October 1st was supposed to mark a significant date in the ongoing Ben Simmons-Philadephia 76ers standoff that has been escalating for months. As a part of his rookie extension, Simmons’ contract dictated that he would be paid 25% of his contract at the close of business on Friday afternoon; however, as reported by Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report and confirmed by Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Sixers are withholding that $8.25 million payment today.
Sources: The 76ers are not paying Ben Simmons his $8.25 million payment due today as the three-time All-Star awaits a trade. Simmons still is not showing up to Philadelphia and has understood the ramifications of his holdout.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 1, 2021
While that sort of decision would seem to go beyond the bounds of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, according to Fischer, NBA and union officials are reportedly on board with the Sixers’ plan, as Simmons is not currently fulfilling the terms of his contract:
“Philadelphia views Simmons’ refusal to report to training camp as not fulfilling the terms of his contract. In dialogue with league-office personnel and players union officials, the Sixers appear to be within their rights to withhold that lucrative check.”
Of course, that’s not the final shot that’s been fired in today’s salvo between Simmons’ camp and Sixers General Manager Daryl Morey. With that huge payday at risk, as well as additional fines undoubtedly on the horizon, the former All-Star may choose to report to camp, albeit with a myriad of mysterious back and knee injuries from previous surgeries. And if he chooses to simply sit at home, Simmons’ agent, Rich Paul, has made it clear that his client is more than willing to eat whatever paychecks are necessary to get him out of Philly.
Simmons has told them team he understood the ramifications of not reporting—that his salary could be withheld. A source close to him said “we’re in it for the long haul.” https://t.co/QKohJOK8bp
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) October 1, 2021
It seems as though this situation will continue to devolve until the Sixers capitulate and find a new home and a new jersey for Simmons.
From a league-wide, future-thinking perspective, the antics of both Simmons and the Sixers will likely have repercussions this season and beyond. If Simmons continues to hold out, he may very well file a grievance to get the cash from his October 1st payday, miring the league, the union, and the Sixers in a mediator-run debate. And when the NBA’s CBA expires in a couple of years, both the players’ union and team owners will want to protect themselves from this sort of mess in the future, which could become a sticking point in negotiations.
The good news for the Sacramento Kings, and any other team interested in Simmons’ services, is that the uglier things get, the more urgent a trade becomes, even if Daryl Morey is still pretending otherwise. Philadelphia cannot afford to waste a quarter or half of a season of Joel Embiid’s healthy prime, and getting in players and assets before the start of the regular season is undoubtedly on the mind of Sixers management. An All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year candidate like Simmons still won’t come at clearance-level prices, but his cost does continue to lower little by little as things become more desperate in Philadelphia.
Morey really put his team in a bad situation by trying to strong hold for more more more. There’s a fine line between wanting to maximize value and being ridiculous.
Ben is definitely the ever growing elephant in the room for the 76ers and will be the lead topic of discussion until he is moved. It has to be a major distraction for the team and the Philly media is only going to make matters worse. Morey has painted himself into a corner.
Yeah Morey had a bad ending to his Rockets teams didnt exactly leave them in high standing, he had a good run but def seems like the Doc Rivers of GMs a bit overrated and not quite the superstar everyone thinks they are. Its quite embarrassing at this point, Players run the NBA its old news, he gave them the respect of a face to face meeting to give them an opportunity to maximize return, had he done that before all the drama stuff got out he would have traded him when his Value was at his highest, thinking hed elevate his value by trashing his name further is quite stupid and now their superstar Center trashes him every other day.
Let’s call things as they are. Morey may have unreasonable ideas about what he can expect as a return if Simmons is moved, but it was Ben Simmons alone who put the team and organization in a bad situation.
Most players at that level run hard into a wall like that, and they let it motivate them to find a way over, around, or through it. Not Ben Simmons.
I think you’re downplaying the fact the coach and best player laid their playoff loss directly at his feet. They acted like complete cowards during that press post game press conference, as if they only lost because he didn’t dunk on that one play. So while I wouldn’t blame Morey for anything other than BS trade demands, the 76ers as an organization are responsible for this.
That’s an impressive trick! The organization is to blame!
Not the guy who passed up an open dunk. Not the guy who missed two of every three free throws that he took. Not the guy who completely disappeared in the fourth quarter almost every time. And certainly not the guy who is holding his team hostage by demanding a trade, and who has made it impossible for his team to get a fair return.
You know who else is to blame? Society.
Give up the Ben fantasy. Why on earth does anyone think a guy who wants to be the focal point and main playmaker on a team is gonna be happy ceding that to Fox? At this point, a trade for Simmons is a chemistry experiment waiting to explode for Kings.
Because the Kings won 31 games last year.
Seriously, He was the second best player on the team with the #1 record in the East last year. Considering the last time the Kings made the playoffs they traded for a cancerous Ron Artest, Simmon’s issues seem like making mountains out of mole hills.
Sure thing. I’m sure he’d be fine playing here and watching Haliburton and Fox be the main playmaker
So let’s trade for a guy who is more focused on being a famous basketball player than he is on being an actual basketball player, and who may decide that he’s never going to play here, either.
And remember, I believe you took issue with the acquisitions of Len & Thompson. They don’t spread the floor! Let’s throw Ben Simmons into the mix!
I’ll grant you that it would bring the Kings’ defensive rating closer to that of the offense, but not in a way that you’d like.
Simmons is something of a gamble even if his head is right. With him humiliated, in a funk, and suddenly in Sacramento? This ain’t the time to invest in a guy like that, even if he could shoot.
This is true. It’s a HUGE investment in a guy who may not fit, may be broken, makes ridiculous money and may hate Sacramento
So… somewhat like Chris Webber?
The vast gulf in talent and accomplishment between Webber and Simmons makes such a comparison ludicrous.
Really? Webber was 25 year old, one time all-star, and burning out on his 2nd team. Ben is a 25 year old 3 time all-star and DPOY candidate burning out on his first team.
How is the comparison ludicrous?
Webber had a position to play. Simmons does not. The NBA no longer believes he should be a point guard running an offense.
Why can’t Simmons be a playmaking 4 much like Draymond?
Draymond, while hardly a marksman, is capable of making threes, even if for no other reason that he’s willing to actually shoot them.
Again, why can’t Simmons be a playmaking 4 much like Draymond? Because he doesn’t shoot 3’s at the rate of a career 30% shooter is beside the point.
IMO, giving Green credit for his 3pth shooting is like giving Bagley credit for his blocks.
Green was the 4th best player on that Warriors team. Simmons does not have that opportunity. He is going to be either 1st or 2nd best player whichever team he goes to.
He can be a playmaking 4 but he also has be high usage, not low usage like Green. If teams are going to trade a ton of assets for Simmons, he has to come in and be a high usage playmaking 4 or 5.
That is why teams are not offering much for Simmons. If he is just going to be used like Green, a team intended to trade for Simmons will have to keep their proven scorers to surround Simmons. Then that team won’t have much to offer to the Sixers.
We don’t need Simmons to shoot. We need him to grab the rebound and start the fast break. Simmons has an opportunity as a King to be a double double machine.
change that to:
day-day does make an occasional 3 , he also knows and accepts his role and does not think – at least on the court- that he is the primary star.
lol
Weber could shoot, Weber had a position or 2 and knew it.
Just because both are/were 25 years old and both burned out on a team, does not make a comparison. Compare basketball fit and talent. i.e. ludicrous.
I said that some time ago. This is Chris Webber all over again.
Make the trade.
1) is this a thing? I know almost nothing about him outside of basketball
2) It is crazy to me how low people’s opinion of him has dropped given how much he contributes to winning basketball in the regular season. Sure, some of his offensive limitations can be exposed towards the end of a close game in the playoffs. That is a problem I would love to have.
Well said.
Agreed. And the callous manner in which people like sims discuss his motivations and mental state like they are some sort of expert who did their own research.
it’s as if nobody remembers how half the world shat on Paul George in the bubble and how he came back the next season.
Does Simmons come with question-marks and a certain amount of risk? Of course, that’s why he is available.
I think an easier environment like Sacramento over Philly and a new role alongside another star player may benefit Simmons. And yes, I could be wrong.
Not saying I think the Kings will be able to get Simmons, but if they did, Sacramento is a perfect fit for him on paper. His on-court issues are 99% mental, and nowhere is the spotlight dimmer and the criticism quieter than the Golden 1 Center.
And I ask again. Are you letting him run the team? And if you are, what are you telling Fox? Because Simmons ain’t coming here to play defense and rebound. He wants to be the focal point.
I realize this probably makes me a KH pariah, but I’d totally trade Fox for a package around Ben Simmons.
IMO it’s clear that Fox is the more valuable player, so I’d ask for Simmons plus a young upside player or a future 1st.
As much as I love Fox, I can’t stop thinking how entertaining a Halliburton/Mitchell, Hield, Simmons, Barnes, and Holmes lineup would be. Shooting, defense, playmaking, cross-positional versatility – it’s all there in spades.
Gotta give something up to get something good, and if it preserves future assets like picks it maintains some flexibility in case it doesn’t work. We know what this roster likely is, but that hypothetical roster is exciting. I’d do it in a heartbeat.
I agree it’s probably not popular, but I’m with you.
You could argue for a pick or another promising player to the Kings trading Fox for Simmons as you said. With the swap the starters could be:
The defense in that starting 5 would be bananas. Or Hali can play the 1 and Hield is the 2. But in either lineup, Simmons runs the offense with Haliburton as secondary playmaker.
Plus, Simmons and Fox have similar salaries. I’m no cap expert, but having Fox and Simmons together on a team could hamstring future flexibility. Of course, I know salaries must be close to do any trade without space, but Haliburton and Mitchell are still on the rookie scale, Bagley is technically expiring, and Hield has only two years left whereas Fox and Simmons both have long term deals.
Finally, I struggle with a lineup where we get Simmons, keep Fox, and lose Haliburton or Mitchell. Yes, the defensive upgrade will still be net positive, but the relinquishing of Haliburton or Mitchell will still hurt that side. Then, on offense we have two big time players, one who can’t shoot and another whose shooting is still a work in progress. Dealing Fox, you keep a plus shooter in Haliburton and a potential plus in Mitchell (I know that is not for sure at all).
I don’t know if I’d trade any of Fox, Haliburton, or Mitchell, but I’d be most inclined to deal Fox if forced to choose.
Don’t forget to mention the previous decade as well.
Yes give up already. Simmonds can’t shoot, is prone to pouting, thinks he is a PG, wants a team to be “his team” and may be disruptive or not fit. He needs shooters but if the Kings trade shooters to get him, what good is he?
The Weber comparisons don’t fit. He is an enigma- great talent but huge flaws-The talent pays him well and makes him think he is the man but the flaws prevent him for success.
I would trade Bagley only for him- straight up- and inform him that he is a PF. and his role is to play D, get rebounds, push the ball and pass.
Usually a team that has an inefficient offensive player or a limited one, finds themselves with other talent and the limited guys often can shoot threes. Bowen, Bruce Brown, PJ Tucker but Ben can’t hit a 3 or space the floor. Not a good fit.
I’m guessing Morey is now urgently contacting teams for there best offer.
I still think a Simmons McCollum swap is the likely outcome.
I’d be fine with:
Bagley, Buddy and two top three proctected firsts
I agree that a McCollum trade makes more sense for the Sixers and if that’s really part of a Blazers offer the Kings don’t (well, shouldn’t, anyways) stand a chance in the bidding.
Where are you playing him? He wants to be the focal point of offense. You telling Fox to stand aside?
Where are you getting the notion that he wants to be the focal point of the offense? Has he said that?
It’s been written about extensively in recent days. He didn’t like playing second fiddle and catering to Embiid. Pretty sure that means he doesn’t want to play power forward for Kings.
I don’t get it. The guy is obviously uncomfortable being the primary if not 3rd option at scoring, but he wants to be the #1 option on another team?
All that means is that he’s pissed at Embiid for throwing him under the bus and doesn’t want to play with him anymore. “I don’t want to be 2nd fiddle” is just a slightly more professional way of saying it.
yes
That sounds made up.
He wants the ball in his hands. https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/joel-embiid-calls-ben-simmons-situation-borderline-disrespectful-says-76ers-are-built-around-simmons/amp/
Oh, because resentful, big mouth Embiid said so. That’s how it works. When you find the quote about him not wanting to be in Sac because of Fox, let me know.
Yeah, I want to hear it from Ben’s mouth that he “wants the ball in his hands.” Until that happens, it’s all speculation.
The idea that the 76ers are built around Simmons is a really tough one to support.
All words are made up
One could argue that onomatopoeias aren’t.
Man skips work. doesn’t get paid.
It appears he is fine with it. He also knows he will eventually get paid once he is moved. I feel everyday this goes by it hurts the 76ers locker room more than it hurts Ben’s pocketbook.
I agree, and then wonder why people suppose that he won’t have the same effect on the Kings’ locker room. The man is not interested in coming to Sacramento.
I’ve heard nothing about him not wanting to come to Sacramento more than any other player in the league would. I’d wager a good 90% of the league is not interested in coming to Sacramento right now.
All I know for sure is that he wants out of Philly.
So to repeat myself, he’s not interested in playing in Sacramento.
You left out the first part:
Again, how is the different from the vast majority of the NBA? I guess we shouldn’t trade for anyone for fear they don’t want to be in Sacramento. Chris Webber says hi.
I’m sorry but could a man really not be convinced that playing as the Giannis-style 5 running the floor with Fox, Haliburton, and Barnes couldn’t be incredible? Yes, I’m assuming Mitchell+Hield is the centerpiece here but just roll with it…
Fox Ramsey
Hali Davis
Harkless
Barnes Metu
Simmons Holmes
Find a starting caliber SF who can shoot and that’s your core for the next 4-8 years….
That also sounds made up.
The part where I speculate about the future based on the past & present? Everything like that is, by definition, made up.
Cute. No, the part where you clearly and emphatically state, “The man is not interested in coming to Sacramento.” As if you knew. Sorry if it doesn’t read as speculation to me.
My recollection is that he mentioned that there were a number of California teams to whom he’d like to be traded, but he seems to have forgotten one.
I think he’d rather be in Sac than Philly. Plus he lives in CA, and he had the chance to say Sac isn’t one of the CA teams, but didn’t. By no means do I think Sac is his first choice, but I do think he’d come here and work hard to rebuild his image. And then, who knows?
Did he list the California teams or exclude one by name?
Receipts, Andy.
You want that as paper or sent to your email?
I’ll settle for a post here.
Are you paying for internet service by the click or something?
Yeah, sorry, the writer just speculates the three teams here without anything from Simmons. SInce then, all three of those teams have either said they don’t want him or aren’t pursuing him.
Correct, the author speculates the 3 prefered Cali teams but never once says Sacramento is a no go. For a guys who insists on factual evidence of things, Andy is reaching here.
This is my favorite type of Sims…
A number of teams in California…
Are you referring to two teams?
Three teams?
Kind of empty and vague.
His trade value isnt getting measurably less
He’s good and there are 28 other teams
Maybe more urgent
But he’s not going to be here without a very good package
OT: Uhhhhh…..wut.
https://twitter.com/SeanCunningham/status/1444040749402656769
Oh God.
Four on five just needed the “right” coach! I’m not surprised in the slightest. That’s why they got Len and Thompson.
The Kings can get as cute with their lineups as they want. If they don’t win games, they’re just going to look desperate and dumb. And if they do win games with Buddy Hield guarding the other team’s power forward, they’ll look like geniuses!
They can sub in four centers.
Why stop at 4?
Davion, Fox, Tyrese, Buddy, Davis.
6!
6 Guard Lineup!
Likely full court press packages. He probably got seduced by Davion doing it in Summer League. I honestly don’t blame him for wanting to see it. Desperate times, desperate measures.
I just got a chuckle thinking of watching a 4 guard set running the full press for entire quarter and Vivek just sitting back with his arms crossed and smiling.
And then quickly giving Luke a five year extension.
Vivek: So Mark, I pulled Luke aside and said “Hey, I ran the press the entire game when I coached my daughter’s 7th grade team…and we won the championship! What say you try it with the Kings!”
Mark: That’s nice. I’m selling my shares.
Truthfully, I would kind of like it if they ran a press the majority of the time. Cycle guys in and out of the game, and make opponents work for every foot that they move forward.
I knew it!
andy_sims is a burner account for Vivek!
If I had that kind of money, I would disappear so completely that people would have a hard time convincing themselves that I ever existed.
Vivek is different, because he made his own fortune, but you see a whole lot of people who became millionaires at birth who also want to be celebrities. New money is also susceptible, as we’ve all seen.
I remember when it became clear that Paris Hilton was going to be a thing that we all needed to be aware of all the time, and wondering why someone with someone with such a wonderful life still needed the adoration of strangers. Rich or poor, I’ll never understand it.
Travel! Study & learn! See! Do! So much easier to do all of those things when you don’t need to make a spectacle of yourself.
It’s five o’clock somewhere.
Or work 40-60 hours a week.
…Ok, andy_sims is not a burner account for Vivek afterall. 🙁
I too would like to see a lot more press, but it’s not something you can’t do for more than a few positions for matchups. These guys are pros and know how to break and exploit it pretty easily. It’s best used at opportune times to catch the offense flat footed.
Benifox baby
The more this goes on and the more we hear the more I want us to be out on Simmons.
It sounds liken he wants to be the main ballhandler anywhere he goes and I’m not down with that. I do really want to upgrade talent but if he is going to pout about not always having the ball in his hands then I would like to move on from that.
Exactly what everyone said before Harden went to the Nets.
Eh, I feel like it is a very different situation. I don’t think his Rockets teammates were shitting on him non-stop like the Sixers have been.
Who are all the teammates shitting on him nonstop? I’ve heard Embiid do a manic love/hate thing every other week, but who else? Also, Harden got his share. He was last year’s exact same circus – strip joints, anti-masker, fat, out-of-shape, disrespectful to the team, selfish, pouter, blah, blah, blah. Look it up.
Harden? The guy who is the best scorer in the NBA? That’s who you compare to Simmons?
Actually, the 18th best scorer. But yes, the guy who spent his career in the playoffs and on All Star teams. Dominant on one half of the court, needs some work on the other. Most importantly, a winner.
It sounds liken he wants to be the main ballhandler anywhere he goes? Sounds like? Like where is that sound coming from?
I mean, they are just rumors but Embiid said they got rid of Butler because Simmons wanted to be the main ballhandler and he felt like Jimmy was taking the ball out of his hands.
They didn’t get rid of Jimmy. Jimmy got rid of them. He was a FA and wanted to go to Miami. Embiid is a tool!
Thank you! Yeah, I can’t stand Embiid. He’s not going to have a very long career either.
I’m not sure Embiid should be considered a reliable source right now. He scrambling to do damage control.
He’s not very good at damage control PR either, IMHO.
Definitely not. I just think it’s funny how his statements have progressed from pinning the ATL lose on Simmons, to damage control to try to get Simmons to come back, to realizing that isn’t going to work and shifting to personal image damage control and trying to pin ALL the Sixers problems on Simmons.
Ultimately, the Sixers lost that series because they couldn’t stop turning the ball over (Embiid had more than twice as many TOs as anyone else on the team), couldn’t hit freethrows (where Simmons is the biggest culprit, though not the only culprit), and their bench got smoked. They didn’t lose the series because Simmons passed up a dunk and they only got one point instead of two on that single possession.
Yeah, Simmons is just dyimg to play power forward for the Kings. People are delusional. If you trade for the guy, he’s your focal point. I think it’s idiotic to think he’s coming in as defender and post offensive player.
He can play power forward or small forward. He does not need to play point guard to be the focal point of the offense. Simmons can play the PF like Giannis but with passing ability during cuts to the basket. Play him from the top of the key, not as a post player.
There was an article or something saying he wanted to be the focal point of an offense. I don’t recall where I read it, it was 2 days ago. I don’t think it was confirmed or anything, but I’m pretty sure it was a somewhat reliable source at least.
Way to come in strong, man.
This made me chuckle 😀
me too
Pooh Jeter probably wanted to be the focal point of the offense, too, back in the day. It’s the NBA. Everybody wants to be the focal point. That doesn’t mean they’re going to huff and puff and tear the arena down when they’re not. This whole “Simmons wants the be the focal point” thing is way overblown.
Simmons is not comfortable in Philly because they want him to shoot more. He’s not comfortable with Embiid either. The rest of this is noise.
This is why team culture matters. Ben’s teammates rolled him under the bus, rightfully or wrongfully, without much consideration after they were bounced from the playoffs last year.
I’m the kind of person who, if you have a problem with me by all means bring it to my attention and we can hash it out. But if you roll me under the bus to someone else I’m done with you. The end.
I know we don’t know ALL the facts, either, I’m taking this all at face value from what’s been reported and it’s hard for me to have a bad opinion of his actions right now. I’d be wanting a change of scenery, too. This doesn’t mean I condone shithead behavior, if he’s insistent on being a focal point of any offense he’s a part of, as has been alleged, then I’d suggest he learn how to shoot, at least free throws, consistently. But if I were a GM, his behavior in response to his team’s bus rolling over him, backing up, then driving over him again is all the reason I’d need to understand why he wants that team in his own personal rear-view.
I still wouldn’t give up Fox, Haliburton or Mitchell, tho, Morey’s leverage is starting to get thin…
Agree. Embiid is a big mouth diva who isn’t nearly as amusing as he thinks. Not sure why the media loves him so much. I’d rather have Simmons.
He gets hurt a lot too.
who dey
Mitchell + Hield + Bagley + 1rdr + pick swap and we call this a day Sixers
If I’m Monte, I’m not giving up anything I want, whether he’s worth it or not, No on Mitchell.
Hield + Bagley + 2 1sts + pick swap. Let Morey make his own picks, or trade them for someone. It isn’t necessarily the best but, if we’re trying to win now…
We need to appreciate that at a certain point we’re going to have to pay for the talent we’re getting back in this deal. I like Mitchell a lot, but he’s a 23 year old rookie whose hype has been generated off of the Summer League. Simmons is far more proven, and likely better than Mitchell will ever be. Making Mitchell the centerpiece of the return as opposed to Fox or Hali is already a huge win, and you can’t get too greedy or you’ll lose out on a Brogdon/Russell/McCollum + stuff deal from one of our other competitors for Simmons. Mitchell, Bagley, and draft capital is an intriguing package to pair with win-now shooting in Hield. Morey may have a tough time saying no at this point. But I can guarantee if the deal is just Hield + Bagley + stuff he still hangs up the phone. Mitchell is the wild card that pushes this offer past the tipping point imo.
I think local media as well have done a disservice to a lot of fans who actually think Hield/Bagley/picks, which is near neutral value as Bagley is neutral and Buddy currently negative, is actually a considerable asset lot for Simmons
There are 28 other teams potentially vying for a good player. Several very interested in him. The Sixers have already rejected Brogdon/first
At the minimum, it will take Mitchell, whoever else the Sixers want other than Fox/Hali, and some picks, if the Sixers like Mitchell (and I don’t want to part with Mitchell personally)
And I’m not sure where the notion that Ben fits symmetrically with Fox at PF comes from. The spacing with Fox/Holmes.. Both want the ball in their hands etc
Ben as the small-ball 5 next to Fox, Hali, and Barnes is the real vision imo.
This whole saga has gotten stupid. And the Sixers did their part to maintain that.
I keep wondering what it takes for the Sixers to move on, but I’m not seeing anything that really is indicative of that. Something has to break the stalemate, curious to see what it is.
Completely agree. What the hell is Morey doing? You have to wonder if this has turned into a pissing match, and if so, there’s zero good about that for the Sixers as a basketball team. Morey has the offers he’s going to get. Just deal the guy already.
I’m starting to wonder if Morey has lost all leverage and the offers are getting worse so he’s just decided to sit on his hands. Maybe he’s hoping for some outer outside factor like a major injury elsewhere or another star requests a trade, and then he has more bargaining power.
I never thought he’d be content to just sit on Ben and play the season without him, but maybe he’s gotten to that point? I guess it will all come down to how the 76ers perform without Ben or without the pieces he would bring in in trade. For now, I guess they are handing the keys to Maxey.
“Morey, you had a better deal two days ago!”
LOL, basically.
Wouldn’t it be something if Buddy and a pick are the central pieces to landing Simmons much like they were for DMC?
It will have taken 5(?) years but I’d finally feel like we got proper value for DeMarcus. Not that Buddy’s trash…
Even if he’s “lost leverage” that doesn’t mean our spare players and a couple of picks are anywhere near in play, it just means he will have to settle for McCollum/Brogdon/Dejounte and White etc. instead of the Fox/Lillard’s he wants
The larger problem for the Sixers is the potential to piss off agents.
I would argue that includes star players, too. Unless you meant both star players and agents.
But yes, I would agree with that. It’s certainly one of the reasons why I find this saga rather confusing.
Yes. I meant the agents of top end players.
This certainly isn’t endearing the Sixers to top end talent.
I expect it to end in a pretty decent looking trade package sending him to MIN. But one that’s ultimate quality heavily depends on the Sixers staying good and MIN not making a big leap. Tangentially, it’s hard to imagine a better front court match for Simmons than KAT. Sadly, obviously depending on what they give up, I could see that deal vaulting the Wolves ahead of the Kings and making our path tougher.
I think Minny is the most likely spot, too. Sac is the 2nd likeliest, and I think the gap isn’t nearly as big as other people do. I’ve said it a 1000 times but I think Morey is choosing between Beasley, Prince and McDaniels + 2 unprotected FRPs in ’22 & ’24 vs Barnes, Bagley and 2 unprotected FRPs in the same years.
They may have even made the choice already, but I think it’s unwise to assume the Sixers are looking to replace Simmons. Since they are guaranteed to move Simmons, I would suspect they want the best NBA players and assets regardless of position. Unless you think Tyrese Maxey is leaving the Sixers, they probably have enough ball handling to survive. I would suspect any deal is about setting the Sixers up for that deal to get Lillard or Beal. Trading for Brogdon or McCollum doesn’t do that IMO.
I don’t see any way the Wolves aren’t ahead of the Kings after a Simmons deal while holding onto Edwards, Russell and Towns. But who knows? Maybe Ben Simmons is really crap now. I’m hardly a fan of his, but even I don’t believe that.
Simmons isn’t the only guy out there. But even if he doesn’t come to Sac, the Kings could end up okay because that might break the logjam and waiting game and allow other deals to come along that could be just as beneficial or possibly more even. Saying it again, but this season for Sacramento is a referendum on De’Aaron Fox. Plain and simple. That’s true regardless of whether the Kings acquire Ben Simmons or not.
this has always been my extremely hopeful position.
Were I in your shoes, I’d feel the same. Morey did this once in acquiring Harden. If Morey could trade for Lillard, or hell even Beal, straight up, why wouldn’t he?
If Morey traded 5 1st’s and probably Harris to make the money work, that might be a really good starting point. I don’t think anybody else tops that. Lillard is a tough player to deal for, too. And he’s not an automatic bringer of rings were the Sixers to acquire him. And, hell yes, I think Philly should acquire him. I’ve thought that for 2 years. I’m hardly alone in that either.
It is what it is.
There are 28 teams, and Simmons is a player. I think the Sixers are weighing a lot of offers.
Maxey is a SG,
Minnesota refuses to give up KAT or Edwards and may offer a package of Beasly , DLO, McDaniels and picks. Not a great haul since Minnesota does not have much
As far as the stream goes, I can’t believe how much I miss the slow-motion replays of standard plays. Fouls, made/missed shots, and turnovers from both teams; I really miss that.
On Comcast, they don’t show replays during the broadcast, you have to wait until there is a commercial break or free-throw. Every other spare second of screen time is devoted to advertising.
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