[Repo]

Neither the Lakers or Knicks have the assets to make a worthwhile trade for the Sixers. If the Sixers cant get a point guard who can shoot, no point trading him. Maybe D'Lo or Dame.

The Sixers need to win now. Embiid is what makes them, but it's looking like injuries will shorten his career.

[trickster]

(04-24-2019 09:04 PM)kosko Wrote:  

(04-24-2019 04:00 PM)trickster Wrote:  

Dame is underrated by the average fan no doubt. After this year, though, he will have 4 all nba appearances: a 1st, 2 2nds, and a third. That's legit for 7 seasons and he is on a hall of fame trajectory based on that.

Sixers are my team and Embiid my favorite player. But I'm expecting them to lose in 6 if not 5. Leonard is going to rip them up and if Embiid can't play a game or two or tweaks his knee, the Sixers are done. I would like to see the Sixers put Simmons on Leonard and see what happens.

I'm based as a Raptors fan, I expect us to match your well and out the clamp down on the Sixers. The only wikd card is that Butler has fucked us historically in the past, especially in Toronto. Butler can squeeze out a win on his own if he is feeling it. I expect the series to go 6 games for the Raps.

The scary thing is the Raps are just starting to flow and click now. Some people think we have another gear not yet hit as we started only hitting our stride in the last two games. What will fuck the Sixers is that they have no bench and Coach Nurse has no problem staggering our starters minutes to rough house a bench. We did this the last two games to keep Orlando out of it. Sixers lack of depth may come back to bite them.

The Sixers would be much better with just Embiid (or just Simmons if you're a fan of his). The team has a high ceiling but has flaws that leave it ripe for exploit if they hit a team that matches up well with them. For the Sixers all the top teams in the East (Boston, Bucks, Raptors) have cracked thier flaws.

I'd like to hear your opinion to trade Simmons now while he is still a unicorn and rob a team of picks and a player.

You may not have seen it because I think it was a local story but it was reported that Elton Brand wanted to inquire into trading Simmons but the ownership group wouldn't let him. There is definitely some noise that Simmons doesn't want to listen to coaching and just wants to do his own thing. For the last two years we've heard about how the guy is in the gym constantly working on his jumper. How can you work on your jumper for two years and still not take any during the game?

However, unless Simmons basically tells the sixers he isn't resigning, I don't think you can trade him...right now. I don't see another team giving up that much for a guy that is one year from free agency and may have his heart set on playing in LA. If the Lakers offered Ingram, Ball and some draft picks, I would think hard about that deal. But I do like Simmons a lot even though I have little confidence his shot is going to improve. The sixers need to find better ways to utilize him in the half court sets. Plus, even if they do sign Simmons for the max, which likely will happen, he would still be a valuable asset if they wanted to trade him later.

Agree -- the Sixers bench is a dumpster fire and the Raps are deep and talented. Butler certainly can win a game in this series but with his attitude I don't see him winning a second by himself. If Embiid is mostly healthy, he could win the series for the Sixers if the team shoots well. He is that good. But I'm not counting on it.

[TigerMandingo]

It shouldn’t take 6 games to put away the Clippers. I think the Warriors are gonna be bounced in the next round.

[eradicator]

The warriors could be bounced this round. They are an underachieving super team. This is the most vulnerable I've seen them the past 5 years.

Quote:

I don't see another team giving up that much for a guy that is one year from free agency and may have his heart set on playing in LA. If the Lakers offered Ingram, Ball and some draft picks, I would think hard about that deal.

No dude. Just no. Simmons will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2019-20 season. If he refuses to sign any contracts that the sixers put in front of him and signs with another team, the sixers can match that offer and he is forced to stay in Philadelphia. He is very young and already extremely good. Embiid is locked up long term and barring a very bizarre set of circumstances, Simmons will be as well.(one caveat is that sure it doesn't hurt to see what another team would offer, but shit I would want no part of Lonzo Ball plus picks plus another journeyman player, if I am the Sixers. That is a bad trade.

To say that the Sixers need to win now because their window is closing is silly. Of course try to make a run this year, but they will be going deep into the playoffs every year for the foreseeable future barring injuries to their key guys.

[Repo]

The only reason to trade Simmons would be because of his shooting, Ball and Ingram wont fill that gap, and neither is as good as Simmons. As you said though Eradicator, "barring key injuries" . . . Embiid is 7'2, at least 300 pounds, with a history of back and leg problems. He is never going to be not injured. If he stays healthy, sure I agree they will be contenders for years. . . but I doubt he can. Hopefully I am wrong because I really like the guy.

[PrimeTime32]

Great breakdown of the Clippers vs Warriors series.

[trickster]

If you read my post carefully, you would have seen me say I wouldn’t trade Simmons unless he told the Sixers he didn’t want to be in Philly and wouldn’t sign long term. Regardless, I think you overrate Simmons. Right now he is a good player — All Star to borderline All Star. But he is not all nba quality and not a guy you can build a team around. I’ve seen no signs that his shot will improve and I don’t think it will ever be league average. Meanwhile, the Lakers offered Ingram, Ball, Kuzma and draft picks for AD. And Simmons is no where close to AD’s level.

[Thrill Jackson]

(04-26-2019 06:17 PM)trickster Wrote:  

If you read my post carefully, you would have seen me say I wouldn’t trade Simmons unless he told the Sixers he didn’t want to be in Philly and wouldn’t sign long term. Regardless, I think you overrate Simmons. Right now he is a good player — All Star to borderline All Star. But he is not all nba quality and not a guy you can build a team around. I’ve seen no signs that his shot will improve and I don’t think it will ever be league average. Meanwhile, the Lakers offered Ingram, Ball, Kuzma and draft picks for AD. And Simmons is no where close to AD’s level.

Call me crazy but if I'm the Lakers I'm offering LeBron for Simmons if they don't land a All Start this year.

Sixers are in Win NOW mode. Lakers are not if they don't land a All Star and Simmons is a very good young player that can be guided well by Magic even if he's not with the Lakers directly.

[Thrill Jackson]

Warriors and Clippers tonight. I love games like this where I get the chance to witness history. If the Clippers win this, it will be HUGE.

[eradicator]

(04-26-2019 08:44 PM)Thrill Jackson Wrote:  

(04-26-2019 06:17 PM)trickster Wrote:  

If you read my post carefully, you would have seen me say I wouldn’t trade Simmons unless he told the Sixers he didn’t want to be in Philly and wouldn’t sign long term. Regardless, I think you overrate Simmons. Right now he is a good player — All Star to borderline All Star. But he is not all nba quality and not a guy you can build a team around. I’ve seen no signs that his shot will improve and I don’t think it will ever be league average. Meanwhile, the Lakers offered Ingram, Ball, Kuzma and draft picks for AD. And Simmons is no where close to AD’s level.

Call me crazy but if I'm the Lakers I'm offering LeBron for Simmons if they don't land a All Start this year.

You're crazy.

It would take Simmons plus 3 first round picks to get Lebron.

[Thrill Jackson]

(04-26-2019 10:52 PM)eradicator Wrote:  

(04-26-2019 08:44 PM)Thrill Jackson Wrote:  

(04-26-2019 06:17 PM)trickster Wrote:  

If you read my post carefully, you would have seen me say I wouldn’t trade Simmons unless he told the Sixers he didn’t want to be in Philly and wouldn’t sign long term. Regardless, I think you overrate Simmons. Right now he is a good player — All Star to borderline All Star. But he is not all nba quality and not a guy you can build a team around. I’ve seen no signs that his shot will improve and I don’t think it will ever be league average. Meanwhile, the Lakers offered Ingram, Ball, Kuzma and draft picks for AD. And Simmons is no where close to AD’s level.

Call me crazy but if I'm the Lakers I'm offering LeBron for Simmons if they don't land a All Start this year.

You're crazy.

It would take Simmons plus 3 first round picks to get Lebron.

LeBron has one maybe two good years left in him. He can't win by himself so why keep him around?

[BallsDeep]

(04-26-2019 10:52 PM)eradicator Wrote:  

(04-26-2019 08:44 PM)Thrill Jackson Wrote:  

Call me crazy but if I'm the Lakers I'm offering LeBron for Simmons if they don't land a All Start this year.

You're crazy.

It would take Simmons plus 3 first round picks to get Lebron.

As usual, you don't know what you're talking about.

Trading LeBron for Simmons on his rookie deal would open 2 max slots. Durant would go to the Lakers if it weren't for LeBron, and the other slot would go to Kawhi/Jimmy Butler.

Durant, Simmons, Butler, Ingram, with Ball and Kuzma on the bench is better than Steph/Klay/Draymond.

But to do that the Lakers would need to hire a legit GM and they haven't shown they're willing to do that.

[Repo]

LeBron would have to ask for this trade, otherwise it would kill all remaining credibility they have. Plus Philly already tried to sign him this past offseason and he refused, so I doubt he would agree.

[BallsDeep]

(04-27-2019 01:34 PM)Repo Wrote:  

LeBron would have to ask for this trade, otherwise it would kill all remaining credibility they have. Plus Philly already tried to sign him this past offseason and he refused, so I doubt he would agree.

LeBron isn't entitled to shit. His agency tried to force the AD trade and failed, causing their current mess.

He did the same shit on the cavs, forcing them to sign Tristan and JR because they were with his agency. Then he bounced and left the cavs with those garbage contracts.

LeBron's value as a trade asset is greater than what he brings as a player, especially since other stars don't want to play with him. If you can ship his ass out for a star on his rookie deal and get Durant to LA it would be a boon.

There's nothing Durant would rather do than to get a chip with the Lakers, the year after LeBron couldn't get them to the playoffs.

[Repo]

True, or KD could just join the Clippers and beat Lebron while both are in LA, and not have to deal with the dumpster fire that is Laker ownership.

[captain_shane]

I'm pretty sure lebron has a no trade clause in his contract. He would never allow himself to be traded because it puts an actual value on him.

Lakers are going to be fine. Magic gets to tamper all he wants now, and will be targeting the big boys. I expect at least one big free agent to go to LA.

[Repo]

^^^ He already was tampering all he wanted

[eradicator]

Lebron does not have a no trade clause.

However if the Lakers traded him now and all they got was Simmons plus picks, they might as well resign and get out of the basketball business because Lebron is the sort of player you want to build around, not trade away.


The lakers have plenty of room under the salary cap to sign another max level player right now

[realologist]

Are there any reasons to play for the Lakers other than that they are the Lakers?

-Nobody wants to play with LeBron. You have to play LeBron's style, he's a team and coach killer and he's passive aggressive. He only let's you play your style in final minutes of the playoffs so his teams can actually wins some championships(Ray Allen, Kyrie).

-Nobody wants to play on a team with no shooters. The Lakers have great talent 5 feet from the bucket. That's it.

-LA doesn't have quite the pull when the Clippers are better and still in LA.

[trickster]

This is incorrect. You don’t build around Lebron. You add as many stars as possible with the hope of capitalizing on his last couple good years.

Here is why you don’t build around Lebron: 1) he has played an insane number of minutes and could breakdown at any time; 2) he hates young players — Lebron is notorious for marginalizing and then deporting young talent.

“because Lebron is the sort of player you want to build around”

[BallsDeep]

You know Sam Presti wants to get out of that OKC dumpster fire.

If the Lakers were to get him, and then trade LeBron for Simmons, they'd then get Durant. Durant and Presti have a good relationship.

With Durant, Simmons, and Ingram, plus another max slot for Kyrie/Kawhi/Butler, the Lakers become overwhelming favorites and the media announces Durant is better than LeBron.

[kosko]

You have to match salary in the NBA for a trade. How does it work on trading Simmons, who is still on his budget/discount entry deal for Lebron who is maxed out? Sixers would have to likely then sign and trade Harris and also include all their picks (which they don't have). Sixers would gut their team only to have Lebron and Embiid left. You would need multiple teams to make it work, and Lebron isn't down for that.

Lebron isn't going anywhere; LA for him is basketball and business all in one, he is going to be there at least four years while his kid is in HS there.

[kosko]

I am young but old enough to remember MJ's last years.

Right now, as many have been saying Kahwai is the closest thing we have seen to MJ. He is playing like a poor mans MJ right now with the smooth footwork and deadly midrange game. What is also apparent is that with his year away he put on massive muscle and in this lean "free movement" era we are in now he is bodying dudes and making it look like a video game at times. Right now he and Siakim are playing the best doppelganger impression of MJ and Pippen. In their primes, MJ and Pipped would daddy dick opposition like we saw today.

Today was a bomb being dropped. Sixers have lots to sort out. They focused too much on Lowry, and he just alternated and adapted and focused solely on being the QB and making sure everything flowed with the offence. Butler may be too small to guard Lenoard and also Sixers are going to burn him out which is going to impact his offence as well.

Sixers got the worst matchup here. If Game 2 ends up just like Game 1, then this series could be over very quickly.

[trickster]

Leonard is a top 3 guy and on any given night can be best in the league. My top 3 in no order are Leonard, Durant, and Greek Freak.

That game went about as I expected. My only reasons for optimism are that the Sixers did claw back a couple times despite the Raps torrid shooting. They got it to within 1 in the 2nd and got close at the start of the third. This while enduring a terrible Embiid game.

[kosko]

(04-28-2019 09:16 AM)trickster Wrote:  

Leonard is a top 3 guy and on any given night can be best in the league. My top 3 in no order are Leonard, Durant, and Greek Freak.

That game went about as I expected. My only reasons for optimism are that the Sixers did claw back a couple times despite the Raps torrid shooting. They got it to within 1 in the 2nd and got close at the start of the third. This while enduring a terrible Embiid game.

Our bench is a weak spot and once out starters got out Reddick and Embiid got it going. If we can get OG back then if we stagger Lowry into the bench he can get some buckets and offer good D.

Our issue is our bench can produce points. Only Fred Van Fleet and Sikiam can produce thier own shot (Norman Powell to an extent) which leaves us easy to get bent over for runs if our bench goes cold shooting.

Sixers may try Simmons on Leanord next game as his length and speed can keep up with Leanoard. This can leave him.ooen to foul trouble which is what Kahwai will likely try and push on him so he has to sit early and often.