Sixteen Roundtable: Hot Topics Edition
Sometimes we come together to analyze some hot topics in the NBA today. Joining our discussion this time around are some new writers who are contributing to Sixteen: Matthew Way, Al Grullon, Max Seng, Dre Elder along with myself, Sharon Brown.
1. Adam Silver sent a memo to teams regarding resting players. What are your thoughts on teams resting key players?
Matthew: In terms of resting players, teams should be doing whatever is in the team’s best interest. If the league believes that there’s an issue with so many star players resting, it should be addressed through the collective bargaining agreement, not by trying to influence teams’ allocation of minutes. As a fan, I would like to see teams do a better job of limiting players’ minutes during the game rather than sitting them for entire games. LeBron is playing 37.5 minutes a game, and often times, he’s on the floor unnecessarily late in blowouts.
Al: I am glad that Adam Silver is starting to take notice of this being an issue and trying to fix the matter. I do not have a problem with teams resting players when there are injury concerns, but why rest a player just to give them a day off? Besides the on-court issues this presents, it is starting to affect the business side as well. There are fans traveling from far away and spending a lot of money to see their favorite players and they get to the arena to find their beloved idol is taking the night off. It is not fair to the fans. Simply play the players when they are healthy and, if rest is needed, simply reduce their minutes for a couple of games.
Dre: I hate it for parents who brave ticket resale markets and make travel arrangements for their kids to see their favorite players, only to find them sitting out to rest. But, this is the new reality where fans learn they are not the priority. Basketball has an end goal and teams are acting accordingly by putting their interests first. And while the optics are not optimal, players are not entertainers. They are not solely obligated to serve fans. Personally, I believe players should play when healthy, but the only solution here is to shorten the regular season.
Max: The fan thing is really tough, because most people buy tickets far in advance of these decisions being made. But the end goal is to have these guys at their best in April, May and June. Ideally, you’d want everyone playing in nationally televised games, but most nights carry at least one national game now. I’m not a proponent of going away from 82 games. The answer lies somewhere in eliminating preseason games in favor of continuing to slim down back to backs and four in five nights.
Sharon: Teams should have the final say on player’s playing time however, teams do need to take into account when resting players especially for national TV games. The league needs to do something about the schedule for sure. This will ensure that teams won’t be put in the position where they have to rest players during the national TV games. The fat contracts a lot of players were signed in the off-season were due to the massive TV deal the NBA agreed to. Teams can’t continue to make their sponsors mad.
2. Do you think LaVar Ball comments will hinder his sons potential NBA careers?
Matthew: LaVar Ball’s comments are fun for the media and fans — they’ve given us something to talk about on a nearly daily basis lately. At the end of the day, though, his sons will be judged on the basis of what they do on the basketball court. Lonzo was a highly touted prospect and is a projected top 3 pick because of his terrific basketball IQ, passing ability, and efficient scoring. It has little to do with what his dad says off the court, and teams aren’t going to pass on his immense talent just because of his dad’s comments.
Al: I hate to say this, but I am going to say it: I am sick and tired of LaVar Ball. I could be wrong, but the way that I see it, he is simply trying to make himself relevant based on the success of his three sons. I strongly believe that some NBA GM’s and scouts will think twice about drafting one of his sons for the simple fact that they will have to deal with LaVar and his nonsense on a daily basis.
Dre: The short answer is no. Lavar Ball has quickly become the Don King of basketball. But something tells me he’s been blabbering long before he was rewarded with microphones and cameras. Though Lavar’s comments will bring increased scrutiny to his sons, their talents and work ethic will be the deciding factors. Lonzo Ball has drawn Jason Kidd comparisons from lots of unbiased basketball people and will be a top-three pick in the upcoming draft. It’s on him and his younger brothers to not let their father’s mouth write checks that their games can’t cash.
Max: Leveraging his son’s talent and marketability is pretty brilliant, and was eventually going to happen. But all of the stuff about being better than Stephen Curry and beating Michael Jordan 1-on-1 is obviously ludicrous. I think that it is one thing when his son(s) are in high school and college to be doing the ESPN carwash, but once Lonzo is drafted I really hope Lavar takes a step back from his oldest son. There’s a certain point every parent has to step back, certainly from interacting with the media on their child’s behalf. Lonzo can speak for himself.
Sharon: LaVar Ball is a comedian and knows exactly what to say to keep himself relevant. I tend to think it will backfire on his sons maybe in the long run and I hope I am wrong. Fans and media members were very hard on Lonzo Ball after the loss to Kentucky during the NCAA tournament. Eventually, I wish LaVar Ball will disappear from the media spotlight and let his sons skills on the basketball court speak for them. However, we are in the age of supply and demand. As long as LaVar Ball has something to say, others will listen.
3. What playoff match-up are you looking forward to? Why?
Matthew: I’m looking forward to a potential Warriors-Jazz matchup. The Jazz play at the slowest pace in the league, and do an outstanding job of shortening games. The ability to shorten games is especially valuable as a significant underdog, which the Jazz would be against the Warriors. A game with fewer possessions means higher variance, and a generally better chance of winning as an underdog. Add in Rudy Gobert’s ability to single-handedly shut down pick-and-roll possessions, and it’s clear the Jazz are uniquely built to give the Warriors trouble in a playoff series, even if their path to victory is an uphill battle.
Al: A possible first round matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets would be must watch TV. James Harden and Russell Westbrook are currently leading the way in the MVP race and watching these two go at each other for a chance to advance to the second round would be extremely fun to watch. The Rockets and Thunder have both performed much better than expected this season and it would be fun to see which MVP candidate can step up and lead their team to the second round of the playoffs.
Dre: I’ve known the answer to this ever since Kevin Durant announced his decision to sign with the Golden State Warriors. There is no playoff match-up that comes remotely close to the talent, intrigue, and healthy hatred of a Warriors-Cavaliers rematch in the NBA Finals. Will Durant’s controversial decision yield his first NBA championship? Or will the legend of LeBron James continue its exponential growth? The only disappointment surrounding this match-up is that it’s three months away provided both teams make it as expected.
Max: It has to be Jazz-Clippers. There’s so much at stake on both sides. For the Clippers, what would likely be the last year of a six-year run with the CP3-Blake-DJ trio if they bow out in the first round. And for the Jazz, their audition to convince Gordon Hayward (and themselves) what they’ve built is sustainable and can be improved upon. How much do the Jazz use their Joe Johnson small ball lineup? How will the Clips respond against adversity? So many delicious storylines.
Sharon: Honestly, I would like to see the Rockets vs. the Warriors. I can imagine a shoot-out every night with both teams. The Warriors will meet up with a team who can shoot just as good as they can. I want to see if the Warriors bench is able to compete with the Rockets bench. James Harden vs Steph Curry would be great for TV ratings.
4. What team do you think will be a ‘sleeper’ in the playoffs?
Matthew: If the Milwaukee Bucks stay out of the 8 seed, they could certainly change the complexion of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Boston, Washington, and Toronto are all vulnerable in one way or another. Playoff series are often decided by who has the best player in the series, and Giannis Antetokounmpo has the ability to be that guy against anyone in the East outside of Cleveland. The Jabari Parker injury certainly hurts, but the Bucks have been playing terrific basketball since the return of Khris Middleton. The Bucks won’t win the East, but they can certainly win multiple series.
Al: The Utah Jazz is a team that will surprise a lot of people in the playoffs. Many basketball fans outside of Utah do not follow the team enough to know how good they are. The Jazz are one of the best defensive teams in the league and have a great mix of talented players led by their young core of Gordon Hayward, Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors and veterans George Hill, Joe Johnson and Boris Diaw. The Utah Jazz have been playing great basketball as of late and they could be a sleeper come playoff time.
Dre: John Wall and Bradley Beal are among the NBA’s best backcourts. But their supporting cast has me believing the Washington Wizards will be a dangerous foe. They have a potent offensive attack featuring six double-figure scorers. Otto Porter is averaging career highs in virtually every statistical category. The additions of Bojan Bogdanovic and Brandon Jennings have bolstered a previously futile bench. And the Wizards have stood toe-to-toe with the Cavaliers this season. This team is primed to become a perennial contender.
Max: The Milwaukee Bucks! Sitting in the fifth seed as of Saturday and slotted to face the Toronto Raptors, the red-hot Bucks are 11–3 in the month of March. With Kyle Lowry still out and not slotted to return until the end of the regular season, it may leave much room for error for Lowry or the Raptors. Let’s remember they were pushed to seven games last year by the Indiana Pacers in that spot. For a team who basically rented Serge Ibaka for this playoff run, I’m sure they don’t want to see the Fighting Antetokounmpo’s in the first round.
Sharon: The Utah Jazz more than likely will be a spoiler in the playoff. They have the number one defense in the league. Quin Synder has done an awesome job with this team. Rudy Gobert could very well be named the Defensive Player of the year. Gordon Hayward is having a great year and he even made his first All-Star appearance this season. With young players to go along with established veterans, the Jazz has the right pieces to win a playoff series or two.
