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Hoops Rumors Live Chat: 2/11/25
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ARTHUR HILL
11:02
Welcome to this week's chat. We'll start with a question on Monday's decision in the Timberwolves case.
Zakis
11:02
What does the arbitration hearing for the Wolves mean in the near and long term?
ARTHUR HILL
11:09
In a 2-1 decision, an arbitration panel signed with new owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez in their dispute with Glen Taylor. Lore and Rodriguez still have to be approved by the Board of Governors, which requires 23 votes from the other owners, but Monday's decision certainly helps their prospects. They're in a good position to gain control of the franchise at what has become a bargain price of $1.5 billion. Lore and Rodriguez have been buying the team in segments, and there have been rumors since the process started that they didn't have enough capital to complete the sale or operate the Wolves effectively once they gained control. They've repeatedly denied that, but they're likely to face difficult financial decisions very quickly.
11:15
Julius Randle can be a free agent this summer if he declines his $30.9MM player option. Will the new owners commit to a pricey, long-term contract, considering since he hasn't been an ideal fit in his first season in Minnesota? Also, some of the roster is starting to show some age. Mike Conley is 37, and Rudy Gobert is 32. Will Lore and Rodriguez be willing to spend to keep the team competitive? If they don't, there's a danger that Anthony Edwards will become the next unhappy star who wants a change of scenery.
Unclemike1526
11:15
Well once again the Bulls are playing for the play in tournament like it means something. Not only did they not trade a bunch of people, They actually re signed one with one knee. This really has to be the end for the AKME regime don't you think? How much more will it take before seats start to empty? Thanks
ARTHUR HILL
11:22
For years, we've heard that the Bulls need to pick a direction. Another trade deadline has come and gone, and it still doesn't seem like they have. They sent Zach LaVine to the Kings, but they may not have gotten a useful, long-term piece in return. Nikola Vucevic is still on the roster, Lonzo Ball was extended and it doesn't seem like the Bulls are really committed to rebuilding or trying to contend. A new front office is needed to clean up the current mess, but ownership seems committed to the current group. The Bulls have been poorly run for years, and an annual appearance in the play-in tournament seems like the ceiling. A fan revolt might be necessary for anything to change.
Reds fan Ryan
11:22
Who do you think the Cavs will add to their roster?
ARTHUR HILL
11:25
The Cavaliers were one of the winners of the trade deadline, paying a reasonable price to land De'Andre Hunter as a wing upgrade. The roster seems ready for the playoffs, but they might be in the market for another big shooter to replace Georges Niang. The Cavs may sign somebody to a 10-day contract or two while they wait to see who becomes available on the buyout market.
CHIP
11:25
Who has missed the most games in their history - Ben Simmons, Zion Williamson, Joel Embid, and Anthony Davis. In additional to games missed what are the % of games played ??
ARTHUR HILL
11:31
All four players are unique talents who could have enjoyed much different careers if they weren't so injury prone. I did some quick figuring, and coming into this season, Zion is at the bottom of the list, appearing in about 45% of his available games. Simmons is at 51%, Embiid at 53% and Davis is far ahead at 75%. All four have suffered significant injuries again this year, and it looks like that won't change for the rest of their careers.
Mavs
11:31
Will Dallas even make the playoffs? If not, will heads roll in the off season?
ARTHUR HILL
11:39
Things are getting ugly very quickly in Dallas, as Anthony Davis' latest injury has riled up Mavericks fans just as they were starting to get over the shock of giving up Luka Doncic. At 28-26, Dallas is tied in the loss column with the Kings, Warriors and Suns, and is only two losses away from the Spurs. Davis is out indefinitely and is expected to miss multiple weeks, so the Mavericks are in serious danger of missing the play-in tournament. They were also ejecting fans from their arena last night while Luka was being hailed as a hero in L.A., so the vibes aren't great. As far as heads rolling, team governor Patrick Dumont made a very strong public defense of the trade this weekend, so he can't really blame the whole thing on GM Nico Harrison.
Michaeljordansbigtoe
11:39
Can my team become a playoff contender again?
ARTHUR HILL
11:46
I wouldn't expect that to happen quickly. The Bulls gave up their best player last week for a meager return, and there's no one on the current roster who looks worthy of building around. They'll get to keep their draft pick this year, but they'll need a lot of lottery luck to land one of the prizes at the very top. It's hard to have much faith in the current regime to figure things out this summer. The Bulls probably need a house cleaning in the front office and a real commitment to rebuilding before they can think about contending again. They need to follow the path of Michael Jordan's other team, the Wizards, who at least have some young pieces already and are in great position to add more in this year's draft.
DJ
11:46
How many players can the Rockets realistically extend with the new cap rules?  It seems like the only sustainable model to building a team is finding 2 guys then constantly cycling 3-15.
ARTHUR HILL
11:55
It helps that they were able to get Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun to agree to below-max extensions. They'll probably be able to do the same with Jabari Smith and Tari Eason this summer. But they won't be able to extend all seven members of their young core and keep quality pieces around them. A trade for a more experienced franchise player has to happen at some point, maybe in this upcoming offseason. Devin Booker is probably their dream target, but it will likely be someone in that age range. Once that happens, the rest of the roster will become much clearer, and I think they're hoping to build around that star along with Green, Sengun and Amen Thompson.
JD
11:55
Who's the best free agent center out there for the Lakers to add?
ARTHUR HILL
12:01
Maybe Mo Bamba comes back? He was with the team at the end of the 2022/23 season and is a free agent after being waived by Utah, ironically so they could help facilitate the Luka Doncic trade. He can at least provide some quality minutes off the bench. Daniel Theis would have been a decent option, but he appears to be headed to Europe. There aren't many good choices in free agency right now, but the field could expand as players start to consider their buyout options.
Go Cavs !!!!!!!!
12:01
Do you think Kevin Love will be bought out, and if he is, do you think Cleveland would be interested?
ARTHUR HILL
12:04
Love hasn't played much this season, and he's probably just injury insurance for Miami right now. He's still a popular figure in Cleveland, and he might see a return as he best chance to win another ring before he retires. I think he's the type of veteran shooter that the Cavs should be looking for.
12:05
Thanks for all the great questions this week. We'll talk again next Tuesday.
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