Welcome to The Basketball Chat. Every week, Mike Slane, co-founder of ElevationMag.com and myself will chat about the latest news in the NBA. We'll take a look at players and teams, as well as any trades, suspensions, and other NBA happenings.
Dennis: Well, one of the greatest and most talented players to ever play the game, Chris Webber, has signed with his hometown Detroit Pistons after being bought out by the Philadelphia 76ers. Mike, there was a ton of speculation as to where C-Webb's next destination would be. There were rumors of Isiah Thomas wanting him to come to the New York Knicks, which I'm personally glad DID NOT happen. There is no way you take away time from either David Lee or Channing Frye. But, anyway Mike, what do you think of the signing?
Mike: Webber pulled a Nick Saban last week. During TNT's Thursday pregame show last week, David Aldridge reported that Webber could end up in Detroit. But C-Webb apparently played like he didn't quite know what Aldridge was talking about during the halftime interview and totally destroyed Aldridge's credibility for at least the day.
Dennis: Yeah, well, that's what happens with any sort of dealings in professional sports. It's supposed to be the biggest secret, even if it's pretty much a done deal. C'est la vie. I basically don't take anyone's word for anything in professional sports anymore. But, anyway, what do you think about Webber fitting in with the Pistons?
I think he'll fit in okay on the Pistons, but I don't see him getting the minutes he's used to and not averaging more than 12 points per game. However, rumor has it that the Pistons are looking to move big men Dale Davis and/or Nazr Mohammed for a couple of guards, which could open up some playing time.
Dennis: Well, there is no questioning Webber's skill set, but he is getting old, so it's a diminishing skill set. However, he's still more talented than at least half the league. Like you said, I'm not sure how many minutes he'll get, but if they do make more time for Webber, he'll definitely make an impact IF he can accept his role, which is to be a scoring threat as the third or fourth option behind Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, and most likely Tayshaun Prince. The last time a big man was acquired midseason by the Pistons, it was Rasheed Wallace who accepted his role. Look how far the Pistons got then - yeah, an NBA championship far.
Okay, speaking of hardware, how about Gilbert Arenas AKA Agent Zero AKA Mr. Hibachi for the MVP award? Gil Zero scored 51 points the other night against the Utah Jazz, including hitting a last second trey to win the game. What do you think his chances are for MVP?
Mike: Gilbert Arenas has turned from the most underrated player in the league to a legit MVP candidate. He is straight up killing it on the court this season and has hit more clutch shots than any other player. From what I've heard and read, Arenas is a hardworker and spends hours in the gym working on his shot, which has truly paid off. Dude even put a thin air tent in his house in hopes that it'd help his endurance on the court. He might do strange things and have even stranger quotes, but he's a hell of a basketball player and will finish in the top three in MVP voting. But, I still think Steve Nash has the edge right now to win the award.
Dennis: I'd have to agree with you about Steve Nash because his numbers are actually, overall, better than when he won his first two MVP awards. And, he is simply the best teammate out there and while the Phoenix Suns would probably still be good without him, they are almost unstoppable with him on the court. However, notice I said Nash is the best teammate. Props to LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Kevin Garnett, but there is no one hotter right now as an individual player than Arenas. And, honestly, there is no one more entertaining. The aforementioned three players are always in the spotlight and they always say the right things to keep up their image, but Arenas? There hasn't been any player as colorful as him since Charles Barkley. I'm loving Arenas right now.
But, let's get back to the Suns. Once again they're rolling with another double digit winning streak happening as we speak (10 games). How hot are they, Mike?
Mike: The Suns are THE hottest team in the NBA as of this moment and have all the pieces to finally win a championship this year. Speaking of underrated players like Gilbert Arenas, Shawn Marion is by far the league's most underrated player. He's always overshadowed by Nash and Amare Stoudemire, but is just as important to that team as anyone. He might have the ugliest shooting form in the world, but his athleticism is amazing to watch. If I had Marion and Amare on my team, I could definitely drop 10 assists per game. Well, probably not, but you get the point.
