The Half Court Heave Panel: Fifth Edition – 2017 NBA Finals, Draft Prospects and More

The Half Court Heave is a panel of four writers: Two Def Pen Hoops writers, myself, and the most chill writer I could find on Twitter to join a roundtable. Or mailbag. More like a panel. Something of that sort.

The goal of the Half Court Heave is to ask and answer the very pressing questions concerning this thing called basketball. Questions that pop up on the interwebs during the week – on Twitter, Reddit, Facebook and not Google Plus. And we’ll get them answered for you.

Yes, just for you.

Hot takes are welcome here. Welcome to the Fifth Edition of the Half Court Heave. (you can find the fourth edition here.)

This week’s edition of the Half Court Heave features some dope writers. Here’s who they are, what they do, and where you can block them for their horrendous takes.

James Holas: James is a contributor for BBallBreakdown as well as appearing on PressBasketball’s Away Team and Almighty Baller’s B.O.D. podcast. You may know him by his infamous Twitter username. James will (not) meet you in Temecula, California. You can find him on Twitter @SnottieDrippen.

Nick Arguelles: Nick is a daily NBA writer for Def Pen Hoops, as well as the beat Washington Wizards writer for 16 Wins A Ring. Nick is a suffering Washington sports fan, and will fight you if John Wall isn’t your favorite point guard. You can find him on Twitter @Nick_Argue.

Ryan Niemchick: Ryan is the local daily fantasy sports expert here at Def Pen Hoops and Def Pen Sports. He is obsessed with Devin Booker’s playmaking ability. He also is “twitter famous” for calling his dog “dum.” You can find him on Twitter @RyanNiemchick.

And of course, myself, Austin Hutchinson. I help write, edit, and strategize content here at Def Pen. You can find me on Twitter @AE_Hutchinson.

Let the fun begin!

1.) LeBron James is averaging a triple double in the 2017 NBA Finals. Is Cleveland’s impending doom a knock on his all time resume?

Holas:

This question, like making the perfect Polynesian quail eggs souffle, takes a ton of subtlety and nuance to answer correctly (I just made up Polynesian Quail Egg Souffle).

“Should” it impact his legacy? All the math says it shouldn’t: the Warriors sport two MVP level players in their prime and two other all-stars in their primes are greater than one MVP (even if he’s in the running for G.O.A.T.) and two all-stars. Before the series, ESPN’s NBA BPI (Basketball Power Index) crunched the numbers and gave the Cavs a measly 7% chance to take home the O’Brien trophy.

Cleveland had to have everything break JUST right last year to overcome the Warriors 3-1 lead, and Harrison Barnes’ wimpy 9 points and 35% was one of those breaks. Golden State swapped out their weakest link for arguably the second best player in the league, while the Cavaliers added Deron Williams and Kyle Korver. The Warriors are SUPPOSED to win this; the math is just not in LeBron James’ favor.

WILL this loss impact his legacy? When we’re talking the best of the best, historic level players, the resumé is what it is; LeBron will have lost 5 of his 8 finals, and his Cavaliers will have underachieved all season, then get themselves cleaned up by the Golden State machine. It’s not anywhere near as big a stain on his legacy as Bron’s 2011 finals meltdown (18 points per game while guarded by the likes of Jason Terry and Jason Barea? C’mon), but it certainly doesn’t help in his “Is he the best ever?” argument.

Arguelles:

I think you’d be hard pressed to find someone with any type of knowledge that truly believes if/when LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers lose this series that this will be a knock on his all time resume.

Yes, I like everyone else in the world are aware a Finals loss would put James’ Finals record of 3-5. Other than the MJ and Kobe stans salivating over that, the consensus after this years finals should be a positive one for James. As stated in the question, James is averaging a triple double of 32/10/10 and it should also be noted he passed Magic Johnson for most Triple Doubles in NBA Finals history with nine.

Now, I’m no Nick Wright but I recognize greatness when I see it. This is arguably one of, if not the best, version of LeBron James we have ever seen and he’s 32 years of age. He’s opposed his will on the Golden State Warriors for three straight seasons and as a result they had to add their fourth All-Star and second former MVP in Kevin Durant to take him down. That narrative alone speaks volumes and hopefully makes more people realize how good LeBron James is.

Niemchick:

As a kid from Michigan who has always hated everything from Ohio, I’ve always been sort of biased against LeBron and rooted against him a bit. However, he is the greatest player of all time in my opinion still. So in short, no this predicted upcoming loss to probably the greatest team of all time is not a knock on his resume.

Hutchinson:

Since Jordan is the pedestal in which we (basketball fans in general) define greatness, many of us are obsessed with perfection in the NBA Finals. I don’t know if I can see another meme with Kobe’s or Jordan’s rings and how that immediately makes LeBron James a lesser player all time.

Some things need context to be understood – this is one of those things. LeBron might not be Michael Jordan, but the fact he’s been to nine straight NBA Finals, won a handful, led countless teams that wouldn’t even scratch the playoffs without him deep into the postseason, etc. makes him one of the greatest to ever play.

Now, is complete dominance by Golden State in these Finals another nail in his coffin? Those who do take the time to understand and watch how simply dominate LeBron are missing out. That should be enough to sway the majority opinion to “these finals shouldn’t affect his all time resume.” However for some, his failure to win every single NBA Finals appearance will unfairly sway their opinion of his career. Not much we can do.

2.) The 2017 NBA Finals’ Most Valuable Player has to be Kevin Durant. But does Stephen Curry deserve it as well? Where does the line draw between most impactful and better overall?

Holas:

As of now, especially after Curry’s Game 4 stinker (4-13 shooting, 14 points), KD has the Finals MVP in a chokehold. I get it; there’s all the bruhaha about how the Dubs’ are 30 points better with Curry on the floor than off, yada yada, but KD is first or second among Dub starters in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, three point shooting, true shooting percentage, and free throws tried and made. He’s been the Warriors best player on both sides of the ball, and he’s (for now) the MVP.

Arguelles:

Kevin Durant playing out of his mind and winning Finals MVP at the same time Stephen Curry is also performing at a high level is the scenario I think we all saw coming.

Through four games, Durant is averaging 34.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and has an impressive split of .523/.433/.914. As for Curry, he is averaging 25 points, 8.5 rebounds, 9.3 assists and a split of .423/.425/.958. While Curry’s play deserves strong consideration, Durant ultimately is more deserving of the award.

He’s sparked the debate of whether he’s the best player in the NBA, having his way offensively, having a terrific defensive series, guarding LeBron for the majority of the series and hit the biggest shot of the series in game three. In game four, Durant seemed to be the only Warrior ready to face some adversity and kept Golden State within striking distance all game long.

Durant checks off the most impactful box by becoming the leader of this Warriors team and an obvious check of best overall players. While it may be a fun debate, I truly believe we shouldn’t consciously be trying to overthink this one. Curry’s played great and deserves consideration, but KD has been playing out of his mind and rightfully should be MVP.

Niemchick:

If/when the Warriors win the series, Kevin Durant will be the MVP. Despite how well Curry had performed in the first three games as well its pretty clear to me that no one else should deserve the award other than KD. He has been both the most impactful and best overall based on what I have seen.

Hutchinson:

Let me preface this by saying, Kevin Durant will very very likely be the NBA Finals MVP. He is scoring at a ridiculous output and efficiency. His defense has been top-notch. He is the piece that brought Golden State over top to be better than Cleveland. The narrative fits it perfectly.

That being said, Stephen Curry’s presence on the floor is more impactful to the Golden State machine than Kevin Durant. When he leaves the floor, its not the same team. Their offense is missing it’s most integrated deadly weapon. This Golden State team may be better than Cleveland just by having a healthy Stephen Curry.

Don’t get me wrong; Kevin Durant is the superior player on both sides of the ball. The ability to score at will and the his expansive wingspan gives him the edge. But does that suggest his “valuableness” is as much as Curry because he has better box score stats?

Yes, I’m reading too much into this. Not everything needs a bucketload of context. Durant will likely win FMVP, barring him having a stinker Game 5 and Curry lighting Cleveland up. This award comes down to the narrative of what Durant means to Golden State; I cannot read the minds of the 11 voters, but I smell a co-Finals MVP on its way.

3.) Where does Cleveland go from here? Do they trade Kevin Love? Stay put?

Holas:

I can’t think of an equivalent to the current NBA landscape: the two best teams are untouchable by the rest of their respective conferences, and the Cavaliers aren’t in the same weight glass as the monster that they’ve built-in the Bay Area.

The Cavs flaws- lack of roster versatility and a dearth of two-way impact players (outside of LeBron)- are on full display against the athletic, long, fast-twitch Warriors. Is there a way for the Cavaliers to add a high-level piece AND bolster the defense without giving up any of its three-man core of Love-Irving-Bron?

Probably not. The Cavs are cash strapped, and outside of its Big Three, the franchise is short on attractive assets.It wouldn’t make sense for Cleveland to get waxed in the finals and just stand pat. Kyrie provides vital secondary (and at times, primary) scoring to offset Bron’s all around awesomeness?. That leaves Love; he’s been statistically good-to-great in these playoffs, and his shooting and rebounding are unmatched by any other power forward.

But would Indiana, desperate to get something back for a noncommittal Paul George, be open to a swap for Love and future picks? Could Stan Van Gundy be persuaded to cough up, say, Tobias Harris and Stanley Johnson and pieces for Love? Neither of these moves scares Golden State, probably, but as we see in these finals, unless LeBron, Kyrie, and Love play near-perfect basketball, the Cavs don’t stand a chance as currently constructed.

Arguelles:

This is quite the predicament the Cleveland Cavaliers are facing once their season ends.

On one end of the spectrum, the Cavs could keep Kevin Love, possibly add a vet backup for the MLE and continue to roll with the same unit they have. They more than likely run through the east again but run into the juggernaut Warriors and most likely lose. On the other side of the spectrum, the Cavs could trade Love but who could they get?

The first name that has been floated around is Paul George on the Indiana Pacers. I doubt the Pacers would swap George for Love, who has a slight injury background and is 29 years of age. The Pacers will more than likely be looking for draft picks and some assets so a Love trade is unlikely. The name floated around earlier in the season was LeBron’s banana boat buddy, Carmelo Anthony. It’d be an interesting move because he could actually give LeBron this thing called rest every now and then.

However, both these moves are unlikely for the Cavs who don’t have a favorable cap situation or trade assets to sweeten the pot. Whatever the case may be, the Cavs need to make changes whether it be big or small in order to compete with the Warriors.

Niemchick:

I’m not sure they should really go anywhere from here. Keep the core together of Kevin Love, LeBron, and Kyrie would probably be what is best for them in hopes that they add some firepower through players wanting to take salary cuts by playing with them and being at least competitive with the Warriors. But for now they are still the only other team in the NBA who has even a remote shot at taking down the budding dynasty that is this Warriors team.

Hutchinson:

Anyone who legitimately thinks Cleveland is going to trade Kevin Love, one of their most consistent players in these 2016-17 playoffs, and especially for ONLY one year of Paul George, is off their rocker.

Cleveland is going to have to change things up a bit – there’s nothing drastic they can or will do. They don’t have the cap space. Trade Tristan Thompson? For who, Tony Snell?

IF a big name comes to Cleveland, I doubt it would be at the cost of any of their starting players. They have a solid core of guys. At this point, all they can do is reload their shotgun and make another run through the East, and hope that Golden State falters by way of injury or fatigue. Translation: they’re screwed, no matter what.

4.) Rank your top three players in the upcoming draft and explain your picks.

Holas:

1. Markelle Fultz: he’s the total offensive package. Pull ups, spot ups, slippery drives, crafty finishes, slick passes; screw the fact that his team didn’t make the NCAA? tourney, the kid is a stud. Questions about his defense are fair, but at 6’4″ with a pterodactyl-like 6’10” wingspan, I’m relatively confident he can be a passable defender (and if not, look at Kyrie, Isaiah Thomas, and Dame Lillard: you can live with poop point guard defense). Fultz was just flat-out better than anyone in college; he has he handle to get anywhere on the court, and the sweet shooting to pull up from damn near anywhere.
2. Dennis Smith Jr: I’m an unabashed Russell Westbrook stan, and watching DSJ blaze to the rim or drive and brake on a dime for midrange stop & pops, it’s impossible not to see shades of #WhyNot? in his game. He’s not the insane athletic freak Russ is, but he’s big, strong, fast, and has a nose for buckets. His team was a woeful 15-17, but Smith Jr was the rose growing in a bucket of cow flop.
3. Malik Monk: ok, I don’t think he’s REALLY the third best college prospect, but I’ve never seen a college player quite like Monk. He’s a pogo stick athlete, and one of the most casual scorers I’ve ever seen; his jumper looks effortless, and he glides himself open, making incredibly difficult contested pull ups look routine. Can he be more than just a jump shooter at the NBA level? Many a Kentucky player has proven to be much more than their college role (Devin Booker, Anthony Davis, even Willie Cauley-Stein), so I’m betting we see some ball-handling and offensive diversity from Monk as a pro that we didn’t see from him in college.

Arguelles:

Full disclaimer: Don’t crucify me for my draft knowledge, I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know it all when it comes to the upcoming prospects.

1. Markelle Fultz: Fultz is the clear-cut number one prospect in this years draft and is a generational talent at the point guard position. In his freshman season, Fultz averaged 25 points, 6.3 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks per-40. The versatile point guard can do it all on the floor and won’t have any trouble running an NBA offense. It’s hard to pinpoint his biggest strength because he can create his shot with ease, handle the ball and is very unselfish. Although he poses the threat of a chase down block on the defensive end, one of his weaknesses is not being consistently locked in defensively. However, Fultz is undoubtedly the best player in this year’s draft, and he’ll turn heads once he’s out on the court.
2. Lonzo Ball: Ball is one of the most complimentary players in this draft and could fit right in on many teams. His unselfish style of play makes him an easy plug-in and his athletic 6’6 frame is huge an advantage out on the court. Those two things allowed Ball to be a maestro running UCLA’s offense where he averaged an NCAA leading 7.6 assists per game. Ball is also wildly efficient from the floor as he shot 73.2 percent on his two point field goals. Although he has somewhat of an unorthodox jump shot, Ball should have no problem knocking down shots in the NBA and making Lavar proud in the process.
3. Josh Jackson: Jackson is arguably one of the most athletic players in this years draft and he’s got a ridiculous 6’10 wingspan to show for it. His wingspan also works to his advantage on the defensive end as he averaged 1.7 steals per game and is able to make up ground quickly. This kid prides himself to compete on the defensive end and won’t have any problem at all guarding and shutting down positions 1-3 at the next level. On the offensive end, Jackson is a very streaky shooter and has a very versatile skillset. However, Jackson will have to take the next step and show more consistency on shots off the dribble so he can be a firm number one option.

Niemchick:

1. Markelle Fultz: He’s just the complete package and based on film I’ve seen from him he has that IT factor. Very possible he could turn into the next big NBA star.
2. Caleb Swanigan: This is a little bit of a stretch for my favorite prospects, not many will probably list him. But he’s got raw power and has a bit of jumper as well. Watching him demolish my Michigan Wolverines for the past few seasons has really made me appreciate this kids game. I would make his pro comparison to kind of Zach Randolph type. He could be one of those guys who goes late and makes a lasting impact on a franchise.
3. De’Aaron Fox: This kid is just too fun to watch. He is an absolute flash of lightning on the court. Watching that Kentucky UCLA game where he outplayed Lonzo and just flat-out looked more athletic, faster, and just a better player made me really fall in love with this kids game. He has the physical tools to be as explosive as a guy like John Wall. If he can develop a 3 point shot he could blossom into a perennial All Star

Hutchinson:

As Nick said, I’m no college basketball expert. Bear with me.

1. Lonzo Ball: I truly believe in Ball. I feel like his ability to run and push the fast break will work perfectly alongside D’Angelo Russell initiating the half court offense for the Lakers; a pretty decent combo guard tandem. His lack of a midrange J, great handles, and a picture perfect shot from deep may hurt him early on; When a dude has the “it” factor, he’s going to be legit. He just makes his teammates better basketball players when he steps onto the court. Nitpicking his faults seems like a reach. Does this mean Boston should take Ball? Nah, Ball at one is just my #hottake. Fight me bro.
2. Markelle Fultz: Fultz is going to be a surefire star in this league. He might not be the best or most engaged defender at point guard to start out, but he’ll figure it out. He has that “it” factor as well. Another Gilbert Arenas would be dope (yes, I just committed my pet peeve by comparing a draft prospect to one player. let me be)
3. Josh Jackson: Jackson is raw, needs a reworked jumper, and needs to learn ht to relax little. His talent and drive for the game of basketball makes me believe that he’ll become something special a few years down the road. (Yes, this means I’m not high on De’Aaron Fox. Twigs don’t survive very long in this league.)

5.) What are you looking forward to most in the offseason? Drama filled free agency? The night of the NBA draft? Or even some competitive 3 on 3 basketball?

Holas:

I think I’m most interested in player movement, more specifically, what moves will we see under the Warrior cloud? Golden State’s dominance recalibrates what it takes to be a modern contender. “Two All-Star type players and another all around guy” doesn’t cut it anymore. Will several free-agents all join together to form a super team? Will the Spurs or Cavs make a major, league shaking move to add firepower? Will second level stars like Blake Griffin flee the west to avoid the Dubs until (hypothetically) the Finals? Will some team risk a one year rental of Paul George to inch closer to the Warriors? It’s fascinating.

Arguelles:

From a biased fan standpoint, I’m looking forward to see if Ernie Grunfeld can sign something that resembles a bench for the Washington Wizards this offseason. Other than that? I’m curious to see what the Cavs choose to do this offseason. Will they stick with what they have or will LeBron the GM strike again? More importantly, I want to see if Chris Paul ends his era on the Los Angeles Clippers and joins the San Antonio Spurs. Although the Spurs might have to gut most of their roster, I’m sure they have a plan in place to have a legitimate roster built around Chris Paul and Kawhi Leonard.

Niemchick:

Personally I love the NBA draft, but what I really want to happen is to see some NBA chaos this offseason. I want more superteams created and teams built that have the talent to take on a team like this 16-17 Warriors squad. Stuff like Chris Paul to the Pelicans with AD and Cousins. In short, just as many huge trades and big free agent signings as possible.

Hutchinson:

I love it all. I can’t wait to see San Antonio attempt to put together a “superteam”. (ahem, sign a point guard) I can’t wait to see LaVar Ball to lose his $&!+ on draft night, Lonzo to the Lakers or not. And I can’t wait to see some of my all time favorite guys play in the Big 3 tournament. Can’t not root for Kwame Brown! (kidding)

Thanks for reading the fifth edition of the Half Court Heave! Have a question you’d like to submit? Tweet at myself or Def Pen Hoops. Come back next week for the sixth edition of our panel!