Chris Sheridan

  (12:59 PM)

Good afternoon from New York, where Nate Robinson is back in the Knicks rotation, David Stern is waiting to hear from the D.C. police and Larry Hughes is seeking legal advice on how to publicly request a trade without being fined 25K like Nate was. Just kidding on that last one. Maybe.

Larry (NC)

Good afternoon...are you hearing about trades that might bring a back-up PF to my Bobcats...thanks for your time...

Chris Sheridan

  (1:03 PM)

There are plenty of teams that would dewal a PF for Boris Diaw, but the problem is that Diaw has been killing his on value with that lifeless December he had. The Nets are peddling guys like Simmons, Najera, Boone and Battie, and Battie would seem to be the most do-able since he is on an expiring contract, but him alone is certainly not enough to get a Diaw deal done, and J isn;t dangling any of its young keepers on rookie contracts (T.WIlliams, CDR) until the sale to Prokorov is or isn't approved.

Jake (NJ)

Is Danillo Gallinari going to get an invite to the 3 point contest ?

Chris Sheridan

  (1:06 PM)

I would imagine the NBA will jump at him, given what he'll do for overseas interest. Along those lines, was in the Cavs' locker room Saturday morning (1 p.m. game at Meadowlands) and was chatting with Anthony Parker, who was 4th in the league in 3pt accuracy entering that game. I asked him if he thought he'd get an invite to the contest, and he said he didn't know because he was in a similar position a few yars back when he was with the Raptors but got passed over. But off the top of my head I'd like to see Gallo, J.Dudley, AP, Boobie Gibson, c. Frye and Brandon Jennings in the contest -- Brandon just to see if he'd launch all his shots from 2 feet behind the arc.

Will (Los Angeles)

Is it possible for the Rockets to trade T-Mac for Arenas and then void his contract? Sounds like it could be a win-win situation for both teams.

Chris Sheridan

  (1:08 PM)

I don't think the Rockets would want to fight that fight. There are many more low-maintenence trade options for them involving T-Mac. As for any Arenas deals, all those go on hold now until the D.C. police have spoken and we know exactly how much trouble Gil is or isn't in.

Chris Sheridan

  (1:13 PM)

I saw the item in the SLC Trib today hinting at a deal by Tuesday, and I can only offer guesswork on this one, and my best guess when it comes to guessing at Jazz trades is that they'll go for a vet to shore up a weakness. The Eric Maynor trade left them a little thin behind D-Will, and the best available vet PG out there right now is, IMHO, Lindsey Hunter, so there's my best off-the-top-of-my-head guess for you. Don't think Chicago would want back much more than Peter Fehse's rights for Hunter, but the Jazz would have to surrender something to match salaries.

Mike (Indiana)

Rick Adelman's chances of winning COY?

Chris Sheridan

  (1:14 PM)

Three-way deah heat right now with Lionel Hollins and Scott Brooks. Adelman loses points for the way he coached the final 2 minutes in NO on Saturday night. Haven't seen a team self-destruct quite that badly all season (and that includes a LOT of Nets games).

Mike (Cavs Town)

Alright Chris, what is your evaluation of the Cavs? Are they playing above their heads? It seems they are the opposite of last year. Beat the elite teams and play sloppy against the sub .500 teams. Do you think the CAvs make a trade or do they stand pat? Thanks Chris.

Chris Sheridan

  (1:18 PM)

I visited your city last week, Mike, and saw them look pretty average against a Hawks team that's hungrier than most people realize. Then they go and lose at home to Charlotte. If I'm you, I'd be worried. They are much, much more fragile this year with the D.West ups and downs and the Shaq integration, but Mike Brown has been saying all year that this team will come out of the gate slow and look a whole lot different than last year's team did during the regular season, but the improtant thing was that they develop over the months and become sharp in March and April. So they are going to be patient, and I don't think they'll make a deal unless they can move West for a comparable player talent-wise.

Jon (NYC)

Are the Rockets going to get anything of value for T-Mac without taking back some bad, long-term dollars?

Chris Sheridan

  (1:21 PM)

They've said they'll tae back long-term dollars, but not bad long-term dollars. If they keep him and let him come off the cap, they can get as far as $14 million under. They'd have to renounce a couple key guys (Carl Landry, e.g.) to get that far under, mind you, but if they could engineer a deal whereby they got Chris Bosh for Landry and change in a sign-and-trade, that would be an endgame that would trump anything they could pull off before the Feb. 18 trade deadline.

Abby (TX)

What teams do you currently find to be the most overrated and most underrated?

Chris Sheridan

  (1:22 PM)

Overrated: Phoenix, Dallas, Miami.Underrated: Memphis, OKC, Atlanta.

Ben (NYC)

Hi Chris, love your chats...Who would win if the current Cleveland Cavaliers minus Lebron James vs the current New York Knicks?

Chris Sheridan

  (1:25 PM)

I get into a somewhat similar debate with people all the time when they discount the Knicks' chances of getting LBJ as a free agent. The question: Who is the better team: The current Knicks minus the two guys they'll be forced to renounce to clear their max room (Harrington and Hughes), or the current Cavs minus LeBron. I say NY is better.

Russell (Cary, NC)

To what do you credit the relative success of the Grizzlies?

Chris Sheridan

  (1:27 PM)

They can play fast or slow equally effectively cuz they can dump it into Zack or Marc in the halfcourt or have rudy or O.J. create and score in transition. Never thought I'd say this, but they really are a fun team to watch.

Jeff (Chicago, IL)

I've watched every minute of every Bucks game so far this season, and I can count on 2 fingers the number of shots (sans buzzer beaters) Brandon Jennings has hoisted from 2 feet beyond the 3 point line. Why the low blow?

Chris Sheridan

  (1:29 PM)

No low blow, Joe. I interviewed him in Milwaukee earlier this season for a piece I wrote on hhim after the 55-point game, and he actually said h feels he's a better 3-point shooter from 26 feet than 24 feet because he puts more arc on the ball.

Russell (Cary, NC)

Chris, explain the "fall" from grace (figuratively, not literally) that TJ Ford's had with the Pacers. "Wha' happen?"

Chris Sheridan

  (1:34 PM)

First, Russell, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to plug today's culmun on T.J. Ford, which is in today's Daily Dime. Plz go and have a read, y'all. In a nutshell, there have been three things: His 3-point shooting (1-for-28), his plus0-minus numbers vs. Watson's, and his poor decision-making in late game situations. from taking with Pacers folks yesterday, they're pretty much throwing up their hands on him, which is surprising given how much they have intested in him ($17M this season and next). But it also goes to show how hard it is to move money in today's trade market, and Indiana is having as hard a time finding a taker for him as they did with Tinsley last season. My T.J. Ford prediction is that he'll rack up a string of at least 20 DNPs and take a buyout over the summer.

Gallo (MSG)

Nevermind the 3pt. contest, how about the dunk contest! Did you see my hops last night???

Chris Sheridan

  (1:38 PM)

Dunk of the week was the one I saw Delonte throw down over Josh Smith in the forst Hawks-Cavs game last night. I was told the next night what Delonte yelled at J.Smoove afterward, and I'd love to share it with you, but this is a family Web site, the comment would be shocking even to porn stars, and I want no part of starting a Top 10 list of Best Things Said Immediately After Posteringing a Guy. Delonte's three-word phrase would be a lock for Top 3.

Daniel (Boise, Idaho)

What are the chances that the Wizards will void Gil's contract and would the void hold up through appeal (or is the reason they can void it a loophole that wouldn't be upheld)?

Chris Sheridan

  (1:42 PM)

One step at a time on his one. So let's all take a deep breath and see what the D.C. police investigation reveals, and then we can make educated guesses as to whether Arenas violated the so-called moral turpitude clause. If he brandished or pointed a loaded weapon at a teammate, I'd say the Wiz would have a good case if they voided. Short of that, I'd say they'd have a tough case to win. Not many contracts have been voided. Even Shawn Kemp never got voided for failing to be in good enough shape to play pro basketball, which is a voidable offense.

Mark (NY)

MVP so far and why?

Chris Sheridan

  (1:44 PM)

Kobe. Cuz no one else has been as much of a killer as he has been. No one even comes close.

Chris (LA)

Who's worse off: Boston without Garnett, or LA without Gasol?

Chris Sheridan

  (1:46 PM)

Good question. My answer is Boston, because KG is the hart and soul and defensive leader of a defensive team. The Lakers lose Gasol (or Bynum), and they plug in a guy (Odom) who is a triple-double threat any night he gets starters's minutes.

David (Bakersfield, CA)

Here is a trade proposal: Andrew Bynum and Luke Walton for Joakim Noah and Hinrich? Lakers need a center who plays defense and hustles. Bulls need a center that can score. What is your assessment?

Chris Sheridan

  (1:49 PM)

Not sure whether that works cap-rules wise, but that's not a bad trade for both teams, David, for the reason you stated. I think the Bulls would want a little more back, maybe Vujacic or Farmar, and if LAL threw in their 1st-round pick I could see that one being a little more balanced.

phil (columbus,oh)

do you see any teams making a run for Nate Robinson?

Chris Sheridan

  (1:52 PM)

I see the Knicks hanging onto Nate and using him in a sign-and-trade next summer. If they can get Bosh, I think they'd offer David Lee and Nate to the Raptors in a sign-and-trade, and that would probably be a deal Toronto would do. It depends how much Bosh forced their hand, and whether he'd be willing to use the possibility of signing with Miami (for five-years, with the Raptors getting nada in return) as leverage to force Toronto to send him to NY to team up with LeBron if the Knicks get a commitment from LBJ on the first couple days of July.

Rory (NYC)

Chris, you seem to attend a lot of Knicks games and can give a pretty good analysis regarding their turnaround. They are 11-6 since that awful awful start...Do you see this trend continuing with an eventual playoff birth. Their defense is much improved and the offense is much more efficient with David Lee leading the way. Your thoughts please.

Chris Sheridan

  (1:57 PM)

I don't see them as a good defensive team, Rory, and I think they'd killed by any team with size that they'd meet in the playoffs. But they've adapted to the offensive system pretty well and manage to get open looks on most of their 3s, which wasn't the case in their first 10 games. David Lee is playing like an All-Star, and Wilson Chandler is one of those sneaky-good All-Underrated guys. They can get the 8 seed or better as presently consitituted, but I still think they'll make some deadline deals that will impact their chances of finishing strong. By that I mean if they have to toss away a player like Chandler in order to move Jeffries' contract, it'll help thwm a whole lot in the long-term but might doom the current season.

Tom (Boise ID)

Chris,You mentioned David Lee and Nate Robinson possibily packaged together for Chris Bosh but as of late David Lee is starting to play at a star level. Wouldn't keeping Lee and just adding a guy like LBJ be a solid move with Lee's progress?-

Chris Sheridan

  (2:01 PM)

If the Knicks had to choose between Bosh and Lee, they'd take Bosh. If they had to choose between Boozer and Lee, they'd take Lee. The problem in trying to keep Lee is that they won't have the money to pay him if they can't move Jefffries/Curry. They'd have to turn him into an asset through a sign-and-trade, but they would not have the cap space to re-sign him if they threw their max money at LBJ. That's why it is so key for them to move Jeffries for expiring money. That gives them the option of keeping Lee should they be unable to get Bosh.

Chris Sheridan

  (2:03 PM)

That's a chat wrap, folks. See y'all next week.