LOL@Ford: "Even Billy Knight can't screw that up"

[gsuteke]

Chat with Chad Ford

Welcome to The Show! On Thursday, ESPN NBA Insider Chad Ford will drop by to talk some NBA hoops.

Ford covers the NBA and NBA Draft for ESPN Insider and also makes appearances on ESPN Radio and ESPNEWS.

Send in your questions to Chad now, then join him right here in The Show on Thursday at noon ET!

Ford Archive: Chats | Columns

Chad Ford: (12:04 PM ET ) Aloha, welcome to the chat everyone. Lots of playoff talk, off-season talk and of course the draft. Let's roll.

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gordon, cedar rapids, iowa: Chad, what are the chances that the warriors dont just beat the mavs...but make it to the finals? (yes i understand that it is a crazy question, but very intruging)

Chad Ford: (12:06 PM ET ) I think you may be getting ahead of yourself. The Warriors still need to close out the Mavs first. I'll be the first to admit I was wrong about the Warriors, they've been awesome. But they really blew it on Tuesday night. They had Dallas on the ropes with 3 minutes left in the game and choked. If they don't win tonight, I think Dallas rolls. However, your question is a good one. I do think the Warriors could beat the winner of the Rockets-Jazz series to get them to the Western Conference Finals. However, I still believe the winner of the Spurs-Suns series will walk home this year with a NBA title.

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Dominic (Tampa, FLA): Who are you picking in the Pistons-Bulls series?

Chad Ford: (12:07 PM ET ) Pistons in 7 though I have to say these teams are VERY evenly matched. Should be a great series. Bulls have youth and athleticism on their side. Pistons have experience and more options. Ben Wallace will be motivated ... can't wait for a great series.

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Rocke (LA): What are your thoughts on the Suns-Spurs series?

Chad Ford: (12:09 PM ET ) I personally think this will be the best series of the playoffs. Whoever wins this, wins it all. I'm going with the Spurs in 7. I just think that defensively, they'll be able to slow the Suns just enough to slip by the Suns.

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Steve (Toronto): Chad, the Raptors put together a nice season this year; big improvement with lots of promise for the future. What do they need to do in the off-season to move up a level into the Eastern conference elite? Thanks.

Chad Ford: (12:12 PM ET ) You're giving up on the Raptors pretty fast. They're still in this playoff series. Still, it does look to me like the Nets will close this one out on Friday. I don't think the Raptors need to do much of anything expect figure out their coach. They are a young team that should improve as their players get more experience. They could use some help at the two guard position, but I don't expect Bryan Colangelo to spend a lot of money in free agency. He's trying to keep things lean and give him some cap flexibility in 2009.

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Majeed: Can the Lakers trade Odom, Bynum, and cap filler for the big ticket?

Chad Ford: (12:14 PM ET ) Lot's of disgruntled Lakers fans out their following Kobe's lead. I think the Lakers are one or two years away from being the Timberwolves ... a so-so team with a superstar that can't get close enough to sniff a NBA championship. Obviously if they can get Garnett and go for it they should. But short of that, I'm not sure I trade Odom. To me he's the perfect fit in LA. Bynum I'd move, along with anyone else on the roster someone wanted. But the truth is, that's probably not enough to bring back a star. The Lakers are going to be a little hamstrung if they don't include Odom in a trade package. In other words, their damned if they do, damned if they don't.

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Dave: Between Darko, Brian Hill, Jameer, and the desire for VC or Rashard, Orlando has lots of questions to answer this offseason... and that's not even counting grant hill. How do see things playing out? Thanks!

Chad Ford: (12:16 PM ET ) I think they're going to toss Brian Hill to the curb. I think the team underperformed and he really misused his big men. I think they'll try to sign Darko, but within in reason. A contract starting at $7 or $8 million? Probably. Anything above that and I think they've got to pass. With several teams looking like they'll have big money including Memphis, Darko could get a bigger offer. Looks like they're sticking with Jameer, though they really need to upgrade the rest of the backcourt. VC may be too old and pricey and Rashard doesn't fit their biggest need in the backcourt. I think we'll see Lewis end up in Charlotte this summer.

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Joseph (Miami, FLA): Why do Riley will be back to coaching? He has done almost everything and is a Top 3 all time.. isn't better to move on?

Chad Ford: (12:18 PM ET ) The Heat are another team that really has to rethink themselves this summer. They have a superstar in Dwyane Wade and a dimming one in Shaq ... but what else? They don't have any cap flexibility and a low draft pick. Unless they figure out a way to trade Shaq (which won't be easy) and start rebuilding, I think the Heat are heading the way of the T Wolves.

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Mitck Kupschitt (Staples): I'm gonna retire and let Jerry have his job back for the sake of Los Angeles. Anytime the Clippers have a better team than the Lakers, management needs to be overhauled..

Chad Ford: (12:19 PM ET ) It's Mitch Kupchak .... but I hear you. Lakers could use new management. Would love to see Jerry West back there. More realistically ... Kiki Vandewehe. He'd be a great fit.

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Jerry, Memphis: Who's going to be the next GM in Memphis

Chad Ford: (12:22 PM ET ) The rumor (and it's just a rumor folks) is that Suns VP David Griffin is the guy they are really targeting. Griff has a great eye for talent and is one of the best people you'll ever met. He's young, but my guess is he'll be mentored by Jerry West. The question is ... why would he leave Phoenix and ... if he does leave, who replaces him in Phoenix?

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Help (NY): So what can Isiah do this offseason to help the Knicks get back to .500?

Chad Ford: (12:26 PM ET ) Ummmm.... here's the problem. The team has no draft flexibility. They have to swap first round picks with the Bulls which means that they won't have a high pick. They can use their mid-level exception and could try to trade a guy like Channing Frye or Nate Robinson ... but the truth is that I expect this roster to look a lot like it did last year. If it does, I don't see the Knicks getting to the playoffs next year.

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Paul (Augusta): Chad Seems like Mike Woodson has gotten the rubber stamp of approval from ownership again this offseason. When can I expect an end to my Hawks purgatory?

Chad Ford: (12:28 PM ET ) When the team resolves this lawsuit and finally picks an owner. Right now I think the existing ownership can't do much until it's resolved. That's why Woodson and Billy Knight still have jobs. With that said, if the Hawks get Greg Oden by winning the lottery and then somehow find a way to land Mike Conley at No. 11 .... they'll immediately be one of the brightest young teams in the NBA. Even Billy Knight can't screw that up.

[buckeye242424]

Wow...that scenerio is a dream come true. Both a lover of the Hawks, and my beloved Buckeyes, Oden AND Conley!! The thought of being lucky to get them both makes me chub up a little.

Although, it's totally a pipe dream, even to get one.

[Packfill]

My head tells me to not even think about landing Conley and Oden because it will mostly likely result in more pain and suffering, but my heart says PLEASE LET IT HAPPEN!

[ncthompson11]

haha. why does everyone in the world think he is a bad gm and woodson a bad coach except for the owners? They are so freakin stupid.

[AHF]

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haha. why does everyone in the world think he is a bad gm and woodson a bad coach except for the owners? They are so freakin stupid.

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Did you see Ford's post? He said that the ownership isn't really to blame right now due to the Belkin litigation and that whenever that is resolved Knight and Woodson will be gone.

[Yeti]

I really disagree with Ford. I have great faith in Billy's ability to screw up ANYTHING ... If we got the first pick, he could promise Horford he'd take him or maybe Brewer, or maybe trade the pick and Smoove for Bibby and Artest. Never lose faith in the big man.

[gsuteke]

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I really disagree with Ford. I have great faith in Billy's ability to screw up ANYTHING ... If we got the first pick, he could promise Horford he'd take him or maybe Brewer, or maybe trade the pick and Smoove for Bibby and Artest. Never lose faith in the big man.

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i felt obligated to send in a Hawks question. who talks about the Hawks, really?

[AHF]

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I really disagree with Ford. I have great faith in Billy's ability to screw up ANYTHING ... If we got the first pick, he could promise Horford he'd take him or maybe Brewer, or maybe trade the pick and Smoove for Bibby and Artest. Never lose faith in the big man.

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i felt obligated to send in a Hawks question. who talks about the Hawks, really?

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Was that your question?

[gsuteke]

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I really disagree with Ford. I have great faith in Billy's ability to screw up ANYTHING ... If we got the first pick, he could promise Horford he'd take him or maybe Brewer, or maybe trade the pick and Smoove for Bibby and Artest. Never lose faith in the big man.

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i felt obligated to send in a Hawks question. who talks about the Hawks, really?

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Was that your question?

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Yup. I rejoined the golf course in February so I haven't been here during the day as much to post chat questions.

David Thorpe will answer Hawks questions all day long for you over at ESPN.

btw that Cleveland paper guy that I went back and forth with at the beginning of the season wound up being right about the Hawks

[AHF]

I have asked a couple of them how the fact that the Hawks are operating under different rules than the rest of the league isn't a bigger story given that it is unprecedented in American sports but nobody wants to tackle that one. I wish they would to try to increase public pressure on both the ASG and BK as well as on the NBA to get this resolved.

[gsuteke]

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I have asked a couple of them how the fact that the Hawks are operating under different rules than the rest of the league isn't a bigger story given that it is unprecedented in American sports but nobody wants to tackle that one. I wish they would to try to increase public pressure on both the ASG and BK as well as on the NBA to get this resolved.

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that's a great question to ask. i posted one that asked about the ownership situation relative to throwing off the competitive balance of the league with Josh Smith up for an extension this offseason...... it didn't get answered either.

[DrReality]

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I have asked a couple of them how the fact that the Hawks are operating under different rules than the rest of the league isn't a bigger story given that it is unprecedented in American sports but nobody wants to tackle that one. I wish they would to try to increase public pressure on both the ASG and BK as well as on the NBA to get this resolved.

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Great point. Wonder why that is. You know that the commish is always behind the scene pulling strings. Wonder if he is keeping it low profile? Would love to be a fly on the wall when someone asked Stern his real feelings about Belkin.

[ncthompson11]

"Did you see Ford's post? He said that the ownership isn't really to blame right now due to the Belkin litigation and that whenever that is resolved Knight and Woodson will be gone"

Yea I know we cant really get them out of atlanta right now but our owners talk like these guys are going to be hall of famers.

[Guest Walter]

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I have asked a couple of them how the fact that the Hawks are operating under different rules than the rest of the league isn't a bigger story given that it is unprecedented in American sports but nobody wants to tackle that one. I wish they would to try to increase public pressure on both the ASG and BK as well as on the NBA to get this resolved.

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that's a great question to ask. i posted one that asked about the ownership situation relative to throwing off the competitive balance of the league with Josh Smith up for an extension this offseason...... it didn't get answered either.

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...we'll never resign JS. He can Ixna any deal over 4 years with a simple veto. No way he gives up that leverage. JS may be gone for nothing if this ownership feud doesn't get fixed pronto.

W