JonFromVA wrote:jbk1234 wrote:JonFromVA wrote:
It certainly seems like a better fit for him, and he just might be able to clean up their mess with the help of analytics. For instance, Simmons+Embiid have been very effective in certain lineups, so, he could certainly choose to not break them up and instead focus on the lineups which haven't been working.
The last time he was stuck with a really large contract for a player who was good but wasn't working out, he traded it for an even worse contract for a player who wasn't as good and added picks for the privilege. Now he's sitting there with Horford, Harris, and it's not entirely clearly his two *stars* fit together. It will be interesting to see how things play out.
Again, everyone says the trade of Paul for Westbrook wasn't being driven by Morey, but rather Harden and Fertita.
I'm not even sure they have to trade any of their starters, because Simmons-Richardson-Harris-Horford-Embiid was an effective lineup. One way to go is focus on the lineup when Embiid is resting, and the lineup when Simmons is resting, and then have swappable players to deal with injuries. Might be as simple as playing their shooters with Simmons, and using Trey Burke and Richardson with Embiid.
At least that's what a quick look at the lineup data suggests.
Of course, that alone (if it worked) would just mean they win a bunch of regular season games. Getting out of the East means solving the matchups .vs. their playoff opponents, which is a whole other level of planning.
The advanced numbers, especially in the post season, with Embiid and Horford on the floor together were terrible.