EricAnderson wrote:HopelessKnick wrote:moocow007 wrote:
I would not be surprised at all if Simmons ends up being traded himself. Well I would be but that’s due to the size of his contract and the concern about whatever mental illness that IMHO he’s clearly suffering from. Let me rephrase…I would expect Simmons to be the next guy the Nets look to move after they grant KD his wish. Simmons couldn’t handle Philly. I can’t see him being able to handle NY.
Generally I get your point but I disagree a little bit. To say Simmons couldn't handle Philly is a little exaggerated IMO. He became a multiple times all-star and DPOY candidate and was generally helping the team win games and advance to the ECF. True, he lost his confidence there and something happened to him mentally but I wouldn't charaterize his whole Philly time as a failure. It may have been dissapointing in the end and maybe even overall, but he certainly had stretches of success and prosperity as well.
To me it really comes down to what type of players you surround him with. For Simmons it is absolutely essential to be surrounded by 4 guys that can all shoot the basketball so that his biggest weakness is well compensated for. Actually I think with Seth Curry, Kyrie and Durant he would be in a situation where he could flourish if they added a solid shooting 5 as well. I think if you create the right situation for him, he can regain his confidence and have a successful career.
Well said which is why it’s also strange to me that Durant is demanding a trade just because they didn’t give the max to that lunatic Kyrie.
The Nets situation was probably the best situation basketball wise for KD out of all his options. I think if Ben played well the Nets age as good as anyone in the East.
If KD goes to say Phoenix and they have to give up Ayton Bridges and other pieces and Durant has to rely on Paul who can’t stay healthy in the playoffs anymore is that a better situation then the current roster in BK
Something is amiss with what Durant is publically saying.
My speculation is that he is privately disillusioned with Kyrie and actually wants to get out of a situation where he has to rely on Kyrie as his Robin. But since they are friends and he does not want to admit all that publically (humiliating Kyrie in the process) he tries to spin it into something else.
There is no way that after the Harden saga and after how Kyrie has let the whole team down, Durant is in any ways shape or form convinced that hedging his last 3-4 productive years as an elite player on Kyrie is a good idea. Even if he himself would still have some sympathy for Kyrie and would want to make that work I am sure his friends, family and agent have influenced him into divorcing himself from Kyrie. But as a loyal friend he can't demand the team to trade Kyrie. As Kyrie would not return any significant value at this point in a trade---the only option is to demand a trade himself if he wants to try for a final title run. If he could count 100% on Kyrie going to the gym, coming in the best possible shape, staying focused on basketball the whole year and give it his all come April and May then I'm sure he wouldn't have demanded a trade. But since no one can be sure about what Kyrie is doing tomorrow, let alone weeks or months from now it is best for Durant to leave that situation. He is close to 34, he cannot waste his last 3 years hoping Kyrie prioritizes basketball again.
Add to that all the drama that comes from being on a team with Kyrie and now Ben---it is the opposite from what Durant was seeking in Brooklyn---he was seeking a chill situation focused on basketball and it turned into a public freek show that even the Knicks would have had a hard time matching. Durant won't sacrifice the last bit of his basketball career relying on someone like Kyrie and he is actually right in demanding out.