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How Long Should The Lakers Wait To Trade Gasol?

December 22nd, 2012 at 3:41pm CST by Chuck Myron

Pau Gasol is probably the biggest name on the trade market right now, and I tipped off this year's Hoops Rumors Trade Candidate series today by sizing up the prospects of a Gasol swap earlier today. With Steve Nash a game-time decision for tonight's Lakers-Warriors game, we'll soon see how L.A. plays with Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Nash and Gasol all in the lineup for the first time under coach Mike D'Antoni's watch. Gasol has proven an awkward fit in D'Antoni's offense, but no one makes that system sing like Nash, who's known for his ability to make the players around him look better. When Nash was thinking of signing with the Lakers this summer, he told them he wanted to play with Gasol, so it seems that the point guard is confident he can make the pairing work.

Much was expected of the Lakers this year, but even after winning three straight, they're 12-14 and mired in 11th place in the Western Conference. With the red-hot Clippers in command of the Pacific Division, the Lakers could face an uphill battle for a high playoff seed. If Gasol continues to sputter in the team's offense after Nash returns, and the Lakers don't show signs of becoming the title contender everyone thought they'd be, how long can they wait to trade the 32-year-old Spanish big man? Let us know what you think.

Who Should The Timberwolves Target?

December 20th, 2012 at 7:37pm CST by Ryan Raroque

With the Timberwolves now looking to fill a void at the wing position, we've heard today that Michael Redd and Chris Douglas-Roberts are among the options that the team could consider. Keeping in mind some of the available free agents who are capable of playing on the perimeter, who do you think the Timberwolves should go after?

Poll: Should The Sixers Trade Andrew Bynum?

December 16th, 2012 at 8:28pm CST by Zachary Links

Could the Sixers be looking to trade prized summer acquisition Andrew Bynum? Depends on who you ask. One NBA General Manager told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports that the Sixers have been making trade inquiries about adding a starting caliber center. “They got to be a little panicked now,” the GM said. “They could get a really interesting deal for him. I could see them doing that.” Meanwhile, 76ers GM Tony DiLeo told Tom Moore of Calkins Newspapers that he hasn’t been shopping Bynum as he wants to see what the team looks like at full strength. DiLeo reasons that the post-presence of Bynum will free up the perimeter shooters, boosting the club’s offense as a whole.

Bynum is currently earning $16.1MM, the final year of the four-year, $58MM contract he signed back in 2008 with the Lakers. The center figured to be in line for a five-year, $100MM deal this summer, but he obviously won’t fetch that kind of pact until he can prove that he is healthy and back to his old form. The Sixers could wait things out with Bynum to see if he can get back on the floor sometime before February 21st, or they could move him for an impact piece that can help in the short-term and possibly beyond 2012/13. Trading Bynum might be a tough sell considering that the Sixers parted ways with fan favorite Andre Iguodala, promising young center Nikola Vucevic, and the draft rights to Maurice Harkless to land him. However, it might be the best move for the Sixers for the long-haul.

Poll: Are The Knicks Title Contenders?

December 13th, 2012 at 9:32pm CST by Zachary Links

This offseason, it seemed as though all anyone in New York wanted to discuss was the departure of Jeremy Lin. Lin staying in New York appeared to be a mortal lock at one point, but when the Rockets extended the guard a heavily-backloaded three-year, $25MM deal, Glen Grunwald decided to go elsewhere. Lin's shadow would continue to loom over the team after the season got underway, but he's hardly a part of the fan discourse now.

Tonight at MSG, the Knicks are cruising to victory over the Lakers, en route to a 17-5 record and extending their home tally to 9-0. It was easy for some to dismiss the Knicks' hot start by pointing to a meager sample size a few weeks ago, but that's a tough case to make at the quarter-mark of the season. The Knicks are firing on all cylinders, and they've toppled quality teams like the Heat (twice), Spurs, and Nets.

How are they getting it done? As John Hollinger noted in one of his last pieces for ESPN.com, they're bombing away from three-point range at a clip that would have made a few ABA teams blush. Free agent pickups like Jason Kidd, Pablo Prigioni, and Rasheed Wallace are paying off in spades even while Steve Novak seems to have come back down to earth this season. It also helps that they're getting stellar performances from Carmelo Anthony at the power forward position – play that Knicks fans say warrants MVP consideration.

But the question is, can the Knicks keep this up?

Poll: The Lakers’ Point Guard Situation

December 12th, 2012 at 8:44am CST by Luke Adams

After the Lakers lost their third straight game last night in Cleveland, falling to 4-8 during Mike D'Antoni's stint as head coach, rumors began to swirl suggesting that the team was thinking about adding another point guard.

The Lakers have a full 15-man roster, including four point guards, but Steve Nash has missed most of the season with a leg injury, and Darius Morris, Chris Duhon, and Steve Blake haven't been productive in his place. One of those players could be let go to make room for a new point guard, though all three are on guaranteed deals. Robert Sacre and Darius Johnson-Odom are the two Lakers whose deals aren't fully guaranteed.

Delonte West is perhaps the top point guard on the free agent market, with Eddie House, Jonny Flynn, and Mike James among the other uninspiring options available. The Lakers' top trade target appears to be Jose Calderon, who seems like a good fit for D'Antoni's system, but the Raptors would reportedly like to package him in a bigger deal if they move him. Los Angeles doesn't exactly have an abundance of trade assets at its disposal, so it's hard to see how the club could land a player with Calderon's talent and salary without turning it into a bigger move anyway.

As Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com tweets, the Lakers are looking for a stopgap rather than a savior, with Nash on track to return in a couple weeks. On one hand, given Nash's timetable, it seems almost counter-productive to add a new point guard to the mix at this point, since by the time he gets familiar with the system, Nash should be ready to come back to the court. Conversely though, at age 38, there's no guarantee Nash will return on schedule and stay healthy for the remainder of the season, so an insurance policy could be crucial.

What do you think? How should the Lakers address their point guard problem? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section after submitting your vote.

Poll: Should The Raptors Trade Andrea Bargnani?

December 8th, 2012 at 6:15pm CST by Zachary Links

The early word on the 2013 NBA Draft is that it'll be rather thin at the top and likely one of the weakest classes in recent years. The last draft class to elicit such a tepid reaction was 2006, a year in which there was no real consensus number one pick. Many fans saw Texas forward LaMarcus Aldridge as the top choice, but Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo was smitten with Italy's Andrea Bargnani.

It's easy to see why Colangelo and other GMs had Bargnani pegged as the best talent in the draft – his combination of athleticism and outside shooting is wildly impressive for a 7-footer. In recent years, the Raptors have worked to build an offense and a roster around Bargnani and his unusual skill set. At this point, however, the plan isn't working as well as Colangelo would have hoped. Toronto hasn't seen the postseason since 2007/08 and they're not likely to return this year as they sit in the cellar of the Atlantic at 4-16.

Bargnani hasn't been playing up to his ability in the first 20 games of this campaign and his stat line shows it. The big man's numbers are down across the board as he is averaging 17.0 PPG and just 4.6 boards. Bargnani was never confused for Rick Mahorn on the court, but his rebounding ability appears to have regressed even further. His trade value obviously isn't what it once was, but it might be time for the Raptors to cut the cord and start fresh. At the very least, the Raptors know that there's still a fan of Bargnani's in Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni. Bargnani is the perfect forward for D'Antoni's trigger-happy offense and can help detract pressure away from center Dwight Howard. The Raptors might not be as excited about Pau Gasol given his current woes, but they could explore a three-way trade to get the right mix of NBA-ready talent in return.

Poll: Should The Hornets Trade Ryan Anderson?

December 4th, 2012 at 2:41pm CST by Zachary Links

Ryan Anderson sure has come a long way since his humble beginnings with the Nets in 2008. The Nets “reached” for the California product with the 21st overall pick in that year’s draft and plugged him in to the rotation of a weakened team that had recently jettisoned Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson. When it came time for the Nets to start their rebuilding effort in earnest and move Vince Carter, the Magic pushed to have Anderson included in the deal. The forward was more than a throw-in but far from the focal point of the five-player swap.

A few years and a sign-and-trade later, Anderson is shining in New Orleans as he breaks in his four-year, $36MM deal. So far this year, Anderson is averaging career-highs across the board with 17.5 PPG and 7.9 RPG while shooting 42.3% from the outside. The 24-year-old figures to be on the fast track to All-Star Weekend in Houston and the Lakers reportedly see him as the solution to their frontcourt problems. The Hornets are obviously a long way from contention and could net a nice package of young players and draft picks in exchange for last year’s Most Improved Player.

However, the Hornets say they have no interest in parting ways with Anderson. The club is enthused by his early season play and is eager to see how the team looks when Anthony Davis and Eric Gordon return to action. It’s hard to argue with that reasoning – this green (no pun intended) Hornets squad won’t get near the playoff chase this season but they certainly play the role of spoiler for other clubs late in the year. More importantly, the trio could blossom into a legitimate force with time.

If you were in General Manager Dell Demps‘ shoes, would you trade Anderson or hold on to him?

Poll: Should The Cavs Move Varejao?

December 2nd, 2012 at 2:22pm CST by Sean Highkin

Anderson Varejao is having an outstanding season for the Cleveland Cavaliers, averaging 15.1 PPG and 15.3 RPG. It has been reported that, should the Cavs decide to move the 30-year-old Brazilian, he would likely be the most sought-after player on the trade market. The return the Cavs could get for Varejao could be substantial, meaning there may be a major incentive to move him if they can surround Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters with more young talent. However, some believe he is valued too highly within the Cleveland organization to move at this time.

What do you think? Would it be smart for the Cavs to look into a Varejao trade? Vote in the poll and weigh in with what you think a package could look like in the comments.

Poll: Was Popovich Wrong To Send Stars Home?

November 30th, 2012 at 10:53am CST by Luke Adams

When I made my predictions for the 2012/13 NBA season, I anticipated the Spurs and Heat meeting in next June's NBA Finals. Given how far off the rails many of my other predictions have already gone, I don't expect that one to pan out either, but the two teams are off to good enough starts that it's still a real possibility. As such, last night's Spurs/Heat game in Miami had the chance to be a Finals preview.

Well, except for the fact that Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, and Danny Green weren't in the building, having been sent home by Spurs coach Gregg Popovich earlier in the day. The Spurs still managed to make things interesting, holding a lead late in the game, but the Heat eventually closed out a 105-100 victory.

Reactions around the league to Popovich's decision have been divided, with some defending his decision to rest his stars during a stretch when the Spurs were required to play four road games in five nights.

"I don’t think Pop was in the wrong," said LeBron James. "It’s not in the rules to tell you that you can’t not send your guys here or send your guys home. But the commissioner will make his decision and everybody else will deal with it."

Indeed, NBA commissioner David Stern took exception to Popovich's approach, releasing an official statement prior to the game to express his displeasure: "I apologize to all NBA fans. This was an unacceptable decision by the San Antonio Spurs and substantial sanctions will be forthcoming."

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel agreed with Stern, arguing that Popovich was thumbing his nose at paying fans and TNT, each of whom support the NBA and help "pay all the ridiculous salaries." On the other hand, as LeBron pointed out, there's certainly no rule that says the league has the right to step in and tell a coach how to manage his team — Popovich rested his starters on multiple occasions last season, and the NBA didn't say anything about it.

Where do you fall on this issue? Do you mind Popovich sending healthy players home?

Poll: Should Sixers Have Made Bynum Deal?

November 28th, 2012 at 11:33am CST by Luke Adams

When the 76ers acquired Andrew Bynum in a four-way blockbuster back in August, they were praised by most pundits for having secured a player capable of being a franchise cornerstone. Bynum was viewed as the NBA's second-best center, and the trade ensured that the league's best center, Dwight Howard, would no longer be playing in the Eastern Conference.

Unfortunately for the Sixers, the deal has yet to pay dividends in Philadelphia. Bynum's ongoing knee problems have prevented him from making his 2012/13 debut, and the 25-year-old is said to be out "indefinitely." At this point, it's easy to second-guess the summer blockbuster, questioning whether the Sixers could have acquired a more reliable star, rather than one with an injury history, for a package that included Andre Iguodala, Maurice Harkless, Nikola Vucevic, and a future first-round pick.

But it is that simple? It's not as if Bynum's stint with the Sixers can be written off already. He could return later this season, and even if he doesn't, perhaps his health concerns mean Philadelphia will be able to lock him up next summer at a reduced price. Additionally, it didn't seem as if the Iguodala-led Sixers were a legit title contender as constructed. Danny Pommels of CSNPhilly.com wrote yesterday that the Sixers are a better team without AI, and that the deal was still a worthwhile one.

So what do you think? Should the 76ers have stood pat and moved forward this season with Iguodala, hoping that further development from Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner took the team to the next level? Should they have sought out the next-best deal for Iguodala, even if it didn't involve landing a potential franchise player like Bynum? Or do you think, taking into account the previous roster's ceiling and Bynum's long-term upside, that the trade still makes sense for Philadelphia?