NBA offseason thread

[Brooklyn Bridge]

Kyrie addresses the situation on IG.

 

[heyabbott]

Kyrie addresses the situation on IG.

Why do people treat him like he’s making some unique point? He’s an idiot. Flat earth advocacy makes you a per se moron and a person incapable of rational thought.

 

[sgreenwell]

That's the thing that really sucks in all of this -- for all his issues he's one of the most entertaining guys in the game on the floor. There are things he can do as well or better than anyone who has ever played.

(Side note - the two biggest stories in the league right now are Kyrie and Ben Simmons, and you could fix both of those problems with one simple trade. It makes a ton of sense. It won't happen.)

Kyrie doesn't have trade value as long as he refuses to get vaccinated. Overlooking that - I think Simmons has way more value to a non-playoff team, and I don't think Brooklyn would want him. For as awful as he is in the playoffs, he still contributes a ton of value in the regular season, and gets you -to- the playoffs. However, if I'm the GM of a team that has hopes of making a deep playoff run, I want no part of Simmons. If Brooklyn can find a taker and it wouldn't **** off Durant and Harden, I'd just trade Kyrie for some decent role players. Last year's playoffs suggest that Durant, a less than healthy Harden and very good rotation pieces were a toe-on-the-line away from advancing.

 

[DanielSimpsonDay]

Kyrie doesn't have trade value as long as he refuses to get vaccinated. Overlooking that - I think Simmons has way more value to a non-playoff team, and I don't think Brooklyn would want him. For as awful as he is in the playoffs, he still contributes a ton of value in the regular season, and gets you -to- the playoffs. However, if I'm the GM of a team that has hopes of making a deep playoff run, I want no part of Simmons. If Brooklyn can find a taker and it wouldn't **** off Durant and Harden, I'd just trade Kyrie for some decent role players. Last year's playoffs suggest that Durant, a less than healthy Harden and very good rotation pieces were a toe-on-the-line away from advancing.

...and if I'm a non-playoff team, how many years am I getting out of Simmons? He demanded a trade from a playoff team in a large market with four years left on his contract. He's already stated that he's willing to go to the three California teams (GFY Sacratomato). Minnesota, Sacramento, Detroit, Cleveland, and the rest of their ilk would be on the clock for a trade demand before the ink dried.

 

[sgreenwell]

...and if I'm a non-playoff team, how many years am I getting out of Simmons? He demanded a trade from a playoff team in a large market with four years left on his contract. He's already stated that he's willing to go to the three California teams (GFY Sacratomato). Minnesota, Sacramento, Detroit, Cleveland, and the rest of their ilk would be on the clock for a trade demand before the ink dried.

Sure, but the basketball situation in plenty of those cities is so ****ty, you might as well roll the dice anyway. Like Cleveland has to decide soon whether they want to give Sexton a friggin' bag of money. Sacramento will break the streak for "years missing the playoffs" if they do so this year, which seems likely. If Simmons plays, you might make the playoffs. If he doesn't, he "helps" you tank.

 

[DanielSimpsonDay]

Sure, but the basketball situation in plenty of those cities is so ****ty, you might as well roll the dice anyway. Like Cleveland has to decide soon whether they want to give Sexton a friggin' bag of money. Sacramento will break the streak for "years missing the playoffs" if they do so this year, which seems likely. If Simmons plays, you might make the playoffs. If he doesn't, he "helps" you tank.

NGL, I would delight in seeing the press conference introducing Simmons as a Raptor, King, or Cavalier.

 

[heyabbott]

Sure, but the basketball situation in plenty of those cities is so ****ty, you might as well roll the dice anyway. Like Cleveland has to decide soon whether they want to give Sexton a friggin' bag of money. Sacramento will break the streak for "years missing the playoffs" if they do so this year, which seems likely. If Simmons plays, you might make the playoffs. If he doesn't, he "helps" you tank.

Tank for what? Looking back, who would you tank for besides LeBron? Is Anthony Davis that awesome?/ Maybe. Derrick Rose? Maybe, but if you knew the window was short on his greatness would it be worth it, (always a risk, see Oden)

Zion? Baby Shaq?

 

[sgreenwell]

Tank for what? Looking back, who would you tank for besides LeBron? Is Anthony Davis that awesome?/ Maybe. Derrick Rose? Maybe, but if you knew the window was short on his greatness would it be worth it, (always a risk, see Oden)

Zion? Baby Shaq?

View attachment 11827

Plenty of good players go in the Top 5 picks. You have a better shot of grabbing a Top 5 pick if you finish 20-62 vs. 30-52. I'm not sure what your point is. Trading for Simmons either makes you quite a bit better in the regular season (39th in WS, despite only playing 59 games) because he plays, or quite a bit worse because he refuses and sits out. Either scenario has more value for a bad team than giving those same minutes to like, Thad Young. There is also a non-zero chance that on a "bad" team where he is forced to be the #1 option, maybe he actually decides to start shooting 3s and being aggressive in crunch time. Probably not a great chance, but hey, Nick Anderson had two bounceback years after shooting 40 percent from the line.

 

[heyabbott]

Plenty of good players go in the Top 5 picks. You have a better shot of grabbing a Top 5 pick if you finish 20-62 vs. 30-52. I'm not sure what your point is. Trading for Simmons either makes you quite a bit better in the regular season (39th in WS, despite only playing 59 games) because he plays, or quite a bit worse because he refuses and sits out. Either scenario has more value for a bad team than giving those same minutes to like, Thad Young. There is also a non-zero chance that on a "bad" team where he is forced to be the #1 option, maybe he actually decides to start shooting 3s and being aggressive in crunch time. Probably not a great chance, but hey, Nick Anderson had two bounceback years after shooting 40 percent from the line.

Perpetually being or competing for the 6-8th playoff spot is a roadmap to mediocrity, at best.
Tanking for the worst record isn’t a successful means of getting great either. But inserting a single
Player who can improve the team from worst to 5th worst isn’t rational either.

my point was tanking for the #1 pick hasn’t been productive. Embrace being bad and building but don’t do it by intentionally being the worst, unless you can draft LeBron or Magic.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

Kyrie doesn't have trade value as long as he refuses to get vaccinated. Overlooking that - I think Simmons has way more value to a non-playoff team, and I don't think Brooklyn would want him. For as awful as he is in the playoffs, he still contributes a ton of value in the regular season, and gets you -to- the playoffs. However, if I'm the GM of a team that has hopes of making a deep playoff run, I want no part of Simmons. If Brooklyn can find a taker and it wouldn't **** off Durant and Harden, I'd just trade Kyrie for some decent role players. Last year's playoffs suggest that Durant, a less than healthy Harden and very good rotation pieces were a toe-on-the-line away from advancing.

The first part isn't true -- if he went to Philly he could play 82 games. New York has tougher laws on requiring the vaccine at a public event and the law only pertains to players at home, so visiting players are allowed. There are non-vaccinated guys who are totally under the radar because it isn't affecting their playing status.

And I think Simmons would actually be a really good fit in Brooklyn. His massive issue is he doesn't shoot so you need scorers around him. On a team with Durant and Harden that won't be a problem.

Again, I'll be stunned if it happens, but it would put both teams in a better spot than they're in right now.

(Ultimately I think Simmons should probably end up in Sacramento. No clue on what happens with Kyrie.)

 

[qtlaw]

Kyrie addresses the situation on IG.

Hey bud, I got news for you, the founder of the US, George Washington made a vaccine mandate for the Union army in the 1770s. You make a choice, fine. But that doesn't mean you get to continue with your prior life uninterrupted.

 

[heyabbott]

Hey bud, I got news for you, the founder of the US, George Washington made a vaccine mandate for the Union army in the 1770s. You make a choice, fine. But that doesn't mean you get to continue with your prior life uninterrupted.

He’s too stupid to know about Washington. An uninformed, uneducated idiot with a platform gets to spew his ignorance as if he’s got a point to make.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Apropos of nothing, I'm old enough to remember when Duke had academic standards, both to get in and to remain, and Coach K wouldn't allow a number to be retired until the player graduated.

 

[heyabbott]

Apropos of nothing, I'm old enough to remember when Duke had academic standards, both to get in and to remain, and Coach K wouldn't allow a number to be retired until the player graduated.

That ship sailed and sunk long ago. No one has made more money since 1865 from unpaid labor south of the Mason Dixon than the coach of Duke men’s basketball. His greed extends only to money and fealty.

 

[DanielSimpsonDay]

LOL SIMMONS

 

[sgreenwell]

LOL SIMMONS

Trying to Jimmy Butler his way out out Philadelphia.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

Trying to Jimmy Butler his way out out Philadelphia.

To be fair, Butler was WAAAAAY better at blowing up practice to force a trade than Simmons. Jimmy gets style points for his method.

 

[heyabbott]

He will get what he wants, they are not going to pay him to sit at home and tweet.

 

[qtlaw]

He will get what he wants, they are not going to pay him to sit at home and tweet.

If he keeps ignoring instructions and inviting suspensions, that’s going to be $$ out of his pocket.

 

[heyabbott]

If he keeps ignoring instructions and inviting suspensions, that’s going to be $$ out of his pocket.

Isn’t there a limit to how much he can be fined? The Union will not allow the team to dock pay checks.