Welcome to Around the Realm, where we look at the top news stories from around the league. If I missed any notable stories, feel free to discuss in the comments!
76ers hire Daryl Morey
In a bombshell addition to their front office, the Philadelphia 76ers are hiring Daryl Morey as their new President. As of now, Elton Brand will stay on as GM.
A deal is expected to be finalized in the next few days, and Sixers GM Elton Brand is expected to remain in his current position, sources said. https://t.co/fHb5Mds9yG
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 28, 2020
It will be interesting to see how long Brand stays in Philadelphia, as Kings fans know all too well how things usually end when a new executive is hired to oversee the previous top dog.
Philadelphia has been a speculative trade partner with the Kings among fans, particularly in Buddy Hield trade ideas. Will Morey and McNair’s relationship increase the odds of a deal happening? We’ll see.
Morey resigned from his position on October 15th under the guise of spending more time with his family. I’m going to assume Morey’s family didn’t drive him crazy in less than two weeks, and the resignation was more about getting away from Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta.
Utah Jazz sold for $1.6 billion
The Miller family have been staples of NBA ownership for 35 years, but are now selling the Utah Jazz to Ryan Smith for $1.6 billion.
Ryan Smith, 40, is a lifelong Utah resident and Jazz fan who built a software company that sold for a reported $8B. Smith and his wife Ashley have had a longstanding relationship w/ franchise. Deal includes Vivint Arena, per sources, and pends approval of NBA Board of Governors. https://t.co/UUHL9pJtBG
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 28, 2020
Kings fans know that changes in ownership can be dicey. A new owner can be great, can be bad, or can be a mixed bag. Jazz fans can at least take comfort in knowing that Smith has no intention of moving the team.
Clippers chasing Rondo
The great Marc Stein reports that the Los Angeles Clippers will pursue Rajon Rondo in free agency.
The Clippers have interest in signing the Lakers' Rajon Rondo, league sources say, and are expected to pursue Rondo when free agency opens in November
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) October 28, 2020
The Clippers already have Patrick Beverly on a sizable contract. If they sign Rondo would they keep him and Beverly, or is PatBev on his way out?
Maybe Kawhi just wants someone to play Connect Four with.
O M G
Read it here first. Just what I needed.
Rondo has no chance against Kawhi in Connect Four. The only game you can beat Kawhi in is Tic Tac Toe.
Rondo is a notoriously good Connect Four player
I played about 1000 games over the summer to prepare for a twitter Connect Four tournament.
I would like a shot at Rondo.
Kawhi only plays Connect Three. Load management.
So, does Morey in Philly make Buddy more or less likely to be a trade target for them? I would assume Morey like 3pt shooters, eh?
Theoretically yes
Morey also doesn’t seem to have an issue with trading away picks. Maybe the #21 can be had after all.
I don’t know if it makes Buddy to Philly more likely, but it seems like it’d make Simmons the more likely to be traded between him and Embiid.
Morey is going to have his hands full. Philly’s cap and asset situation isn’t much better than Houston’s
Not sure I’d agree. The cap is a mess for both, but Philly still owns a lot more of its draft capital that can be included to unload some of the bad deals.
((((Bracing myself for Thybulle to Sacramento))))
I am also very excited for Thybulle to Sacramento. That’s what you meant, right? Excited? Yay!
As much as I’d like to believe I’d be pissed at that move, I don’t think I would. He’s such a good dude and is so much fun to watch. When he’s on the floor I can’t take my eyes off of him because his pokes are just unbelievable. I’ve never seen anything like it.
It’s a win win, Marty!
Yes please.
Whether it’s here, or whether it’s there, that dude is going to have to start shooting.
I’d like to think the staff of assistants they just assembled will make that a front burner issue.
I don’t know about that. Simmons is the better player. He may not shoot threes, but he creates a ton of threes for his teammates, and he’s one of the most efficient playmaking “guards” in the league.
Also, my crazy trade that won’t happen, but is fun to imagine, is Embiid to the Spurs for Murray, DeRozan, the #11, plus whatever else. Embiid w/ Pop would be fun, and Murray/DeRozan/Harris/Simmons/Horford would be fun. DeRozan and Simmons are the two most efficient scorers in the entire NBA who don’t shoot threes. They’d have multiple defenders, 3 starters who can stretch the floor, 4 playmakers, and solid defense.
(don’t tell me this is dumb. I just think it would be a fun starting five to imagine)
I kinda agree that Morey is going to see value in Simmons. I think we too often consider analytics to equal taking threes. Analytics are just about efficiency and Simmons is very efficient in many ways, not as efficient in other ways.
Yeah the goal is to generate efficient shots. DeRozan, for example, scored 1.13 PPP in isolation last season. James Harden was at 1.12. Harden did it at a MUCH higher volume (195 poss. vs. 956), but it still shows that efficiency isn’t always dependent on shooting threes. Both DeRozan and Simmons had a TS% >60% with AST% and USG% >25%. DeRozan does most of his work in the midrange and Simmons at the rim, but the end result is efficient scoring and playmaking. Fox is kinda similar, in a way, but he probably does need to become a competent three level scorer to maximize his efficiency.
Also nothing creates more open 3pt shots than dribble penetration.
Obviously, that’s only considering offense. “Analytics” doesn’t ignore defense. And Simmons is a 5-position fringe DPOY level defender. Which, obviously, DeRozen and Fox are not.
Honestly, I think if Simmons can get past his mental block, I think he’ll pretty much immediately be at least respectable shooting. And just respectable will make him a top 5-10 player in the league.
How does someone called Ryan get a billion dollars?
Qualtrics has become the holy grail of data collection/survey technology. It’s STUPIDLY good. Right idea, right timeframe… and lo, he won the game of business.
That is far better information than I reasonably expected, thank you.
Awesome. Do you happen to know how someone named Rory can obtain a billion dollars?
As someone currently in Utah, the news about the Millers selling the Jazz is completely, utterly out of left field. There were no rumors about this, the Millers had made their trust to ensure the Jazz stayed in Utah, things were going well…
With that said, if the Millers are Utah royalty, Ryan Smith is ideal as heir apparent. Went to school at BYU, founded Qualtrics which is the holy grail of survey instrumentation and data collection, kept it in Utah instead of going to Silicon Valley, has openly pushed for various social causes in Utah… He is a FANTASTIC fit for the Jazz. Might have a few Vivek years of finding the right involvement balance (take note, McNair), but most Jazz fans seem to be cautiously optimistic.
“Utah Royalty?” Sounds like a certain website we used to go to…. 😉
“Darn ‘2 Second Advantage’! If I had just waited a bit, I could have bought a more jazzy basketball team.”
I have that same zip up, but with a hood, and it doesn’t fit me. It’s a medium, but it’s way too long. If anyone is skinny, but tall(er than 5’10”), then let me know. I’ll mail it to you. I’ve literally never worn it out because it looks like I’m wearing my dad’s jacket.
How I imagine myself with the new badge:
Oooooooooh snap! I didn’t even notice them until your comment? Does this mean original members from the old site, or original as in we were members on the first day TKH went live?
hmm I don’t know? Technically, we were members from the old site and members of the new site on the first day. I assume it’s based on registering on the new site since that’s easy to track.
Also, this is my periodic request to have badges like “20 upvote comment 3x”, “50x days comment streak”, “Cal Poly Mustang Commenter,” “Handsomest Commenter (me),” etc. Let’s gamify this motha!
If Nostradumbass starts up again, it would be cool to have badges for those.
And this is how I see myself:
/revision/latest?cb=20110416122426
Love the new front page layout!
Things are looking really good! I agree
Except I don’t have any badges!!!!
aaaand now I do!
INFLUENCER!
Badge Legend