Ben Simmons formally demands trade

[tlance]

2 days ago you were saying that the Sixers had to include Maxey for this to be a reasonable trade. Now it's a massive loss for the Sixers because the gave up Seth Curry?

I get that trades like this inevitably lead to a lot of hot takes but I wasn't expecting it from Tlance. I was DEFINITELY expecting it from you though.

I am fine with giving up Curry. That was basically a given.

But adding Drummond plus 2 firsts?

To your rival who has Blake Griffin as their best big man?

Too much.

 

[Iggloo]

Drummond has played well and I do think we will miss him. But he is playing for the vet minimum. Every team in the NBA could have signed Drummond this offseason. Let's not act like these throw in guys are difference makers. At the end of the day, the trade will come down to whether Simmons recovers his reputation and becomes a player he has yet to become.

 

[tlance]

Even if the Nets don't get healthy...I don't see the Sixers getting past the Heat or Bucks.

Let’s see how Harden and Embiid fit before we try to call that.

But the way I see it, healthy Brooklyn is now far ahead of the rest of the East.

There is very legitimate reason to be skeptical of them being full strength in the playoffs, but still.

 

[bksballer89]

Even if the Nets don't get healthy...I don't see the Sixers getting past the Heat or Bucks.

A sixers/nets 1st round is what the nba world need

 

[flyerhawk]

Sixers will be better than they were because they add Harden, and subtract 2 role players + a disgruntled star who wasn’t playing.

No doubt.

BUT.

Harden is not easy to play with. I don’t like the fit with Embiid, let alone Maxey. And you just made Brooklyn A LOT better.

Why is Harden not easy to play with? Harden likes a fairly slow pace of play. Guess what? The Sixers already were the slowest pace of play team in the NBA.

Not sure why Harden is being described as hard to play with. The guy is always in the top of the league in assists. He's a magnet for defenders. And he's NEVER played with anyone like Embiid. The closest he has come is Clint Capela who got a big pay raise because of his play with Harden.

There are certainly things to be concerned about with Harden. His fitness. His age. His dedication. His motivation. But the guy is an amazing player.

 

[Iggloo]

 

[trojanfan12]

2 days ago you were saying that the Sixers had to include Maxey for this to be a reasonable trade. Now it's a massive loss for the Sixers because the gave up Seth Curry?

Yes, but not for the reason you think.

As has been pointed out, it's not that this trade doesn't make the Sixers better, it does. The problem is that it doesn't make them better enough to get out of the East or even change their playoff positioning. Additionally, what they gave up directly fills needs that the Nets had.

So, they improved enough to be a better version of a team that was 4th best in the East (assuming healthy Nets). They are still the 4th best team in the East and they significantly improved one of the teams ahead of them.

 

[flyerhawk]

I am fine with giving up Curry. That was basically a given.

But adding Drummond plus 2 firsts?

To your rival who has Blake Griffin as their best big man?

Too much.

Drummond is a regular season player. He's essentially unplayable in the playoffs. Which is why the Sixers got him for a league minimum. And why they were willing to deal him.

 

[thunderc]

Why is Harden not easy to play with? Harden likes a fairly slow pace of play. Guess what? The Sixers already were the slowest pace of play team in the NBA.

Not sure why Harden is being described as hard to play with. The guy is always in the top of the league in assists. He's a magnet for defenders. And he's NEVER played with anyone like Embiid. The closest he has come is Clint Capela who got a big pay raise because of his play with Harden.

There are certainly things to be concerned about with Harden. His fitness. His age. His dedication. His motivation. But the guy is an amazing player.

That’s a lot to be concerned with, and sad really

 

[Iggloo]

Let’s see how Harden and Embiid fit before we try to call that.

But the way I see it, healthy Brooklyn is now far ahead of the rest of the East.

There is very legitimate reason to be skeptical of them being full strength in the playoffs, but still.

We've heard this story before: "The unbeatable Nets." The New York Times even wrote a ludicruous piece on how they were the best NBA team ever assembled!

Last I checked Giannis had a nice ring on his finger, and the Nets still had zero rings. Let's slow the hype train and see how the pieces fit.

 

[bksballer89]

That’s a lot to be concerned with, and sad really

Yep and the fact that a superstar in his prime is now on his 3rd team in less than 2 years. He checks out frequently and is a heartless coward....but outside of that everything is amazing

 

[flyerhawk]

Yes, but not for the reason you think.

As has been pointed out, it's not that this trade doesn't make the Sixers better, it does. The problem is that it doesn't make them better enough to get out of the East or even change their playoff positioning. Additionally, what they gave up directly fills needs that the Nets had.

So, they improved enough to be a better version of a team that was 4th best in the East (assuming healthy Nets). They are still the 4th best team in the East and they significantly improved one of the teams ahead of them.

How can you possibly know this? If Harden plays at the level he played at LAST season, he would be the best player that Embiid has ever played with. And that's putting aside the fact that the next 2 best players he's played with had games that did not complement Embiid at all.

Embiid, Harden, Harris, Maxey, Green is a pretty darn good team. Obviously injuries are a very real concern and they could derail everything. But Embiid/Harden could be the best 2 man game in the NBA this season. It might not but it is certainly possible.

 

[Gman]

... Not sure why Harden is being described as hard to play with...

 

[thunderc]

Yep and the fact that a superstar in his prime is now on his 3rd team in less than 2 years. He checks out frequently and is a heartless coward....but outside of that everything is amazing

Is he still in his prime? Are the Sixers obligated to give him a supermax now?

 

[msgkings322]

A sixers/nets 1st round is what the nba world need

Serious question, would Simmons play the games in Philly?

 

[bksballer89]

Serious question, would Simmons play the games in Philly?

Yes

 

[flyerhawk]

That’s a lot to be concerned with, and sad really

Well sure. Guess what? ANY trade involving Simmons would have come with a ton of concerns. And I'm far from certain that this was the right trade. But calling this trade a massive failure for the Sixers is just laughable hyperbole.

 

[flyerhawk]

Why? He won 65 games with Chris Paul despite the fact that their games had a ton of overlap.

Are we saying the problem is that he's been hard to play with on the Nets? Because of the 16 games he's played with Kyrie and KD?

If Harden were healthy in the playoffs last year do you really think the Bucks would have won the title?

Harden is a difficult personality.

But the guy that is difficult to play with in that trade is not James Harden.

 

[thunderc]

Well sure. Guess what? ANY trade involving Simmons would have come with a ton of concerns. And I'm far from certain that this was the right trade. But calling this trade a massive failure for the Sixers is just laughable hyperbole.

I agree, honestly it’s a failure for the entire league

 

[flyerhawk]

I agree, honestly it’s a failure for the entire league

Well the good news for you is the Sixers aren't giving Simmons the 20 million he lost in fines.