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Poll: Will Lakers Add A Max Free Agent?

November 26th, 2013 at 4:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Since Kobe Bryant signed a two-year extension with the Lakers yesterday, reactions have poured in, with many observers questioning whether the team will be able to build a championship-caliber roster around Kobe’s massive salary. GM Mitch Kupchak believes L.A. still has enough flexibility to put together a contender (Twitter link via Howard Beck of Bleacher Report), and Kobe’s deal still leaves the club with room for another max-salary free agent in 2014.

However, having the room to add a free agent doesn’t necessarily ensure one will sign in L.A. LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony are frequently cited as the team’s two likeliest targets, but LeBron currently looks like a long shot to leave Miami, and Carmelo would probably have to turn down more years and money from New York if he chose the Lakers.

Outside of those two stars, there are several other players who could be free agents in 2014, and could receive a salary at or near the max: Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Luol Deng, Rudy Gay, Eric Bledsoe, Greg Monroe, and Gordon Hayward are among them. But none of those players are assured of max deals, and many will be restricted free agents, meaning their current teams could match any offer sheets from the Lakers.

As Kevin Pelton observed today in an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, there may be better fits for the Lakers on the market in the summer of 2015. Kevin Love is expected to hit free agency at that point, and players like Brook Lopez and Rajon Rondo could be available as well. The Lakers won’t have the flexibility to add a max free agent in 2014 and another one in 2015, but if they hang on to their cap space for an extra year, they could make a big splash in ’15.

What do you think? Will the Lakers land a max free agent in 2014 or 2015? Or will they make do with several smaller, complementary pieces around Kobe until his new deal expires?

Poll: Will Jason Kidd Survive Season As Nets Coach?

November 24th, 2013 at 8:09pm CST by Zachary Links

Maybe experience does mean a lot. After a summer in which the Nets were linked to everyone from Phil Jackson to Jeff Van Gundy to Stan Van Gundy, the Nets went way outside of the box when they hired the recently-retired Jason Kidd. The deal brought Kidd back to the franchise where he enjoyed some of his greatest successes – back-to-back Eastern Conference championships, a second-place MVP finish – but things haven’t gone quite the same way on the sidelines.

The Nets were widely picked to take the Atlantic Division in 2013/14 with the Knicks being left in their dust. Early on in the season, both New York teams are spiraling with the Nets being at 3-10 and the Knicks at 3-10. While a good chunk of the blame certainly falls on the shoulders of the Nets’ aging core, many observers feel that Kidd is simply lost on the bench. Mikhail Prokhorov‘s abrupt firing of P.J. Carlesimo and summer spending spree are indications that he’s not the most patient man in the world. If the Nets can’t turn things around, the seat will certainly get warmer underneath the point guard-turned-coach. Will Kidd last the season in Brooklyn?

Poll: Will Bulls Ever Win Title With Rose On Max Deal?

November 23rd, 2013 at 10:10pm CST by Chuck Myron

It appears Derrick Rose will have two options for surgery on his right knee, and sources tell K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune that Rose is likely to choose the one that will keep him out longer. That presents the strong possibility that the point guard could miss the rest of the season, a loss that would likely knock the Bulls out of title contention in 2013/14.

Part of the reason Rose might opt for the surgery that could keep him out this season would be its long-term benefits for his 25-year-old body, since the other procedure could compromise his ability on the court. Still, more than two years removed from the last season in which he played in more than 60% of his team’s games, it’s worth wondering if Rose can ever regain his MVP form.

There are rumors of a rift between coach Tom Thibodeau and Bulls management, while Rose and soon-to-be free agent Luol Deng apparently have their resentments toward the front office as well. Even before Rose’s latest injury, it was been “widely assumed” the Bulls would shake up their roster next summer, Johnson writes. Perhaps those changes will come about sooner if Rose is indeed ruled out for the year, as the Bulls could try to shed salary via trades and slip beneath the luxury tax threshold, though that’s just my speculation.

Still, there’s reason for optimism in Chicago. The Bulls have a first-round pick coming from the woe-begotten Bobcats, and they have the rights to heralded European prospect Nikola Mirotic. Jimmy Butler is coming off a breakout season and could be an emerging star on the wing. Butler nonetheless has a ways to go before he becomes the sort of player that Rose once was.

Title hopes in the NBA fall and rise with superstars, and Rose might not fit into the superstar category anymore. Regardless, he’ll be paid like one through 2017. His maximum-salary deal, a product of the collective bargaining agreement rule that goes by Rose’s own name, still has $77.9MM on it, including this season. As the Knicks are realizing with an injury-ravaged Amar’e Stoudemire, it’s hard to build a championship roster with such a large contract committed to someone who can’t live up to it.

Many picked the Bulls to win it all this year, but less than a month into the regular season, can you see this team winning a title at all while Rose’s current contract is on the books? Let us know, and feel free to elaborate on the issue in the comments.

Poll: Should Mavericks Consider Dealing Dirk?

November 23rd, 2013 at 9:05am CST by Zachary Links

Not only is Dirk Nowitzki the heart and soul of the Mavericks, he is one of four players in the league today holding a no-trade clause. It’s certainly not likely that the Mavericks will be moving the 35-year-old big man, but in a league where some called for the Lakers to use the amnesty clause on Kobe Bryant, nothing can be ruled out. Yesterday, Mavs owner Mark Cuban told reporters that Rockets GM Daryl Morey inquired about Dirk this summer after signing Dwight Howard. While Cuban suspects that it may have been a little bit of smack talk from Houston after they beat out their intra-state rivals for the summer’s top free agent, there could have been some legitimacy behind the request. The Lakers have also come calling about Dirk, though no offer was made in that instance either.

So far, everything is looking up in Dallas this season. The Mavs are 9-4 and offseason pickup Monta Ellis is arguably playing the best basketball of his life.. Franchise cornerstone Nowitzki is faring pretty well himself, averaging 20.4 PPG though 13 games while shooting 47.8% from the floor, a number that is consistent with his career average. Still, the 35-year-old Nowitzki is in the final year of his contract and earning $22.7MM this season. One has to imagine that he’ll take a pay cut to stay with the Mavericks, the only NBA team he’s ever known, but that’s not an absolute given. While the veteran is playing well, should Dallas open up the phone lines and give some thought to trading Dirk?

Poll: Who Should The Kings Trade?

November 20th, 2013 at 8:06pm CST by Jonathan Nehring

The Kings have been listed all season as a team looking to be active in the trade market but yesterday reports surfaced that Sacramento is “aggressively” pursuing trade possibilities well before the February deadline. The Kings seem to be shopping their veteran players in order to get more draft picks and younger players to build a team around Ben McLemore and DeMarcus Cousins.

Veteran players on the Kings roster include:

Marcus Thornton (28.3 MPG, 10.3 PPG, 2.7 RPG)
John Salmons (24.4 MPG, 4.9 PPG, 2.4 RPG)
Chuck Hayes (9.2 MPG, 0.8 PPG, 1.9 RPG)
Jason Thompson (20.5 MPG, 6.2 PPG, 5.7 RPG)
Luc Mbah a Moute (18 MPG, 3.2 PPG, 2.5 RPG)
Travis Outlaw (15.1 MPG, 6.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG)

Additionally, Jimmer Fredette (12.0 MPG, 3.0 PPG, 2.3 APG) has been listed as a potential candidate that the Kings will be looking to ship away this season considering they declined his 2014/15 team option.

Playing the role of Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro who do you think the Kings should trade this season?

Poll: Will Lamar Odom Return To The NBA This Season?

November 20th, 2013 at 12:26pm CST by Zachary Links

After a troubling summer in which Lamar Odom spent equal time on TMZ and ESPN, a return to the NBA for the 2013/14 season seemed highly unlikely. Thankfully, Odom appears to have gotten his life back on track and his comeback could happen sooner rather than later. Last week, we learned that even though they remain wary of Odom’s alleged hard drug use and DUI arrest, the Lakers and Clippers are both keeping him in mind. Shortly thereafter, Odom met for almost two hours with Doc Rivers and Clippers front office officials after a team practice, leaving players with the impression that he was about to sign with the club. While that’s not quite the case, the odds look a whole lot better after a month of solid workouts from the 34-year-old.

They say that beggars can’t be choosers, but the veteran forward is apparently telling friends that he’ll only come back to play for the Clippers. Rivers & Co. have kept mum on the issue so far, but Jared Dudley handicaps the odds of Odom signing with the Clips at “100%”. We know how Jared is voting – how about you?

Poll: Should Celtics Trade Rajon Rondo?

November 19th, 2013 at 8:33pm CST by Chuck Myron

A summer story line resurfaced this weekend with a report that the Knicks had attempted to trade for Rajon Rondo. The injured point guard is the final remaining link to the Celtics’ last championship team, and when Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Doc Rivers all exited this summer, rumors surfaced that Rondo could be next. Celtics GM Danny Ainge denies having conversations with the Knicks and insists that he hasn’t fielded calls about Rondo from any NBA team. Whether or not that’s true, it seems scuttlebutt about the four-time All-Star will persist.

Rondo is under contract for close to $12MM this season and about $12.9MM in 2014/15. It’s one of the most team-friendly deals in the league for a player of his caliber, but it only has two seasons left, and will likely have expired by the time the Celtics are ready to compete again. Still, Rondo’s the team’s best player, and he’s never played for another franchise. One opposing GM believes the Celtics would seek a major star in return for Rondo if they were to deal him away, so perhaps Ainge feels confident enough about the prospect of re-signing him in 2015 to pass up all but the most generous of trade offers.

What do you think Ainge’s strategy should be? Should he cash out the team’s best asset now while he’s under team control on a bargain contract? Or should he make Rondo the centerpiece of his rebuilding effort even though the point guard can bolt in two years? Let us know with a vote, and elaborate on your opinion in the comments.

Poll: Should Knicks Trade Iman Shumpert?

November 18th, 2013 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Outside of perhaps Omer Asik, no player has been involved in more trade rumors in the first month of the season than Iman Shumpert. Shumpert has been linked to the Nuggets and Celtics, among other teams, and is reportedly drawing leaguewide interest, though nothing is imminent.

There are a number of reasons why Shumpert finds himself at the center of so many trade rumors early in the 2013/14 season. The 23-year-old is viewed as potentially expendable because the Knicks already have players like Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith, and Metta World Peace at the two and three. More importantly, with the Knicks off to a slow start, they have holes that need filling, and Shumpert represents their best trade chip. New York has traded away most of its draft picks and doesn’t have another player with Shumpert’s combination of youth, upside, and affordability.

Still, Shumpert’s youth, upside, and affordability are also prime reasons for the Knicks to hang on to him. For a team overloaded with aging players on expensive multiyear contracts, Shumpert is perhaps the only Knick who has yet to reach his ceiling. The club isn’t so overloaded on the wing that there’s no room for the third-year swingman, particularly if Carmelo plays power forward more frequently. Depending on what sort of value they can get back in a deal, rushing to deal Shumpert may backfire on the Knicks in both the short-term and the long-term.

The Nuggets reportedly wanted a first-round pick in addition to Shumpert for Kenneth Faried, while the Celtics quickly shot down the idea that a Shumpert-centric package could land Rajon Rondo. In other words, it’s unlikely that the Knicks could acquire an impact player for Shumpert alone. Taking that into account, is it worth it for New York to trade him, or would the club be better off keeping him and hoping he starts to deliver on some of the potential he’s shown?

Poll: Should The Rockets Trade Omer Asik?

November 16th, 2013 at 7:40pm CST by Jonathan Nehring

With Omer Asik out of the Rockets lineup tonight it is becoming more evident that Asik and the Rockets may be parting ways shortly. This should not come as a surprise as Asik asked for a trade in July after the Rockets signed Dwight Howard in free agency. Houston has been shopping Asik around but it appears the team is asking too high a price for him.

As Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors points out, Asik’s backloaded contract may change the playing field of NBA teams looking to trade with Houston. The same trap Houston created to deter the Bulls from resigning Asik when he was a restricted free agent may be the same trap that hinders the Rockets from getting rid of Asik this season.

Teams may also shy away from signing Asik due to his performance decrease so far this season. While Asik has averaged 10 minutes less this season than last year, he has only scored half the points per game he did last season (10.1 PPG in 12/13; 5.0 PPG in 13/14) and is down to 7.2 RPG instead of his 11.7 RPG last year.

Should the Rockets hold on to an unhappy Asik until he buys into the new Houston system or should they try to get rid of the bad chemistry as soon as possible?

Poll: Who Will Be 2014’s First Overall Pick?

November 13th, 2013 at 9:53am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s Monday night schedule featured four games, but for many basketball fans, the focus wasn’t on the Heat, Lakers, or Warriors, but rather the Wildcats, Jayhawks, and Blue Devils. The NCAA’s Champions Classic in Chicago featured four top college teams, each of whom could eventually see multiple players selected in the first round of the 2014 draft. And top prospects like Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, and Julius Randle didn’t disappoint — Parker and Randle each poured in 27 points, while Wiggins held his own with 22 points and eight rebounds.

For fans of subpar NBA teams, it was a tantalizing preview of what figures to be a season-long race for the top spots in next year’s draft. Wiggins has long been considered the favorite to come off the board first, but as ESPN.com’s Jeff Goodman tweeted last night, while the Kansas forward may be the leader, he’s far from a lock. Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com (Twitter link) expressed that sentiment in even stronger terms, calling the race for the No. 1 spot “wide open,” with multiple great options in the mix.

In addition to the three top prospects who played in last night’s games, point guards Dante Exum and Marcus Smart shouldn’t be ruled out of the discussion for 2014’s first overall pick. Heading into Tuesday’s games, ESPN.com’s Chad Ford ranked Exum above Parker on his big board, and tweeted last night that he wished Exum could be in Chicago to show his stuff as well. Smart, meanwhile, will at least have a small advantage in experience over his fellow top-five prospects, after deciding to return to Oklahoma State for his sophomore year. Ford’s No. 5 prospect doesn’t have the most upside among 2014 prospects, but if he makes strides on his ballhandling and jump shot this season, he’ll make for a very tantalizing option next June.

The race for the No. 1 pick figures to be one of the season’s most entertaining stories, particularly for NBA teams without serious playoff aspirations. As Sam Amick of USA Today observed last night (via Twitter), more than one NBA club had five reps in Chicago last night, attempting to get as many sets of eyes as possible on the next generation of stars.

What do you think? Is Wiggins still the likely No. 1 pick next June, or has the early-season play of either Parker or Randle changed your mind?