what they used to be and without those two clicking, this team isn’t going to get very far. And in case you’re thinking that the Nets’ deep-pocketed ownership will sign off on another pricey acquisition between now and the trade deadline, think again. Mikhail Prokhorov has made it clear that the team is at its absolute spending limit. The Nets also don’t really have first-round picks that they can deal thanks to the Celtics blockbuster.

While some Nets fans might be wondering why Kidd was given the reins as head coach this summer, Knicks star Carmelo Anthony says the club desperately misses his veteran leadership. Maybe he’s right. The Knicks bent over backwards to re-sign last season’s Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith and upgraded their frontcourt with Andrea Bargnani, but they’ve stumbled badly out of the gate. If the Knicks can’t right the ship, it could have repercussions that go far beyond the 2012/13 season. It’s hard to envision Anthony, a free agent at season’s end, turning down the likes of the Lakers to stay with a lottery-bound Knicks squad.

Still, it’s a long season. How do you see it all playing out for the Nets and Knicks?

Should The Cavs Trade Dion Waiters?

November 27th, 2013 at 6:17pm CST by Chuck Myron

Dion Waiters never started a game in two years at Syracuse, but that didn’t stop the Cavs from drafting him fourth overall in 2011. He was generally regarded as a top-10 pick prior to the draft despite his status as a reserve for the Orange, so while Cleveland’s decision to draft him at No. 4 was surprising, it wasn’t a shock. The 6’4″ guard started 48 of the 61 games he played for the Cavs last season and quickly established himself as a scoring force, going for 28 points in an upset of the Clippers just a week into his NBA career.

Waiters wound up averaging 14.7 points per game last season, and in spite of his shaky outside shot and defensive shortcomings, it seemed like he and Kyrie Irving would form the backcourt of the future for the Cavs. Now, a month into his second season, he might be on the move. It appears there’s a degree of motivation from both sides for a trade. Waiters reportedly engaged in a heated argument recently with Tristan Thompson and isn’t tight with Irving, while the Cavs have removed him from their starting lineup and appear to be at the very least entertaining offers for their prize from last year’s draft.

Waiters might not be a fit in Cleveland, where his need to play with the ball in his hands conflicts with Irving and fellow guard Jarrett Jack, who’s signed to a long-term deal. Still, he’s just 21 years old, and it’s doubtful that the Cavs could make him the centerpiece of a trade for anyone with quite as much upside.

The Cavs could always find a sweetheart deal from a desperate team, but barring an unexpected offer, perhaps Cleveland is giving up on the recent No. 4 overall pick much too soon. He’s shown improvement this season, raising his three-point accuracy from 31.0% to 38.9%. Of course, if Waiters is a poor fit with his teammates on and off the court, his value might never be higher. So, let us know whether you think the Cavs should take the best offer they can find for Waiters in the near future, or hang on to a player they thought worthy of the fourth overall pick just 17 months ago. Cast your vote, and share more of your thoughts on the issue in the comments.