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djsunyc
Posts: 44929
Alba Posts: 42
Joined: 1/16/2004
Member: #536
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John Hollinger: Hey everyone, let's get started ...
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Steven, Tallahassee FL: Do you think the Knicks have any chance of landing Curry in a sign and trade?
John Hollinger: If I were a Knicks fan I wouldn't waste too much time thinking about Curry. It appears the Knicks "rumor" was something dreamed up by Curry's agent. It's not clear what New York would have to offer that Chicago would want, especially with the Bulls looking to get under the cap next year. But this follows the general rule that all prominent free agents are, at some point, rumored to be headed to the Knicks, regardless of whether it's doable.
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Derek (Lynchburg, VA): How do you view the Jazz's pickup of Devin Brown? As a broader question, do I have any basis to be optimistic for the Jazz this year?
John Hollinger: I like the Brown pickup because he can play the shooting guard spot and defend the wings, two areas where Utah was really hurting. I'd be cautiously optimistic if I were a Jazz fine -- the front line is impressive, so if Brown stays healthy and D Williams is ready from the get-go, they can make a push for one of the final playoff spots.
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Brandon phx az: John, are the lakers going to sign Sprewell or is there any other gaurds they are looking at? How about Jay Williams? He would seem like a better move to me, low cost high potential. Thanks.
John Hollinger: There appears to be a strategic disconnect with the Lakers. On the one hand they're picking up guys like Bynum and Kwame and pretty much openly talking about rebuilding. But in the second half of the summer they've gone after the oldest guys they ciould find -- Derek Anderson, Payton, McKie, Sprewell. I don't get it. It's as though Phil thinks he still has Shaq and just needs a few vets to get him over the top.
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John (Irvine): With the addition of Mobley and Cassel, and a healthy Livingston, will the Clips be able to make a run for a playoff spot this year?
John Hollinger: The Clippers problem, as it has been for the last half decade, is that they're too cheap to build a bench. So they'll start the year fine, but as soon as Mobley tweaks an ankle or Cassell pulls a hammy they'll end up having to start somebody like Quinton Ross for a month, go 3-12, and end up out of the race. Their only chance is if nobody gets injured.
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JY (Toronto): From a long time reader, and a guy who has posted this question to you about a gagillion times!: Which young power forward in the East would you take this mintue to build around/complement other stars?? (Howard, Bosh, Okafor, Bil Al, etc)
John Hollinger: I would take Howard first, then Jefferson, then Bosh. All three of them look like they'll be at the all-star game in a couple years, but Howard has the highest ceiling.
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Shawn (Minneapolis): John, what is your prediction for the Milwaukee Bucks this year? Will T.J. Ford be back at full strength or is this a situation where the player never returns to their previous form?
John Hollinger: One thing to remember about Ford is that he wasn't all that good as a rookie. So his return isn't likely to be a huge determinant of the Bucks' success either way. The two factors that will be very important are 1) how good Bogut is, and 2) whether he and Gadzuric can play together in the frontcourt.
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Mark (The OC): John, Thanks for the good work. With Chad out, it is nice to know that ESPN had Tom Brady waiting the in wings... ...quick question- is Portland attempting to become the West Coast version of the Wizards? With the signing of Blake (or at least the intent to sign him) how will the backcourt minutes be divided? Is there still the thought that Telfair is the future? I know he had a great Summer League, however, with Blake and Dixon on board... Mark
John Hollinger: Thanks, although this comparison unfairly compares Chad to Drew Bledsoe. I'd like to think of it more as Montana handing off to Steve Young ... at any rate, don't worry about Telfair, he's still their guy. Blake isn 't any kind of threat to become a starter, and he'll be battling for scraps with Jarrett Jack as the backup. Dixon seems headed for the off guard spot and could even start if Martell Webster proves unready.
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Nathan (VA): How badly does losing Larry Hughes hurt Washington's chances of returning to the playoffs this season?
John Hollinger: It hurts, but they made a nice save by getting Butler and Daniels. I'd still rather have Hughes, but the Wizards should be able to grab a No. 6 or 7 spot in the East this year.
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Kevin, Boston MA: Can you tell me why the Celtics haven't seriously considered trading Paul Pierce yet? His lack of leadership skills is not what this team needs. Antoine kept Paul in check and took a lot of the leadership pressure off of him, but now that him and Gary are gone, the Celts are going to lean on Paul again. He's a great player, but not what the Celtics need. Your thoughts?
John Hollinger: I've gotten a lot of messages from Celtics fans wanting to trade Pierce. Here's the thing: Focus on who you can get, not who you can get rid of. The concept of getting rid of Pierce sounds nice until its the fourth quarter of your first game and you're running plays for Raef LaFrentz and Tony Allen because you traded your best scorer. While I think a change of scenery might be beneficial, I wouldn't pull the trigger unless I could replace his still enormous output.
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Nathan (DC): I don't understand why people are not high on the Sixers. They played the Pistons in the playoffs and Iguodala and Dalembert are very good young players. Webber may be on the downswing but with his passing he is still one of the best PFs in the East and the team went 17-11 after they picked him up. Not to mention they have a top 5-10 player in AI. Would you really rather have the lineup of the Wiz, Bulls, Bucks and Knicks over this group?
John Hollinger: I wouldn't take the Knicks over this team, but I'd take the others in a heartbeat. While it's technically true that they "played" the Pistons in the playoffs, they certainly didn't play them competiitvely, and this year will be worse.
The Sixers' bench is an open sore that will be exposed when Webber and Iverson each miss their 15-20 games, and the other starters aren't good enough to pick up the slack. If Cheeks can play .500 with these guys it will be an accomplishment.
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Phil - East Hartford, CT: Why did the Nets settle for Marc Jackson with their trade exception? Couldn't they have gotten a Songolia or a Theo Ratliff? Please enlighten me?
John Hollinger: I wouldn't call it settling. Actually, I think it was a pretty nice save considering how little time they had to pulul the trigger. I'd rather have Jackson than those two guys. Ratliff looked finished last season and his contract made it impossible to acquire him for their trade exception anyway, while Songaila didn't fit the bill because he can't play center.
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Jim (Detroit): Are the Pistons the two time defending NBA champs if Rasheed Wallace doesn't make his "bonehead play" in game 5 by leaving Robert Horry wide open for a three?
John Hollinger: Seems like it. Be interesting to see where Larry Brown is coaching in that parallel universe too.
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Dan (MI): What do you think of my Pistons off-season moves??
John Hollinger: Well, they certainly took their time, but they succeeded in improving the bench. Evans is a lot better than the Ham/Dupree types that had been backing up on the wings, and Dale Davis and Maxiell and a possilby improved Darko should take some of the heat off that three-man rotation in the frontcourt.
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Rich (Ridgewood, NJ): Do you think the Nets have a legitimate shot at making the eastern conference finals? With the trio of Kidd/Carter/Jefferson dont' you think they have good supporting big men and veteran bench?
John Hollinger: I would say their fourth or fifth in the preseason picking order, behind Detroit, Indy and Miami and roughly even with Cleveland. The Nets COULD end up in the conference finals, but a lot of things would have to break their way. I do like the moves to upgrade the bench and add shooting, though.
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Nate -Houston,TX: I saw that ESPN has the Rockets projected as number four in the west...that should be at least number two right John?
John Hollinger: Not sure I'd go that high. I love the Swift addition, but I'm also very worried about all those old guards.
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Jeff, New Haven: Do you really feel that Darko improved enough to play meaningful minutes?
John Hollinger: It's too early to say. But on a positive note, he's put in some good minutes for Serbia-Montenegro in the European Championships this week.
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Nate (Madison): Do the Bucks plan to move Bogut to a PF/C and play with Gadzuric at the same time? Or is he going to play mainly at the C position?
John Hollinger: I expect them to try it in the early season and see how it works, but I also expect Smith to be starting next to Bogut at tip off. However, Milwaukee also is talking about playing small at times and putting Simmons at PF with Redd, Mason and Ford.
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Gabriel (baltimore): John, Many people think the Suns will take a big drop. Whats your prediction?
John Hollinger: Depends what you mean by big drop. If it means winning 50-55 games instead of 62, then count me in.
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Lloyd (Chicago): Any chance of the Bulls getting KG from the T'wolves. Seems like the currently configured T'wolves are going nowhere. The Bulls could give up Chandler, Hinrich, Deng in the deal, and maybe snag Wally as well.
John Hollinger: Out of curiousity, are you sitting in a smoke-filled basement with Lamar Odom, Jason Williams and Onterrio Smith right now?
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Matt (Destin): Do you see Stromile Swift evolving into a star in Houston?
John Hollinger: A minor star -- clearly the third-best player on the team, probably average in the high teens, shoot a good percentage and make two highlight reel plays a night.
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Roy, Denver: Disgruntled Lakers fan,here. John, with this strategic disconnect they have going, will they be doing anything else before training camp in the way of trades/signings/under water basket weaving? Thanks.
John Hollinger: It certainly seems they need another guard or two (or three or four), especially if Vujacic isn't ready to contribute. Seems like they might want to bring back Jannero Pargo for some insurance; after him the crop looks mighy thin.
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Luke (Memphis): Please answer a Grizzlies question: How far has this team dropped in the Western conference this offseason? Do they have a legit shot at the playoffs or are they falling back into the life before Hubie/Czar?
John Hollinger: It's not going to be easy but they can make the playoffs if Bobby Jackson stays healthy and Pau steps up. They also should think about using Tsakalidis more in the middle so they don't get killed inside every night.
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Brian (Chicago): Looking into the future, who do you see playing in the Olympics in 08. Meaning of the players that you think would go and make the squad.
John Hollinger: I think the youngers guy on the '04 team want to go back -- Stoudemire, Wade, Anthony, LeBron, Boozer. But the bigger question is the backcourt, because the team has to have some shooters this time. I would hope guys like Mike Miller, Joe Johnson and Ben Gordon go out for the team, because having a few guys like that is going to be the key.
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Jim (chicago): Do you see the Bulls improving on their breakout season or just treading water to get under the cap?
John Hollinger: Definitely the latter. The moves to get Songaila (if they ever complete it) and Malik Allen were helpful and I presume Curry will sign the tender, but so many of the vets were over their heads last year that Chicago will have a hard time just getting back to 47 wins.
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Leonard, Maryland: John, Even with the addition of Larry Brown do the Knicks have a chance of making a playoff run? I want to know where the front line scoring is going to come from Mike Sweetney and Tim Thomas?
John Hollinger: The Knicks can get into the playoffs solely on the strength of Brown, but winning a series seems highly unlikely. As for post offense, Sweetney can fill it up, but the Knicks have too many other holes.
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Folkestad (Aurora, CO): How will Marko Jaric fit in with Minesota? It looks like a terrible defensive team with Jaric, Szczerbiak, McCants and whatever stiff mans the middle.
John Hollinger: Minnesota has two options: Start Hasell on the perimeter for his defense and Jaric at the point, or play Jaric on the perimeter and live with his gambling while playing Hudson and Carter at the point. I think they'll end up doing the latter just because Hassell provides so little offensively.
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David, Brownsville, Texas: I recently read the article you wrote in which you mentioned that the Spurs might not be that much better than last years team with the addition of Finley and Van Exel. Then again Finley and Van Exel have never played with a player with the caliber of Tim Duncan that makes everyone around him so much better.
John Hollinger: Two years ago Finley played on a Dallas team that was the best offensive team in the past 35 years. You can't get your teammates to make you much better than that. Van Exel was on that same Dallas team the year before when they merely the third-best. But offensively, any Dallas team of the past five years was substantially better than the Spurs. It's only because of defense that San Antonio won more games.
John Hollinger: Folks, that's all the time I have, but there's just two weeks until camp so we'll do this again soon.
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9/21/2005 9:15 PM