Brandon Knight #3 of the Phoenix Suns high-fives T.J. Warren #12 after scoring against the Los Angeles Lakers last season. The Suns recently revealed they are monitoring high fives as a way to judge of players are working as a team. Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Is the 'high five' metric the only weird stat the NBA should track?

A "high five" metric? It exists and the Phoenix Suns are using it to track interaction on the court as a way to judge how "selfless" players are during a game

Hello and welcome back to the Yardbarker roundtable where we invite our experts to sit back, relax and sound off on the serious (and not so serious) parts of sports. We're a week away from the NBA regular season so it's time to get serious and ask the hard questions. Does casual player interaction matter? In light of the Suns' new stat we asked our staff: 

The Suns are tracking "high fives" this season to judge player camaraderie. Is that a reasonable metric? What else should the track to make sure players are getting along, on and off the court. 

Demetrius Bell: One of the reasons why I believe that Andruw Bogut isn't known as "Milwaukee Bucks Legend" Andrew Bogut is because of a dark moment in a seemingly innocuous game in Atlanta a few years ago. Bogut was taking a free throw, made the free throw, and reached out for high fives. None of his teammates returned the favor, so our lonely hero high-fived invisible teammates. Nobody should be subjected to that type of cruel isolation, so I'm definitely in favor of using high-fives to track camaraderie.

Jason Clinkscales: It’s a wonderfully absurd metric. I doubt that they’ll measure it for the entire season since the Suns will probably lose too many games to make players really care about camaraderie. Yet, it’s great because perhaps the Suns’ marketing team can come up with some silly team giveaway around it that could put butts in seats. What I do want to see measured is the performance of bench player celebrations. And if there is something begging for proper analysis and scorecard judging, it’s what the guys riding the pine in a given moment are doing after a highlight play. How good is a player’s towel waving? Does he get any height on his dismount from the seat while getting hyped over a vicious dunk? How low to the ground can a player go in his “HOL’ UP! HOLLLLL’ UP!” stance? And how about interpretive dance: does a player use his entire body or does he believe in subtlety? Adam Silver, it’s up to you.

Alex Wong: Judging camaraderie by 'high fives' sounds like some real basic 'how do we get any insight into how these jocks communicate with each other' metric that really should not exist. But if that's what the Phoenix Suns want to do, you have to let them cook. In the age of social media, I think it's time teams start tracking the interactions between teammates on Twitter, Instagram and all other platforms in which they are dispensing information on a daily basis. Remember all the controversy over LeBron not including Kevin Love in his Instagram photos, or when he unfollowed the Cavs account last season? Or how much we enjoy when teammates roast each other on Twitter for their post-game attire or photo bomb teammates sleeping on the plane? These are legit team bonding moments and there should be a scorecard throughout the season on how many times teammates bond, which teammates are bonding, and if they're not, it's up to management to get to the root of the issue. In this new age, social media team chemistry is a real thing. High fives are not.

Sam Greszes: The Suns should track player camaraderie the same way I track how close I am with my friends. It's a foolproof system. First, you track how many times your friends post on your Facebook wall, or send you mundane snapchat videos of whatever they're doing at the moment. Then, you let existential dread creep in and wonder why your other friends didn't send you anything, and if the ones that did only did so because they felt obligated to. Then, you lay awake in bed until 3 A.M. wondering if your life is a lie. That is the recipe for a healthy life and a healthy NBA team.

Shiloh Carder: Wow, there are just so many. The butt pat. The jump up butt-bump. The slapping hands after missed and made free throws. The bench guys towel waving. The slap on the back of the neck. The stink face when one of your teammates makes a sick play. The matching ensemble of teammates when doing post game pressers.

David Matthews: Teams in the NBA have basically all of the same information available for scouting and analytics (what up Synergy!?) so creating proprietary metrics is the logical next step. However, I'm not sure "high fives" is a good one to measure camaraderie. High fives will have much more to do with on-court success for the Suns. If Devin Booker, Eric Bledsoe, and Dragan Bender do something ridiculous that leads to a bucket, of course they're going high-five and get mobbed by Tyson Chandler. True camaraderie? That's harder to measure, but I think I've got a good idea about where to start: Instagram. Teams need to monitor their players' feeds in order to do this, but I think it can be done respectfully. Is everyone following everyone? Who is liking whose photos. Who takes the most selfies on another player's account? Stay off Snapchat, that's not for work.

Phillip Barnett: If I'm Devin Booker, I'm looking for high fives after every bucket this season. I want everyone to know that I'm in line to become one of the league's best young off-guards and that my teammates are incredibly happy for me. It's a ridiculous metric that toes the causation vs. correlation line without really telling a story. Watch any free throw attempt this season and you'll see how meaningless high fives are for these guys. If you want to measure camaraderie, find was to quantify what teams are doing off the court. Instagram and Snapchat is the best way to find which teammates are close and which teams are spending time together on their off days – or at least spending the kind of time together that won't get them in any kind of trouble.

Jamie Neal: What a joke. Is this really what the NBA has come to? Is this what sports has come to? I can just see the locker room conversations now.

Eric Bledsoe -  "Hey, Barbosa! You can't leave us hanging like that out there."

Leandro Barbosa - "What are you talking about? I slid over and helped on defense! Don't tell me I'm leaving anyone hanging, man!"

Bledsoe - "No, man! I'm talking about giving high fives! You know they're tracking this stuff now to see how well we get along, right?"

Kerith Gabriel: I've always believed there should be a hire in NBA front offices to assigned solely to this very metric. We as fans care about this stuff so it needs to be taken more seriously. Should the league ever decide to do this, I believe the five cornerstone metrics should be (but not limited to): the ass slap, the chest bump, the unique handshake for on court. Off-the-court, should be the number of times fellow team members photobomb pictures from the paparazzi, which players also play the role of chauffeur on practice or game days and a running winners and losers tally in credit card roulette

1 of 26

Chris Andersen

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It has been widely reported that the Heat is shopping center Chris Andersen. Andersen, who has one year left on his contract, has been with the Heat since 2012, but it appears the “Birdman” will be playing in another city sooner than later.

2 of 26

Ryan Anderson

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The time has come for New Orleans Pelicans brass to realize that the Ryan Anderson experiment has failed. Anderson, a stretch-four, would be an attractive trade chip for a team looking to add shooting from the outside. At 11-26, the Pelicans should look to gear up for next season, and seeing what assets they can acquire for Anderson in a trade should be part of that process.

3 of 26

Caron Butler

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The question isn’t whether Kings forward Caron Butler will be traded, but when? The Kings have publicly stated that the 35-year-old will be traded before the deadline, so count on Butler being moved.

4 of 26

Jose Calderon

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It seems like the New York Knicks have been trying to trade point guard Jose Calderon ever since they acquired him in 2014. Never the best fit for the triangle offense, Calderon’s tenure in New York has been a poor one. A change of scenery would benefit both parties.

5 of 26

Jeff Green

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Every year Jeff Green’s name seems to be mentioned in NBA trade rumors. This year is no different. With the Grizzlies having taken a step back this year in the West, Memphis may be looking to overhaul part of its roster, and Green would their easiest player to move. The 29-year-old has one year left on his contract and could help a contender right away.

6 of 26

Tim Hardaway Jr.

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Acquired in the offseason from the New York Knicks, talented shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. can’t even scratch the court for the Atlanta Hawks. Clearly, Hardaway Jr. and the Hawks need to move on from each other, and considering he’s still on his rookie contract, a trade shouldn’t be a difficult feat to pull off.

7 of 26

Roy Hibbert

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Perhaps the slowest player in the NBA, center Roy Hibbert has failed to impress anyone in Los Angeles. With the Lakers needing to give as much time as possible for their younger players to develop, Hibbert is a likely trade candidate. And the fact that he has an expiring contract makes him much easier to deal.

8 of 26

Nene Hilario

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Averaging the lowest points per game total of his NBA career, the Washington Wizards will almost certainly look to offload center Nene Hilario before the trade deadline. The 33-year-old is still a pretty decent player when healthy, but with Marcin Gortat available in the paint for the Wizards, it’s time for the Brazilian to find a new home.

9 of 26

Dwight Howard

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Rumors have been swirling around NBA circles for the past month that Dwight Howard is not happy in Houston. Truth be told, Howard is just not the player he used to be in his prime in Orlando, and with a bad back, it’s unlikely the seven-footer is ever going to be the dominating force in the paint he once was. An eight-time All-Star, Howard can opt out of his contract at the end of the season, so moving Howard would make sense on many levels.

10 of 26

Brandon Jennings

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Although he has only played seven games in the 2015-16 NBA season due to injury, the Detroit Pistons have clearly moved on from Brandon Jennings. With just one year left on his contract, Jennings would be a low-risk, high-reward gamble for a team in need of a point guard who can score the basketball.

11 of 26

Joe Johnson

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The second-highest paid player in the NBA, Nets guard Joe Johnson should be a hot commodity as the trade deadline nears. Although there is a good chance the Nets will just keep him and let his contract run out, the Cleveland Cavaliers are publicly known to covet Johnson and are expected to make a run for him.

12 of 26

Chris Kaman

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Losing LaMarcus Aldridge, Robin Lopez, Nicolas Batum and Aaron Afflalo has put the Portland Trail Blazers in rebuild mode. Veteran center Chris Kaman is not part of the team's future plans, and his expiring contract could easily fetch the Blazers a draft pick.

13 of 26

Brandon Knight

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The tire fire continues in Phoenix, with its top trade asset being guard Brandon Knight. A player with All-Star potential, if the Suns truly want to rebuild, trading Knight would land them largest return possible.

14 of 26

Ty Lawson

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Ty Lawson’s NBA career is on life support. After several successful seasons with the Nuggets, problems with alcohol led Denver to trade the talented point for next to nothing in the offseason to the Rockets. Lawson has failed miserably to catch on in Houston, and the Rockets have been looking to trade him for months now. If any deal can be made for Lawson, the Rockets will agree to it; the problem is, at this point no one wants the 28-year-old. For a player who averaged 9.6 assists per game just a season ago, it’s truly a shame.

15 of 26

David Lee

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If there’s one thing that Celtics general manager Danny Ainge loves, it’s assets. Veteran power forward David Lee has an expiring contract that could fetch him a few more draft picks.

16 of 26

Mitch McGary

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Thunder power forward Mitch McGary is a teasing talent. He was impressive in his playing time as a rookie last season, but back problems have held his progress as a basketball player in purgatory. The Thunder is built to win now, and a promising young player like McGary could help fetch the organization a player who puts OKC in a better position for a deep playoff run.

17 of 26

Andre Miller

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He might be the oldest player in the NBA, but by the way he plays you would never guess it. Andre Miller, 39, is of the smartest point guards the NBA has seen in recent memory. Languishing in Minnesota, don’t be surprised if someone like George Karl with the Sacramento Kings decides to give up a second-round pick to acquire the veteran point guard.

18 of 26

Markieff Morris

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The Phoenix Suns and power forward Markieff Morris are headed for a divorce. Morris has essentially been told to stay away from the team after he threw a towel at head coach Jeff Hornacek. The 26-year-old has also held a grudge against the team for trading his twin brother, Marcus, in the offseason. Expect the Suns to do the same with Markieff by the Feb. 18 deadline.

19 of 26

Joakim Noah

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Simply put, this season has been a disaster for former Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah. For whatever reason, he just can’t seem to fit in with new head coach Fred Hoiberg and the style of play he demands. With an expiring contract, it seems unlikely Noah return to the Bulls next season. The Bulls would be wise to deal Noah for any sort of assets while they still can, however.

20 of 26

Adreian Payne

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After trading a first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks to acquire him, nothing has gone right in Minnesota for power forward Adreian Payne. Payne receives almost no playing time and is already in need of a fresh start somewhere else. He is only 24, so it’s not out of the question that another team could take a chance on him.

21 of 26

Nikola Pekovic

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With future superstar Karl-Anthony Towns owning the center position in Minnesota, it’s inevitable that the Timberwolves will need to move Nikola Pekovic. Pekovic, a quality center in his own right, would be much more of an attractive player to other teams if he didn’t have three years left on his contract. Still, there are 29 other teams in the NBA, and if Minnesota is willing to take on an undesirable contract in return for Pekovic, a trade is more than possible.

22 of 26

Marreese Speights

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An integral part of the Warriors' championship run last season, center Marreese Speights now finds himself stuck on Golden State’s depth chart behind both Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli. With a trade-friendly contract, Speights is the most likely player to leave the Bay Area by the February trade deadline.

23 of 26

Lance Stephenson

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Once again, the Lance Stephenson experiment in a new city has failed. Last year it was Charlotte; this year it’s Los Angeles with the Clippers. Stephenson is posting career-low numbers all across the board and now usually just finds himself at the end of Doc Rivers' bench. At this point, the only thing that may save Stephenson’s career would be a trade back to the Indiana Pacers.

24 of 26

Hassan Whiteside

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The Miami Heat found a diamond in the rough with center Hassan Whiteside. Whiteside is a dominant shot blocker and force around the rim, and at 26 he is just entering the prime of his career. The problem is that Whiteside will be a free agent after this season, and the Heat might not have the financial flexibility needed to keep him. Team President Pat Riley may look to offload Whiteside before the deadline for whatever assets he can, simply out of fear that the Heat will not be able to re-sign that talented big man in the offseason.

25 of 26

Nick Young

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After one successful season with the Lakers, it appears Nick Young has worn out his welcome in Los Angeles. “Swaggy P” has two years left on his contract, but with the cap expected to rise exponentially next season, moving Young is far from impossible. A playoff team in need of a scorer off the bench would be a sensible place for Young to land.

26 of 26

Everyone on the 76ers

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What is there left to say about the train wreck that is the Philadelphia 76ers? General manager Sam Hinke has turned this once great franchise into a punchline, under the guise of a “five-year plan.” Although Jerry Colangelo has been brought in to the organization to provide some stability, Hinke is still playing the Sixers' hand, and nothing is out of the question when it comes to the construction (or lack there of) of this roster. Every 76ers player is on the trading block.

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