Top Bloggers

Top Bloggers: Brian Robb On The Celtics

October 23rd, 2015 at 10:30am CST by Chuck Myron

Anyone can have a blog about an NBA team, but some set themselves apart from the rest with the dedication and valuable insight they bring to their craft. We’ll be sharing some knowledge from these dialed-in writers on Hoops Rumors in a new feature called Top Bloggers. As with The Beat, our ongoing series of interviews with NBA beat writers, it’s part of an effort to bring Hoops Rumors readers ever closer to the pulse of the teams they follow. Last time, we spoke with David Zavac, managing editor of SB Nation’s Fear the Sword. Click here to see the entire Top Bloggers series.

Next up is Brian Robb, who is the owner and editor-in-chief of Celtics Hub, part of ESPN’s TrueHoop Network. You can follow Brian on Twitter at @CelticsHub and click here to check out his stories.

Hoops Rumors: The Celtics added David Lee, Amir Johnson and second-round draft pick Jordan Mickey to an already crowded mix of power forwards this summer. How can Brad Stevens divvy up playing time to get the most out of what they have?

Brian Robb: It’s all been about finding the right combinations. There’s an array of guys worthy of minutes, but certain guys complement each other better. For instance, Lee is a great passer and can initiate offense, so he’s a better fit with the likely starting backcourt of Marcus Smart/Avery Bradley, since that’s not a strength for either of those guys. Minutes will probably fluctuate game-to-game though, based on matchups and how particular players are performing.

Hoops Rumors: Which of the three Celtics draftees from this year has impressed you the most so far, and how much of an impact do you think he’ll make this season?

Brian Robb: R.J. Hunter has looked the smoothest of the rookies, even though all three have had their moments. Hunter’s quick release has been a weapon (even though his accuracy has been off). He’s also been a better defender than advertised. The Celtics finished toward bottom of league in 3-point shooting last year, so Hunter should get his chances if he can help there. Mickey and Rozier have also looked sharp at times, but both players have too much veteran depth in front of them to make a major impact.

Hoops Rumors: The Celtics and the Sixers are similar in the respect that they’ve each collected a slew of future draft picks and young players, but the Celtics have remained competitive, in stark contrast to Philadelphia. Do you think the Celtics would be better served pursuing a more aggressive rebuild, or are they on the right track with what they’re doing?

Brian Robb: I think they are on track. They’ve been patient waiting for the proper time to use all their draft picks in a big deal, but they are also building a solid reputation around the league with the way they have gone about things as an organization. Players seem to respect Brad Stevens and his scheme and players have fallen in line with his game planning. If Boston can continue to step forward in the East this year, they could be in line to make a big-name addition via trade/free agency next summer.

Hoops Rumors: The Celtics reportedly offered four first-rounders to both the Hornets and the Heat in an effort to move up and draft Justise Winslow this summer. Would that have been a fair price to pay for Winslow, or did the Celtics dodge a bullet when Charlotte and Miami turned them down?

Brian Robb: I think the Celtics dodged a bullet there, especially when you consider one of the unprotected picks from Brooklyn would have been headed to Charlotte in that deal. Given the state of that franchise, that pick could have been higher than the No. 9 selection on its own. Winslow is a promising prospect, but the Celtics already have Jae Crowder signed long-term at the small forward. Winslow would have helped but could have been redundant with Crowder around.

Hoops Rumors: The Celtics certainly didn’t have trouble pulling off trades last season, when they engineered 11 swaps between July 1st and the February trade deadline. Is there anyone they would have been better off keeping?

Brian Robb: I don’t think so. I think it was pretty clear last year that Ainge sold on Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green at the right time. Everyone else dealt away was expendable, so the team shouldn’t really have any seller’s remorse in the interim.

Hoops Rumors: The Celtics improved their roster this summer, but so did several other teams that finished in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference last year. Are the Celtics in any better position now than they were going into the offseason?

Brian Robb: I think they will be better overall because of the continuity they can build upon with 10 returning players from last year’s roster. The rest of the East improved, but the Celtics played at such a high level in the final three months of the regular season, finishing the year with a 24-12 record in their final 36 games. They won’t match that pace, but should still be a 45-plus win team after adding Lee and Johnson into the equation.

Top Bloggers: David Zavac On The Cavaliers

October 19th, 2015 at 4:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

Anyone can have a blog about an NBA team, but some set themselves apart from the rest with the dedication and valuable insight they bring to their craft. We’ll be sharing some knowledge from these dialed-in writers on Hoops Rumors in a new feature called Top Bloggers. As with The Beat, our ongoing series of interviews with NBA beat writers, it’s part of an effort to bring Hoops Rumors readers ever closer to the pulse of the teams they follow. Last time, we spoke with Jason Patt, Managing Editor of TodaysFastbreak.com and a contributor at SB Nation’s Blog a Bull. Click here to see the entire Top Bloggers series.

Next up is David Zavac, who is the Managing Editor of SB Nation’s Fear the Sword. You can follow David on Twitter at @DavidZavac and click here to check out his stories.

Hoops Rumors: How surprised are you that the qualifying offer deadline came and went and Tristan Thompson still hasn’t signed?

David Zavac: Very surprised. The Cavs and Thompson’s agent Rich Paul have a great relationship. Many credit Paul for keeping lines of communication open between owner Dan Gilbert and LeBron James after the latter took his talents to South Beach. There’s relatively obvious middle ground for a five year deal around $82-85MM. With the threat of a qualifying offer gone, I understand why the Cavs might not feel the need to budge anymore. It doesn’t look like they will, unless …

Hoops Rumors: Do the Cavs have the kind of depth necessary to withstand the absence of Thompson and all the injuries they’re dealing with, or do they need to add someone?

David Zavac: … Unless the Cavs’ frontcourt really struggles early on. Kevin Love is working back from shoulder surgery, and Timo Mozgov is working back from knee surgery. Anderson Varejao is working back from a torn Achilles, and Sasha Kaun has never played in the NBA. That’s the frontcourt. Varejao wasn’t effective next to Love last season before his injury, so it’s hard to expect much. If the Cavs are hovering around .500, maybe they cave on Thompson. I wouldn’t count on it, though.

Hoops Rumors: Jared Cunningham has been a pleasant surprise so far in the preseason. Can you envision him sticking for the regular season and seeing meaningful minutes this year?

David Zavac: I could see him making the team, but I doubt he becomes a big part of the rotation long term. Iman Shumpert and Kyrie Irving will be out early on, so maybe he would get an opportunity. Hard to see him cracking a nine-man rotation when the team is healthy, though.

Hoops Rumors: Love signed a five-year, maximum-salary deal this summer despite his off year last season. What has to happen on the floor for him to bounce back and justify that contract?

David Zavac: I’ll go against the grain and say that he can do exactly what he did last season and be worth the money. He’s a perfect floor spacer for Kyrie Irving and LeBron James. Those guys can run the pick-and-roll with either Mozgov or Thompson and there’s nothing but space and dunks. Love knocking down the shots on kick outs and being the multifaceted threat that he is allows for hyper-efficiency from James and Irving, and the Cavs score at a historic rate when the Big 3 play together. Thompson and Mozgov both fit very, very well with Love and the rest of the Big 3. If Love gets more opportunities to facilitate or steps up his defense a bit, that’s great. If not, that’s great too. He’s still providing ridiculous value.

Hoops Rumors: The Cavs traded the draft rights to Tyus Jones and Rakeem Christmas and went the draft-and-stash route with Cedi Osman and Sir’Dominic Pointer. The Cavs are clearly in win-now mode, but are they sacrificing too much of the future for the sake of the present?

David Zavac: Probably not. Irving, Thompson, Shumpert, and Kevin Love are still pretty young and are either locked in long term or figure to be locked in long term pretty soon. That’s a nice young core with a couple of superstars. It’s not fun to see your team punt on draft picks and what not, but no one knows like Cavs fans just how little most rookies and young players can contribute early on.

Hoops Rumors: The Eastern Conference doesn’t pose much of a threat, but how do the Cavs stack up against the Western Conference heavies?

David Zavac: Assuming the Cavs are at full strength, they should have a great shot against nearly everyone. Without Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving they were within two games of winning last season. The talk of Kevin Love being sat in fourth quarters and not fitting was overblown. The Cavs were 33-3 when they were healthy to close out the season. The Warriors, Rockets, and Spurs all figure to be very good. I’d be optimistic if I were writing about them as well. Hopefully whoever comes out of the conference finals will be healthy and we can get a good look.

Top Bloggers: Jason Patt On The Bulls

October 9th, 2015 at 4:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Anyone can have a blog about an NBA team, but some set themselves apart from the rest with the dedication and valuable insight they bring to their craft. We’ll be sharing some knowledge from these dialed-in writers on Hoops Rumors in a new feature called Top Bloggers. As with The Beat, our ongoing series of interviews with NBA beat writers, it’s part of an effort to bring Hoops Rumors readers ever closer to the pulse of the teams they follow. Last time, we spoke with Ian Levy of Fansided’s Hardwood Paroxysm. Click here to see the entire Top Bloggers series.

Next up is Jason Patt, who is the Managing Editor of TodaysFastbreak.com and a contributor at SBNation’s Blog a Bull. You can follow Jason on Twitter at @Bulls_Jay and click here to check out his stories.

Hoops Rumors: The franchise is apparently banking on the coaching change from Tom Thibodeau to Fred Hoiberg making a big impact in the standings since the team’s roster is essentially intact from a season ago. Do you think the Bulls’ main impediment was Thibs’ system, or are there deeper personnel issues that the team should have addressed over the summer?

Jason Patt: While I anticipate “Hoiball” being a breath of fresh air for this group, it’s not totally fair to pin all of their problems on Thibs’ system. Thibs clearly had his flaws as a coach. He was stubborn. He had some maniacal tendencies with minutes/injuries. The offense too often got stagnant, especially during last year’s playoffs. It was clearly time to move on given those issues and the problems with management.

But the roster had/has its own problems as well. Joakim Noah was a shell of himself last season and has to show he can bounce back. Taj Gibson was playing hurt and is coming off surgery. Derrick Rose remains a question mark. The backup point-guard play was atrocious in the playoffs, and that’s an area that could be a problem this season. Instead of looking to upgrade the position, the Bulls opted to just roll with Aaron Brooks, Kirk Hinrich and E’Twaun Moore to fill that spot. Using Jimmy Butler as more of a point guard could be a solution to this, but it’s something to monitor.

It also remains to be seen if the Bulls can improve on D. Even with the defensive-minded Thibs, they regressed defensively last season to outside the top 10 in efficiency, and Hoiberg isn’t exactly known as a defensive guru. Playing Pau Gasol big minutes helped contribute to this, but Butler also wasn’t great on that end and the bench had issues defensively as well.

So while Thibs had his problems and I like the Hoiberg hire, there are no guarantees Fred will be some magical elixir, as there are still some flaws with the roster.

Hoops Rumors: Even though Derrick Rose‘s latest injury was a fluke and can’t be blamed on the player, his durability will always be a concern for all involved with the franchise. With him not helping his cause among the team’s fan base when he said that he was looking forward to free agency in 2017, is it time for the Bulls to consider parting ways with the point guard? If so, what kind of market do you see for Rose’s services given his cap figure and injury concerns?

Jason Patt: I don’t think the Bulls will actively look to trade Derrick Rose, as there’s still some hope he can be a really good player moving forward. He may not be MVP Rose ever again, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he reaches All-Star level.

That being said, they shouldn’t completely dismiss the idea of trading him. If he’s looking for that big payday in 2017, the Bulls have to think long and hard about whether or not they’d give it to him. That decision could be made easier if Rose comes out and looks great over the next year-plus, but if it’s more of the same inconsistent play we saw last year, it’s hard to endorse handing out another huge contract.

The problem, of course, is finding a suitor that’d be willing to give up something of value for an expensive player who’s inconsistent and injury prone. If it gets to a point where the Bulls want to trade him, I doubt there’d be much of a market for him. Maybe some desperate team hoping to catch lightning in a bottle.

Hoops Rumors: The Bulls have a glut of power forwards on the roster, including 2015 first-rounder Bobby Portis. How do you see the team’s rotation at the four shaking out this season? Should the team consider dealing one of its power forwards, and if so, who should Chicago look to swap? Why take Portis when the team had other needs, like a backup point guard for instance?

Jason Patt: The Bobby Portis pick was an interesting one given the crowded frontcourt rotation, but I still liked it considering he was the consensus best player available there. He was viewed as a possible lottery pick who fell to 22, so it’s hard to pass that up. Plus, several guys in the frontcourt rotation (Jo/Taj/Pau) are injury prone and getting up there in age, so even though Portis is buried on the depth chart right now, I expect he’ll play at some point due to injuries.

As for how the rotation at the 4 shakes out, I’d love to see Nikola Mirotic start. It makes all the sense in the world considering Hoiberg’s system and the style of play they’ll be utilizing, but I’m not sure if Hoiberg is going to come in and send one of Gasol or Noah to the bench. There’s already been talk about using the Gasol/Noah duo again, so it wouldn’t surprise me if that’s how it starts. Then obviously both Niko and Gibson will get minutes as well, and we may unfortunately see Mirotic at the 3 just to get him on the court.

A way to alleviate some of this logjam would be to make a deal. Gibson’s name has come up in trade rumors, and while I’m a big fan of Taj, it’d behoove the Bulls to explore the market in order to add a wing. Mirotic is the 4 of the future anyway, and now with Portis on board, he could slide into Gibson’s spot in the rotation. While that’s a downgrade, the potential upgrade at the wing/backcourt could make up for it. There’s always the danger of trading Taj and then the other bigs getting hurt, but that’s a risk they may have to take. I don’t think anything will happen now, but depending on how things play out, look for something at the deadline.

Hoops Rumors: 2014 first-rounder Doug McDermott‘s rookie season was unspectacular, to put it nicely. Will he ever justify his status as a lottery pick as well as what the Bulls gave up to acquire his draft rights? How much will the arrival of Fred Hoiberg help/hurt McDermott’s development?

Jason Patt: Doug McDermott’s rookie season was an utter disaster. He was bad, then hurt and then benched. I thought Thibs could’ve given him more of a chance on the wing later in the year, especially with Hinrich offering nothing, but it’s not like Doug showed much in his limited minutes to earn that time.

Living up to that draft status will be hard given the treasure trove of assets the Bulls gave up to acquire him, but all I’m really looking for out of McDermott at this point is the ability to be a competent role player. He’ll likely never be a strong defender, but if he can couple passable defense with elite outside shooting, that’s enough for me. There’s plenty of value in today’s NBA in a dude who can really shoot it, and spacing the floor for slashing guards like Rose and Butler is important.

The arrival of Hoiberg is probably the best thing to happen McDermott. He’ll have more of an opportunity in a free-flowing offense that should take advantage of his strengths. The second-year man also has a big opportunity to step up in this new system with Mike Dunleavy out for several months with a back injury, so we’ll find out right away if he’s going to make a noticeable impact this season.

Hoops Rumors: Jimmy Butler essentially parlayed one stellar season into a five-year, nearly maximum-salary contract that he inked this offseason. Will Butler live up to such a lofty deal, as well as all the expectations that come with the extra zeros on his paycheck? What do you see his stat line being this season under Hoiberg?

Jason Patt: There’s every reason to believe that Butler’s breakout campaign wasn’t a fluke. He’s one of the hardest workers in the league, and he spent all offseason refining his game and looking to improve. He’s trying to take on more of a leadership role this season, and as mentioned, look for him to take on more ball-handling responsibilities. We’ve already seen his improved playmaking in the preseason.

Jimmy’s stat line last season was 20/5.8/3.3 in 38.7 minutes per game. I anticipate him playing a bit less this season, but in Hoiberg’s uptempo system, I can see his numbers going up. Something like 22/6/4 on similar efficiency as last year (46%/38%/83%) is reasonable.

Hoops Rumors: There was quite a bit of talk two seasons ago, prior to Carmelo Anthony re-signing with the Knicks, that had Chicago as one of Melo’s preferred destinations. Looking back with the benefit of hindsight, would the Bulls have been better off today if they had acquired Anthony? Keep in mind that the team would likely have had to part ways with a number of valuable assets to facilitate a sign-and-trade with the Knicks, of course.

Jason Patt: The Melo question is an interesting one, especially in light of his own knee problems and some questions about his star status. Some of it depends on what the Bulls actually would’ve had to give up. Losing Butler and Mirotic in a trade wouldn’t have seemed like a huge deal at the time, but knowing what we do now about everything, that would’ve been a terrible deal for the Bulls. And even if you get Melo without giving up Butler, Jimmy probably doesn’t break out like he does, and/or you have a weird dynamic with Rose/Butler/Melo. In the end, I think it’s OK the Bulls didn’t end up with Melo, although it certainly would be interesting to see how that would’ve turned out because he’s still one of the best scorers in the league.

Hoops Rumors: Finally, it’s crystal ball time. What is your best (educated) guess on how the Bulls will fare in 2015/16?

Jason Patt: Even with all their problems, the Bulls still won 50 games last year, and that same team is back with a refreshing new philosophy. I anticipate them being around that win total again and challenging for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Ultimately, I think they’ll again fall short in the postseason, likely to the Cleveland Cavaliers, although if things break right, the talent is there for a run to the NBA Finals.

Top Bloggers: Ian Levy On The NBA

October 9th, 2015 at 10:59am CST by Zachary Links

Anyone can have a blog about an NBA team, but some set themselves apart from the rest with the dedication and valuable insight they bring to their craft. We’ll be sharing some knowledge from these dialed-in writers on Hoops Rumors in a new feature called Top Bloggers. As with The Beat, our ongoing series of interviews with NBA beat writers, it’s part of an effort to bring Hoops Rumors readers ever closer to the pulse of the teams they follow. Last time, we spoke with Eric Griffith of Blazer’s Edge. Click here to see the entire Top Bloggers series.

Next up is Ian Levy of Fansided’s Hardwood Paroxysm. You can follow Ian on Twitter at @HickoryHigh and click here to check out his stories. You can also follow Hardwood Paroxysm at @HPBNetwork.

Hoops Rumors: Carmelo Anthony is adamant that he won’t demand a trade from the Knicks. Given all of their struggles, are you buying that?

Ian Levy: Anthony had an opportunity to leave last summer but chose to stay in New York, one would assume for the money, consistency and continuity. I don’t believe for a second that he thought they were a playoff team last season, or that he thinks they’re competing for a championship this year. I think part of the attraction of New York is the blind optimism that help is on the way. I can absolutely see him hanging out and waiting for the cavalry to arrive.

Hoops Rumors: The Tristan Thompson issue is still dragging on. How do you see the Cavs resolving things with the 24-year-old?

Ian Levy: I don’t think the Cavs are budging and I don’t blame them. Thompson is a useful piece but the contract he’s asking for is out of whack with his actual value, even in the context of Cleveland’s roster. I think things get resolved when Thompson decides to compromise.

Hoops Rumors: Who do you think will be the surprise team of the 2015/16 season?

Ian Levy: The Oklahoma City Thunder. After their struggles last season it seems like everyone assumes they’re now a second-tier team in the Western Conference. Assuming health, I think they could be right there with the Warriors, Clippers and Spurs.

Hoops Rumors: Which team do you think will be the biggest bust this year?

Ian Levy: I’m not sure it will happen, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if the Miami Heat fell apart. They don’t strike me as particularly deep and the top of their rotation, while extremely talented, seems extremely fragile as well. Even nagging injuries for Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Goran Dragic or Chris Bosh seems like they could pull the whole house down.

Hoops Rumors: What can the Hornets do to try and offset the loss of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist?

Ian Levy: I think they’d be better off trying to mix in some small lineups and spread the floor a little. It’s difficult because they’re already stacked up front but giving Nicolas Batum more minutes at power forward than at shooting guard is probably good for the overall health of their offense.

Hoops Rumors: The rumors continue to swirl about Kevin Durant and where he might end up when he’s a free agent. What’s your gut feeling on what KD will do?

Ian Levy: Honestly, I don’t pay much attention to this sort of thing. Thinking about possible landing spots for Durant is far less interesting to me than thinking about how Billy Donovan will use him and Westbrook, what their bench rotations will look like, how minutes are managed between Steven Adams and Enes Kanter, and whether Dion Waiters can ever get out of his own way. As far as I’m concerned Durant is a member of the Thunder until he’s not.

Top Bloggers: Eric Griffith On The Trail Blazers

October 8th, 2015 at 11:30am CST by Chuck Myron

Anyone can have a blog about an NBA team, but some set themselves apart from the rest with the dedication and valuable insight they bring to their craft. We’ll be sharing some knowledge from these dialed-in writers on Hoops Rumors in a new feature called Top Bloggers. As with The Beat, our ongoing series of interviews with NBA beat writers, it’s part of an effort to bring Hoops Rumors readers ever closer to the pulse of the teams they follow. Last time, we spoke with William Lou of the score and Raptors Republic. Click here to see the entire Top Bloggers series.

Next up is Eric Griffith of SB Nation’s Blazer’s Edge. You can follow Eric on Twitter at @DeeringTornado and click here to check out his stories. You can also follow Blazer’s Edge at @blazersedge.

Hoops Rumors: How surprised were you that LaMarcus Aldridge went from pledging a long-term commitment a year before free agency, to reiterating that pledge before the start of last season, to bolting for the Spurs when he finally did hit the open market?

Eric Griffith: I was pretty surprised by Aldridge’s decision. From a financial perspective, it made a ton of sense for him to sign a one-year contract with Portland and then hit the market the following season. By signing a long-term deal with the Spurs this offseason he left literally tens of millions of dollars on the table. I thought the money alone would be enough of an incentive to stick it out for one more year with the Blazers.

In January, Aldridge also elected to play through a thumb injury rather than have surgery and miss several weeks during a crucial part of the season. To most Blazers fans that decision implied that Aldridge truly believed the Blazers had a shot at contending. For a player that rarely interacts publicly with the fans and is visibly uncomfortable in front of a mic and camera, that decision spoke volumes about his confidence in the team. Going into the offseason, I hoped that his belief in Portland as a championship caliber team had not wavered after an early playoff exit and that Neil Olshey could keep the team together for one more season. Unfortunately, Aldridge apparently decided that the aging Spurs are THAT much better than an intact Portland team. I’ll admit I was a bit surprised by that as well.

Hoops Rumors: Few teams can lose a star and have another, younger star lock in for a five-year extension the very same summer. How quickly do you think the Blazers can rebuild around Damian Lillard and become a surefire playoff team?

Eric Griffith: As of right now, the Blazers have one proven NBA starter and a team full of reserves. For Portland to become a consistent playoff threat they will need some of those reserve-level players to develop into quality NBA starters. The most likely candidates are Noah Vonleh, C.J. McCollum, and Meyers Leonard. Portland’s playoff chances will get a huge shot in the arm if one or two of those players can show consistent development this season.

The Blazers will also need at least one more All-Star to pair with Lillard, preferably at one of the wing positions. Unfortunately, there are few max-level free agents available next summer and the Blazers do not have the assets to complete a trade for a superstar, so they will likely have to rely on the draft to get that superstar.

As for when Portland will be a surefire playoff team, I think it’s virtually impossible to accurately predict right now. Too much of their future will be determined by player development this season and lottery luck over the summer. If they do get a “hit” on some of their young talent and do get a high lottery pick, then the Blazers could be a consistent playoff threat by 2018. But if all goes awry, they could easily be pressing the reset button again in a couple of seasons. (Griffith went into further detail on this topic here and here).

Hoops Rumors: Which of the moves the Blazers made this summer, aside from the Lillard extension, will help the team the most?

Eric Griffith: Both Mason Plumlee and Ed Davis have shown potential to become quality big men and they both will get plenty of chances to prove themselves this season. Both players also pair well with the perimeter game of Leonard. Either Plumlee or Davis could turn out to be the most helpful addition to the team for this season.

For the long term, many Blazers fans are salivating over Vonleh. He appears to have the potential to develop into an All-Star and is a good bet to at least become a solid rotation player. Olshey acquired Vonleh for Nicolas Batum, who was likely to leave in free agency after this season anyway, so anything Vonleh can give the Blazers can be considered a bonus.

A sneaky choice for the most helpful move might be trading a top-55 protected second round pick for Moe Harkless. The rumors coming out of training camp are that Harkless has been wowing his teammates with his athleticism and that his three-point shot has returned.

Hoops Rumors: How would the Blazers be different, both for this season and the future, if the Thunder hadn’t matched the Enes Kanter offer sheet?

Eric Griffith: It would have been interesting to see how Leonard would have been affected by Kanter’s presence. With the current roster, Leonard will, by necessity, be the primary scoring option from the power forward/center positions. Kanter presumably would have taken some of those shots from the low post instead of Leonard shooting from the perimeter. Leonard also fits well with the complementary skill sets of Davis and Plumlee, but defense would have been an issue if Leonard and Kanter had been paired together.

To me, the Kanter offer sheet (and the Greg Monroe one before it) is interesting because it implies that the Blazers are not content with their current power forwards and centers even though the 4/5 spots are the deepest and most complete on the roster. It’s easy to imagine the Leonard/Vonleh/Davis/Plumlee rotation becoming very effective in a year or two but, apparently, Olshey thinks that lineup still needs more tinkering.

Hoops Rumors: What are reasonable expectations for the Blazers this season? Is a playoff spot truly attainable?

Eric Griffith: The Blazers lost five of their top six players and struck out on their top two free agent choices. It’s tough to imagine any team making the playoffs after that kind of offseason, and the Blazers are no exception. Also, as mentioned above, they have only one established NBA starter. It’s going to be tough for them to win games, especially early in the season.

Looking at the Western Conference standings, it’s hard to pick out a team that is definitely worse than the Blazers. As of now, it seems like they’ll be in the conference basement with the Lakers, Nuggets, and possibly Timberwolves. So a reasonable expectation for Portland this season is probably a 13th-place finish in the conference. Over the last six seasons the 13th-place team in the west has averaged 27.7 wins, suggesting that a win total in the high 20s is a fair prediction.

Top Bloggers: William Lou On The Raptors

October 7th, 2015 at 5:21pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Anyone can have a blog about an NBA team, but some set themselves apart from the rest with the dedication and valuable insight they bring to their craft. We’ll be sharing some knowledge from these dialed-in writers on Hoops Rumors in a new feature called Top Bloggers. As with The Beat, our ongoing series of interviews with NBA beat writers, it’s part of an effort to bring Hoops Rumors readers ever closer to the pulse of the teams they follow. Last time, we spoke with Anthony Puccio of SBNation’s Nets Daily. Click here to see the entire Top Bloggers series.

Next up is William Lou, who is the NBA News Editor at the Score and a contributor at RaptorsRepublic.com, which is part of ESPN’s TrueHoop Network . You can follow William on Twitter at @william_lou and click here to check out his stories. You can also follow Raptors Republic at @raptorsrepublic.

Hoops Rumors: A number of the Raptors’ offseason moves appear to have been made with the intention of improving their defense, which was ranked No. 23 overall in the NBA last season. Do you think the team succeeded in this goal?

William Lou: The Raptors’ defense suffered last season because they had a roster of weak defenders that couldn’t keep up with the demands of their aggressive style of defense.

As for the roster, GM Masai Ujiri definitely improved his team’s defense by bringing in three plus defenders in Cory Joseph, DeMarre Carroll, and Bismack Biyombo, while jettisoning two minus defenders in Lou Williams and Greivis Vasquez. In doing so, Ujiri addressed his team’s two biggest weaknesses from last season: perimeter defense and shot-blocking.

However, it’s fair to question how much effect those newcomers will have on a Raptors’ defense that still employs the same head coach and the same core players. Early word out of training camp suggests that the Raptors might switch to a more conservative style of defense this season, which would especially minimize the defensive shortcomings of 23-year-old center Jonas Valanciunas. But until the team learns its new defensive scheme, it remains unclear as to whether an improvement has been made.

Hoops Rumors: The offseason additions of DeMarre Carroll and Bismack Biyombo appear to be tied directly to the team’s new defensive agenda. What do you think about these deals, and will Carroll’s performance live up to the level of his contract (four years, $58MM)?

William Lou: It’s a bit of a tired trope this offseason, but it’s true: the rising salary cap makes almost every deal signed this summer seem palatable. That especially applies to a player like Carroll, who was rewarded handsomely for posting just two productive seasons in the league to date, but it’s a fair price for a solid starter once the cap rises over the next two seasons.

Biyombo will make the room exception, which hardly dents the bottom line. The more interesting player is Carroll, who went from earning $2.5MM last season, to becoming the highest paid player on the Raptors.

Carroll was signed to strengthen an area of weakness for the Raptors. Terrence Ross’s inconsistency, lack of development, and defensive shortcomings made him a liability, so Ujiri opted for a two-way player like Carroll to nail down the starting small forward position. The Raptors needed someone to check the bigger wings and stretch four-types that gave the team fits on defense last season. Expect Carroll to reprise his role in Atlanta: He’ll guard the toughest wing assignment while serving primarily as a spot-up shooter on offense.

Hoops Rumors: The Raptors didn’t put up a much of a fight to retain reigning Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams this summer. Was it a simple matter of retaining cap flexibility, or was the team, which reportedly viewed Williams as a locker room distraction at times, simply trying to improve its chemistry? Who will make up for Williams’ production off the bench this year?

William Lou: There wasn’t any issue with Williams’ persona. He was an adored presence in the locker room, and despite his burgeoning popularity after Drake released “6 Man,” Williams is actually rather soft-spoken. The reason that the Raptors let Williams walk is because Ujiri wanted to sign two-way players who held up their end of the bargain on defense. Williams was a tremendous offensive weapon off the bench, but he couldn’t guard his position. There’s also a thought that Williams was let go because he played too much individual basketball — which, to be fair, was exactly the role that was asked of him.

Hoops Rumors: The addition of former No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett, who reached a buyout deal with the Timberwolves, certainly aids in GM Masai Ujiri‘s stated plan to add more Canadians to the roster. What do the Raptors hope to get out of Bennett this season production-wise? Do you think returning to his native country will jump-start his career, or will there be added pressure to perform well in front of his countrymen, so to speak?

William Lou: Realistically, no team can expect anything from Bennett, who struggled mightily in his first two seasons in the NBA. The former No. 1 pick needs to firmly regain his health, before making the leap toward becoming a contributor for a playoff club. But given that he was a former No. 1 pick, and the not-so insignificant detail of his nationality, the Raptors chose to take a flyer on Bennett for one year at the minimum. Given those terms, there’s hardly any cost, and if Bennett makes good on his promise, the Raptors will have netted themselves a young, useful contributor on the cheap. Moreover, power forward is something of a weak spot for Toronto, with every other position in the starting lineup spoken for. It would take a lot for Bennett to overtake Patrick Patterson or Luis Scola (the early favorites to land the start), but shoring up depth at a position of weakness can’t hurt.

Hoops Rumors: There was some uncertainty about whether the Raptors would bring back coach Dwane Casey for the 2015/16 campaign after the team was swept in the first round of this year’s NBA Playoffs. How stable is Casey’s job? What will be the largest determining factor if he is to return for 2016/17?

William Lou: I’m not in a position to speculate over Casey’s job certainty, but I can tell you that he’s entering the last guaranteed year on his contract (there’s a team option for 2016/17). As for Casey’s goals for next season, improving the defense and winning a round in the playoffs should be a must. If the team comes up short in either endeavor, finding a new head coach to lead this core would be a logical move.

Hoops Rumors: What are your thoughts on the four-year, $64MM extension that Jonas Valanciunas signed this offseason? Will he become the franchise player that the team hopes he can be, or will his athletic limitations prevent him from living up to his new contract?

William Lou: Valanciunas’ contract will effectively pay him to be an above-average center, a level that the young Lithuanian has already achieved through his first three years in the NBA. He’s durable, he can shoot, he’s a good rebounder, and he’s tremendously efficient finisher around the hoop. However, the jury remains out on Valanciunas’ potential to develop into a superstar. He certainly has the tools, but he’s still best deployed as a situational player. He lacks the versatility in his game to truly dominate.

Here’s what I mean by inflexibility. On offense, Valanciunas is only good for an easy bucket in the post, or for a bit of scoring out of the pick-and-roll, but he’s a woeful passer and he can’t shoot, which makes him a liability when he doesn’t have the ball. On defense, Valanciunas is a decent rim protector when he camps out in the paint, but he lacks the foot speed and the awareness to function against smallball lineups. In order for Valanciunas to reach the next level, he needs to become a well-rounded player that can function in many settings. Otherwise, it’s too easy to for other teams to play matchups to run Valanciunas off the floor.

Hoops Rumors: Finally, it’s prediction time. Looking into your crystal ball, give us your best (educated) guess on how the Raptors’ 2015/16 season will turn out.

William Lou: The Raptors take a step back offensively, but personnel and system changes lead to a top-10 defense. As a whole, the Raptors win 48 games and finish fourth in the East. In the playoffs, the Raptors defeat the Wizards in seven games before being swept by the Cavaliers in the Conference Semifinals.

Top Bloggers: Anthony Puccio On The Nets

October 2nd, 2015 at 3:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Anyone can have a blog about an NBA team, but some set themselves apart from the rest with the dedication and valuable insight they bring to their craft. We’ll be sharing some knowledge from these dialed-in writers on Hoops Rumors in a new feature called Top Bloggers. As with The Beat, our ongoing series of interviews with NBA beat writers, it’s part of an effort to bring Hoops Rumors readers ever closer to the pulse of the teams they follow. Last time, we spoke with Akis Yerocostas of SB Nation’s Sactown Royalty. Click here to see the entire Top Bloggers series.

Next up is Anthony Puccio of SBNation’s Nets Daily. You can follow Anthony on Twitter at @APooch and click here to check out his stories. You can also follow Nets Daily at @NetsDaily.

Hoops Rumors: How did things go so wrong with the Nets and Deron Williams? Do you chalk his struggles up to attitude issues, injuries, or do you wonder if he was never quite as talented as advertised?

Anthony Puccio: There were plenty of legitimate questions and reasons why Deron’s tenure in Brooklyn turned into a disaster. Talent was never one of them. It was more of a “perfect storm” type thing. You only relocate into a city like Brooklyn once. The Nets put all their marbles into Williams’ future with them, making him the first ‘face of the franchise’ in Brooklyn. They acquired certain players, lost picks, notoriously changed coaches several times, and spent a record-setting amount on their roster – all in order for D-Will to lead the franchise to success. Because of this, the expectations were justifiably high, thus meaning any disappointment on Williams’ part was emphasized even more so because of his power inside the organization.

Injuries certainly played a huge role in Williams’ on-court success with the team. But even that wasn’t the main issue. It was more that he couldn’t be the leader they expected him to be; the leader they expected to come when they handed over $100MM to him over the span of five years.

You know there’s something off when a future Hall of Fame player like Paul Pierce comes out and disses you to the public. You know something’s off when Joe Johnson – the epitome of what professional means – is said to have issues with you. You know there’s something off when you hear that the so called ‘face’ of your franchise allegedly tries to physically attack the fourth coach you’ve had in four years; the fourth coach they had all because they wanted to satisfy No. 8.

It was never about talent. It was more the pressure from the media and organization, lack of leadership, negative attitude, and of course – injuries, that put the sour taste in Brooklyn’s mouth. There are so many things that can be said as to why it didn’t work out. But above of all, Paul Pierce probably said it best – He just didn’t seem to want it.

Hoops Rumors: Given his age and salary, what kind of deal do you think the Nets could get for Joe Johnson?

Anthony Puccio: Over the summer, the Nets had talks with a few teams about trading (or dumping) Johnson. The Cavs were one team willing to take on Joe’s contract, but the Nets weren’t getting much in return. It was barely even a salary dump. One trade mentioned was between the Grizzlies and Nets, with the Nets possibly receiving guys like Jeff Green, Tony Allen, Courtney Lee, and/or Vince Carter.

If the Nets are out of playoff contention by the trade deadline, it wouldn’t surprise me to see a deal like this get done. Maybe not the Grizzlies in particular, but a similar situation: Nets looking to dump Johnson’s contract to a contending team looking to add one last piece. They’ll probably look for young pieces and/or picks in return.

Hoops Rumors: If you were put into Billy King‘s position today, what would your first three moves be to get the Nets back on track?

Anthony Puccio: No matter how important it is for the Nets to continue to win right now, I’d be looking out for the future. First, I’d somehow find a way to get some picks back. Then, I’d go out and find a legitimate starting point guard that doesn’t need ten-plus shots in order to be successful. With guys like Brook Lopez, Thaddeus Young, and Joe Johnson, the Nets need a pass-first point guard for their first unit. I’m not sure Jarrett Jack fits that role. Lastly, I would try to find some scorers that can log 15-20 minutes off the bench. I’m very unsure the Nets’ second unit can get it done with Andrea Bargnani and Wayne Ellington being the primary scorers off the bench.

Hoops Rumors: Speaking of King, do you think he’s the right man for the job? What’s your assessment of coach Lionel Hollins so far?

Anthony Puccio: King has taken a lot of the heat for moves that ownership wanted. Still, it doesn’t bail him out. Billy was hired to make bold, risky moves in order to transform a rebuilding team into championship contenders. No matter what unfortunate circumstances came about — namely D-Will — he’s failed to do so. And, for that alone, I don’t believe he’s the man for this job anymore.

Hollins, on the other hand, is the right man for this team. He has a bunch of young players with plenty of talent in need of some discipline and direction. His hard-nosed style was definitely tough for players to get used to, namely Brook Lopez, who clearly had a rocky relationship with Hollins at first. But in the end, Hollins made Lopez a tougher and more aggressive player towards the latter portion of the season, and it was just a sample of what Lionel has done his entire career. Just look at what he’s done for guys like Mike Conley, Marc Gasol and Allen.

Hoops Rumors: What were some of the things you liked about the Nets’ offseason?

Anthony Puccio: The Nets did plenty of good for their future this offseason. The first thing they did right was getting rid of Deron Williams. With D-Will gone, it gives the Nets a fresh start rather than sulking in his incompetence. They re-signed Lopez and Young, which gives them a nice frontcourt to start building around.

They nabbed two solid first-rounders in Chris McCullough and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, both whom the Nets viewed as lottery picks. The McCullough pick is interesting because they don’t have a first-round pick in 2016 – and being that he’ll be sidelined most of the season with an ACL tear, they’re essentially calling him their substitute pick for 2016.

I like the Bargnani signing only because the risk is extremely low. They paid him the veteran’s minimum to come off the bench and provide a scoring punch. With a happy Bargnani in Brooklyn, he may exceed the low expectations. Don’t let his past two seasons with the Knicks fool you. He’s averaged about 15 points per game during his nine-year career.

Top Bloggers: Akis Yerocostas On The Kings

September 23rd, 2015 at 12:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

Anyone can have a blog about an NBA team, but some set themselves apart from the rest with the dedication and valuable insight they bring to their craft. We’ll be sharing some knowledge from these dialed-in writers on Hoops Rumors in a new feature called Top Bloggers. As with The Beat, our ongoing series of interviews with NBA beat writers, it’s part of an effort to bring Hoops Rumors readers ever closer to the pulse of the teams they follow. Last time, we spoke with Seth Rosenthal of SB Nation’s Posting & Toasting. Click here to see the entire Top Bloggers series.

Next up is Akis Yerocostas, editor of SB Nation’s Sactown Royalty. You can follow Akis on Twitter at @Aykis16 and click here to check out his stories. You can also follow Sactown Royalty at @sactownroyalty.

Hoops Rumors: Is the relationship between George Karl and DeMarcus Cousins going to work out for the long haul? They seem to have smoothed out their differences, but will that last?

Akis Yerocostas: That’s the big question right now isn’t it? I’d like to pretend that I knew this answer but I don’t. In my opinion however, everything is going to be just fine IF the Kings can start winning some games. They say winning cures all ills, and DeMarcus Cousins hasn’t experienced a winning season since coming to the NBA. Cousins wants to win games, Karl wants to win games. That seems like a common goal that they can work with.

Hoops Rumors: The Kings have experienced so much tumult over the past few years, from nearly moving out of town to all the coaching changes to the Cousins trade rumors. Do you think the organization, from Vivek Ranadive on down, is committed to finally establishing some stability?

Akis Yerocostas: I think so. Vlade Divac is now fully in charge of this team and there seems to finally be a clear command structure in place. Before Vivek hired Vlade, there was no real understanding of who was actually running the basketball side of things. Was it Pete D’Alessandro, Chris Mullin, Vivek himself or one of the other numerous voices in the room? Vlade has made it clear this summer that this is his team to run and that he will be the final decision maker. Divac’s demeanor and candor have been refreshing for fans who had grown tired of hearing a lot of talk and not much to back it up. There’s not much B.S. with Vlade around and that’s a good sign for the future.

Hoops Rumors: How much better off would the Kings had been if they had signed Wesley Matthews or Monta Ellis, whom they were reportedly targeting, instead of splitting their cap space between Rajon Rondo, Kosta Koufos and Marco Belinelli?

Akis Yerocostas: I’m actually a bit happier that the Kings missed out on those two bigger names. While I would have loved to have a player of Matthews’ caliber on the team, the fact that he’s coming off of a major injury makes me a little squeamish about offering him what would have been the second biggest contract on the team. Ellis would have been a smaller financial commitment, but I’ve never been a fan of his fit on a team that already features two heavy usage scorers in DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay. The Kings were instead able to use that money to acquire some solid depth at key positions. Rajon Rondo might not be the Rondo of old anymore, but he’s still a top-tier playmaker and is only locked down for one year (meaning the Kings can cut ties pretty easily if things don’t work out). Koufos was probably one of the best bench bigs in the league last season and will bring a real defensive presence in the middle, and Belinelli brings the kind of shooting the Kings have been lacking for years. I don’t know if the Kings would have been able to add as much depth if they had signed Matthews or Ellis.

Hoops Rumors: Was the trade that opened up that cap space — sending Nik Stauskas, Jason Thompson, Carl Landry and a first-round pick to the Sixers — worthwhile for Sacramento?

Akis Yerocostas: The easy answer is that it’s too soon to tell. It will definitely become clearer down the road. The Kings made a big bet on themselves with this trade and so far I think it’s looking OK for them. They were able to use that cap space to make some nice value signings and replace players that hadn’t been very productive for the team. It can all go wrong of course, if the Kings continue to play poorly, or if Nik Stauskas becomes a very good player, but the Kings felt they needed to make a big move to shake things up and this was definitely a big move. Perhaps it would have been more prudent to wait and take a longer-term approach, but the Kings are nearing a full decade of missing the playoffs, they have a young, disgruntled star that they want to keep around for a long time, and they need to have some excitement around a team that is heading into a new arena in 2016. It’s not that hard to see why the Kings made such a bold and aggressive move.

Hoops Rumors: In the age of small ball, does it strike you as odd that the Kings are making moves that suggest they’ll have Cousins playing a lot more power forward?

Akis Yerocostas: Not necessarily. While I do think Cousins will play a lot more power forward this year, I think we’ll still see plenty of smaller lineups from the Kings. The lineup that George Karl used the most down the stretch of last season featured Omri Casspi and Rudy Gay at the three and four, respectively. Kosta Koufos is also the only really traditional big man the Kings brought in this season. Willie Cauley-Stein is athletic enough that I think he can eventually cover some of the NBA’s more perimeter-oriented frontcourt players. I expect that the Kings will play a fast-paced game and also feature guys like Rajon Rondo and Darren Collison on the court at the same time. They’ll also have the option to play a bigger, more traditional lineup depending on the matchup, which is a nice luxury to have.

Hoops Rumors: What are realistic expectations for how the Kings will fare this season?

Akis Yerocostas: I think the only realistic expectation we can have with the Kings this year is that they will be better than they have been in a long time. The real question is to see how much better. Given how tough the Western Conference is, I find it hard to predict them making the playoffs. I would like to see them at least in contention for a playoff spot past the All-Star break. That would be a huge improvement for this team and a good building block going forward.

Top Bloggers: Seth Rosenthal On The Knicks

September 22nd, 2015 at 5:15pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Next up is Seth Rosenthal of SB Nation’s Posting & Toasting, where Seth is both the founder as well as the editor-in-chief. You can follow Seth on Twitter at @seth_rosenthal and click here to check out his stories. You can also follow Posting & Toasting at @ptknicksblog.

Hoops Rumors: Do you think that the Knicks will seriously entertain the notion of trading Carmelo Anthony? If so, what factor(s) would push the franchise in that direction? What teams do you think ‘Melo would be willing to waive his no trade clause for to allow a deal to get done?

Seth Rosenthal: I don’t think they will, but if they do, it will be because ‘Melo demanded a trade. That possibility shouldn’t even come up otherwise. It has to be his idea. Based on previous interest, I figure he’d like L.A. or Chicago.

Hoops Rumors: The specter of Isiah Thomas still looms large within the Knicks organization, and apparently will for as long as James Dolan owns the team. How real a scenario is it that Thomas would rejoin the Knicks front office? What sort of backlash would you expect from the fanbase if Thomas were indeed to make his return?

Seth Rosenthal: I don’t think Isiah will join the Knicks in any real, official capacity (“advisor” again? Maybe.), at least while Phil Jackson is president. If he did, I think that’d be the last straw for a lot of Knicks fans.

Hoops Rumors: Team president Phil Jackson didn’t land a top-tier free agent this offseason, but he did make some intriguing additions to the roster. Which free agent addition do you feel was the strongest, and why? On the flip side, which offseason addition is most likely to disappoint? Why?

Seth Rosenthal: I think Robin Lopez is going to make things easier for everyone. On offense, he’s fantastic at setting screens, making basic passes, and cleaning up around the rim — just opening space for the four other players. On defense, he holds his own and works well as part of a unit. I think he’ll fit wonderfully and earn that big contract the Knicks gave him as long as he stays healthy.

Since I think any reasonable person expects Derrick Williams to play pretty poorly, I reckon the signing most likely to disappoint is Arron Afflalo. He’s had a weirdly up-and-down career and doesn’t move like he used to, so it’s entirely possible his shot betrays him and he’s a possession-swallower on offense while offering nothing on the other end.

Hoops Rumors: The draft day trade of Tim Hardaway Jr. to Atlanta reportedly upset Carmelo Anthony, who was a fan of the young swingman. I happen to love this trade, and believe that Hardaway needed a change of scenery to continue to develop as a player. Plus, I really like the addition of Jerian Grant, who fits a clear need for the team. What are your thoughts on the trade, and do you think that Jackson gave up on Hardaway too quickly?

Seth Rosenthal: Yes, that’s a fantastic trade. Grant may or may not be an NBA player, but dealing one of the least efficient rotation players in the league — a guy whose production degraded with each opportunity — for a first-round pick of any kind is a coup. Maybe Hardaway just wasn’t happy or comfortable, but I had no faith in his ability to improve in New York.

Hoops Rumors: The Knicks had a top-five pick for the first time since 1986, when the team drafted Kenny Walker. The selection of Kristaps Porzingis at No. 4 overall this year was widely debated, mainly because of the time it will likely take for him to develop. What are your thoughts on the pick, and what kind of production do you expect from the young Latvian this season?

Seth Rosenthal: Kristaps wouldn’t have been my pick, but the fact that the Knicks took what some perceived to be a gamble and didn’t just invest their pick in the oldest, most established, “readiest” prospect tells me there will actually be some balance to their team-building approach. It was a good sign that Phil Jackson isn’t focusing exclusively on wins during Carmelo Anthony’s contract — he appears to be weighing short-term and long-term equally so there can be a team around ‘Melo *and* a team once he leaves someday.

As for Kristaps himself, I’ve been really pleasantly surprised by the little I’ve seen of him. He moved so well in Summer League and particularly impressed with his defensive timing and footwork. I don’t think he’s going to be a consistently positive player in his rookie year, but I believe he’s ready for minutes, and I think there’s some chance he becomes a star. Definitely seems like he has the temperament to become one — it’ll just be a product of how seriously he and the Knicks take his development.

Hoops Rumors: And finally … it’s time to get your 2015/16 season prediction for the Knicks. What do you think the team’s overall record will be, and if you think the playoffs are in the cards, what seed will they earn?

Seth Rosenthal: I see them at somewhere between liiiiike 33 and 38 wins? And I figure they’ll be on the edge of the playoff race, maybe just narrowly missing it in the 9th or 10th seed. Which is fine.

Top Bloggers: Braden Shackelford On The Pistons

September 21st, 2015 at 11:31am CST by Zachary Links

Today’s interview is with Braden Shackelford of Fansided’s Piston Powered, where he serves as editor. You can follow Braden on Twitter @Shack_attack03, and click here to check out his stories.

Hoops Rumors: Brandon Jennings isn’t expected back from his torn left Achilles tendon until mid-to-late December. Right now, Detroit sees Jennings as a strong sixth man when he returns, but one has to imagine that they’ll be listening to trade offers if he looks sharp. Do you envision the Pistons trading Jennings before the trade deadline?

Braden Shackelford: Jennings has actually said he likes Detroit and willing to accept a role off the bench. Then again, he is in a contract year and coming off of a serious injury, so what else can he say? If Jennings comes back strong, I fully expect the Pistons to explore offers for him. But, if he’s healthy, why not see if he’s willing to return as a long-term sixth man too? At the right price, Jennings would be a great sixth man in Van Gundy’s offense.

Hoops Rumors: Greg Monroe says that he simply wasn’t wanted back in Detroit. Do you think the Pistons should have made a better effort to retain him?

Braden Shackelford: Yes, the Pistons should have tried, but I’m not sure it would have mattered. Even if the Pistons decided to offer Monroe a contract, I doubt he’d accept. As a free agent he can choose who he plays for. Why sign with Detroit knowing that there’s a good chance you could be flipped at any time? Sure the money was a little better if he signed with the Pistons, but Monroe said it’s not about the money.

Monroe was a bad fit next to Drummond, but the Pistons could’ve flipped Monroe later on for a piece that did fit the nucleus of the team. The argument for not pursuing Monroe is that money would’ve been tied up, hindering the pursuit of other free agents. Of course, the Pistons swung and missed on all of their free agent targets early, so it wouldn’t have been a huge deal.

Hoops Rumors: After giving Reggie Jackson a hefty $80MM deal, it’s clear that the Pistons think very highly of him. Exactly how good is Reggie Jackson and where do you think he’ll rank amongst the league’s top point guards after this season is through?

Braden Shackelford: Statistically, Jackson has a very good chance of finishing as a top ten point guard. In 27 games under Van Gundy he averaged [17.6 PPG and 9.2 APG] and it’s not far fetched to think he can do the same this season. He’s also reportedly been working on the mechanics on his jump shot, which is his most glaring flaw. I think Jackson has a very good chance at making the All-Star team this season, but it remains to be seen just how high his ceiling is.

Hoops Rumors: Speaking of big contracts, the Pistons gave Aron Baynes a three-year, $20MM deal that includes a player option after year two. Many consider that deal to be an overpay. Where do you stand on that?

Braden Shackelford: I would say that it wasn’t a great deal, but not because of the salary, but rather the terms of the contract. $20MM over three years with a rising salary cap isn’t overspending – it’s the player option on the deal that makes this a reach. If Baynes doesn’t live up to the salary he will opt-in and play an extra season at a salary he isn’t worth. If he outperforms his contract, he will opt-out and get more money in free agency. His contract puts the Pistons in a lose-lose situation.

Hoops Rumors: Now that you’ve had a few months to watch summer league action and digest things, how do you feel about the Pistons’ decision to draft Stanley Johnson over Justise Winslow?

Braden Shackelford: I love the pick. The Pistons would’ve been happy with either player, but Johnson’s personality – tough, confident, competitive, hardworking – really embodies the city of Detroit. He felt underappreciated, falling all the way to the eighth pick and he’s on a mission to prove he’s the best player in the draft. I don’t know that he’s the best player in the draft, but he has a chance to make a tremendous impact in his first season. I expect him to be in the Rookie of the Year discussion all season long.

Hoops Rumors: Do you think Markieff Morris will end up in Detroit this year? If so, what do you think the Pistons would have to give up?

Braden Shackelford: I don’t think it would take a [big] package of players to land Markieff Morris. He’s a really good player, but his attitude brings his value down. We answered this question in-depth on PistonPowered and came to the conclusion that the risks far outweighed the reward. There are a number of factors to consider here, but one thing that tipped the scales was that Marcus Morris said he wanted to grow as a player, something he felt he couldn’t do playing next to Markieff. The Pistons like what they have in Marcus and getting away from his often troubled brother is probably the best thing for him.