Offseason

[DeBlazerRiddem]

Only if Dame signs off on it. We can maybe take his retweet of Simmons in a Blazer jersey as a tacit approval to roll with a discussion.

I dont know what is going on with Ben Simmons but if he really cant take criticism and work to improve himself and just wants to live the NBA lifestyle in Cali then his talent doesn't matter he will always fail when he needs to step up and that is worse than having a less talented guy who puts in the work.

On the other hand, I have always thought Doc Rivers is a toxic MFer. If Simmons just had enough of his BS and is seriously happy to be anywhere else in a non-toxic environment then welcome to Portland we got a good thing going in our locker room for him here. On the floor I always thought Lillard and Simmons would be a fun pairing.

[Wizenheimer]

. On the floor I always thought Lillard and Simmons would be a fun pairing.

it certainly has lots of potential; but it also poses some big questions

start with the elephants in the room: If Simmons had a bad mesh with Enbiid, how is he going to mesh with Nurkic? Embiid has a perimeter game and he's very effective at putting the ball on the floor, driving outside>in, and in creating his own offense. Nurkic is not good at either of those things. Of course, Nurkic is 27 years old, entering his 8th season in the league, and has an extensive injury history. His value to Portland is too hypothetical to be the factor that stops the Blazers from making a play for Simmons

Optimally, Blazers would need to surround Simmons with perimeter shooting options and cutters. And maybe a C who has a perimeter game. For that matter, how does a Dame-Powell-RoCo-Nance-Simmons lineup look? That might actually be a dynamic rotational option in this new NBA

to my thinking, the flaw in a lot of discussions about a CJ for Simmons trade is the underlying assumption that the trade would be the 'final piece' trade. I think there would have to be one or two followup moves to optimize the roster

[DeBlazerRiddem]

. On the floor I always thought Lillard and Simmons would be a fun pairing.

it certainly has lots of potential; but it also poses some big questions

start with the elephants in the room: If Simmons had a bad mesh with Enbiid, how is he going to mesh with Nurkic? Embiid has a perimeter game and he's very effective at putting the ball on the floor, driving outside>in, and in creating his own offense. Nurkic is not good at either of those things. Of course, Nurkic is 27 years old, entering his 8th season in the league, and has an extensive injury history. His value to Portland is too hypothetical to be the factor that stops the Blazers from making a play for Simmons

Optimally, Blazers would need to surround Simmons with perimeter shooting options and cutters. And maybe a C who has a perimeter game. For that matter, how does a Dame-Powell-RoCo-Nance-Simmons lineup look? That might actually be a dynamic rotational option in this new NBA

to my thinking, the flaw in a lot of discussions about a CJ for Simmons trade is the underlying assumption that the trade would be the 'final piece' trade. I think there would have to be one or two followup moves to optimize the roster

I don't think Simmons/Embiid spacing was really the issue that is causing them to part ways, the issue was more what is Simmons role at the end of tight games and him feeling thrown under the bus and scapegoated. Honestly if they hadn't done that the Sixers would be looking to move Harris for a guard who can shoot and create not breaking up with Simmons/Embiid pairing.

[GEE]

Solid points DBR and Wiz. Very similar to how I view things. Agree that Harris as a PF is more the problem in Philly, than Joel. With that, Nurkic shouldn't be an issue as we have no PF's.

Big point I would like to make... Simmons, in my opinion is a bit misunderstood by most NBA fans. I'm guilty of this too, as I hate playing against him: He plays with alot of nasty, chicken wingin' elbows, holding, pushing players into other player, hard fouls... you know 80's style. But he is crazy smart and talented, and for that reason, I think he'd be the kind of player you hate... unless he's on YOUR team. Think Draymond Green, or the post-prime Charles Barkley, or Jordan and Kobe every single night they played. Those last two wanted to carve the other guys heart out. It seams to me, Simmons exhibits similar old-school traits. With Chauncey being a former Piston great, can't believe it's not done already.

GET OVER YOURSELF MOREY!!! Be like NIKE, Just Do It!

[JasonStern]

Read on Twitter

And you guys bashed the big move Toby Zeller signing.

[BNM]

Of the summer league and training camp invitees, who do you want to see on the opening night roster?

Michael Beasley
Patrick Patterson
Dennis Smith Jr.
James Ennis
Other (please specify)

[DusterBuster]

Read on Twitter

[red_power]

According to bookies, the favourites to land Simmons are Blazers, Wolves and Kings.
Every team on that list can easily be described as a "small market team".

So that tweet is nothing but another attempt to make a loud headline out of nowhere, just to shake up this boring pre-training camp routine a little bit.

[Goldbum]

Could be just for clicks, or Vegas made us favorites for the acquisition because they know something we don't. I mean they don't build giant casinos because so they can lose all the time.

[b33nine]

Read on Twitter

In the interview where Windhorst talked about the mystery team he mentioned that he didn't think Portland had interest in trading CJ for Simmons prior to mentioning the unknown small market team. So it's not very likely to be us. I don't know if it's all smoke screens, but it sure looks like the collective mentality inside the organization is to try again with our starting 5 with a coaching (and philosophy?) change.

[Soulyss]

Read on Twitter

In the interview where Windhorst talked about the mystery team he mentioned that he didn't think Portland had interest in trading CJ for Simmons prior to mentioning the unknown small market team. So it's not very likely to be us. I don't know if it's all smoke screens, but it sure looks like the collective mentality inside the organization is to try again with our starting 5 with a coaching (and philosophy?) change.

San Antonio has some assets, and I think enough space to get the job done. If Pop can't fix him....

[BlazersBroncos]

I hate the personality Ben would bring, but you take the talent.

If we really dont have CJ on the table for Simmons, I am done with this team. Just tear it down.

[JasonStern]

Read on Twitter

[Case2012]

I hate the personality Ben would bring, but you take the talent.

If we really dont have CJ on the table for Simmons, I am done with this team. Just tear it down.

It’s like watching the Harden situation all over again, except Harden said he’d play here. After seeing what the rockets got for him I think we could have landed him without giving up Dame. Would Neil even move CJ for Lebron??

[Napoleon7]

I hate the personality Ben would bring, but you take the talent.

If we really dont have CJ on the table for Simmons, I am done with this team. Just tear it down.

If CJ is not on the table it is time Olshey gets terminated. Irresponsible period.


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[GEE]

I have to believe it's more about Morey than Olshey at this point. Morey knows he MUST move Simmons, and really can't hold out much longer. Sounds like a few other teams have made some offers, but I just can't imagine what those teams have to offer Philly, that would be better for them than CJ + whatever(?).

Most teams aren't seriously bidding on Ben. If Dame wants to share the ball some, and play more 2, then the deal should get done, but if Dame doesn't want to do that, or if he simply can't sign off on trading his buddy CJ, then we are in purgatory unless Chauncey can convince Powell or CJ to come off the bench.

Times running out for Morey. Simmons will get moved somewhere, but where? Tick-Toc. Balls in your court.

[Tomjas]

I have to believe it's more about Morey than Olshey at this point. Morey knows he MUST move Simmons, and really can't hold out much longer. Sounds like a few other teams have made some offers, but I just can't imagine what those teams have to offer Philly, that would be better for them than CJ + whatever(?).

Most teams aren't seriously bidding on Ben. If Dame wants to share the ball some, and play more 2, then the deal should get done, but if Dame doesn't want to do that, or if he simply can't sign off on trading his buddy CJ, then we are in purgatory unless Chauncey can convince Powell or CJ to come off the bench.

Times running out for Morey. Simmons will get moved somewhere, but where? Tick-Toc. Balls in your court.

Simmons has a very low usage rate and is very unselfish (to a fault)

If he can play with Embiid (massive usage rate and much lower than Dame) then I am sure that they can co-exist

Fact is that Ben has never played with anyone who could find him with a GPS, Sherpa guide & flashlight so they potentially can help each other

[red_power]

but I just can't imagine what those teams have to offer Philly, that would be better for them than CJ + whatever(?).

Most teams aren't seriously bidding on Ben.

TWolves could outbid Blazers easily, but yeah.
I'm pretty sure Towns and Edwards are off the table, and they aren't willing to flip Towns' buddy DLo for Simmons either.

Fact is that Ben has never played with anyone who could find him with a GPS, Sherpa guide & flashlight so they potentially can help each other

The problem with Ben IMO is the fact that he was treated as a number 1 perimeter option from the beginning.
And that's a role he doesn't seem to be able to handle at all.

If your pair him with an elite perimeter scorer and ask him to do more of role player's stuff offensively, things thing could go in a very different direction there definitely.

[DeBlazerRiddem]

If Morey was real interested in CJ I imagine this would have been done already. Since Morey is probably not that interested in CJ and is demanding a ton of extra assets on top then what we are hearing from Windhorst is just Olshey posturing. There is no benefit to having our business in the street, you only give rival execs leverage and potentially end up with an unhappy player. Its why the Sixers are in the mess they are in. If we were hearing Portland was trying hard to get CJ for Simmons done then that would be a leaky front-office worthy of criticism - I know we as fans want to feel like we have the inside scoop but in todays world that means everyone has the scoop and that is a sign of a bad front office. Much better to publicly always support your players and never involve or at least downplay their names in trade rumors.

But Morey and CJ are just seem to have very different philosophical approaches to the game. Morey comes at it from a mathematical nerd perspective, all analytics, 3 and FT's, numbers, stats, efficiencies. CJ comes at the game like a baller, getting out on the court from sun up to sun down, take what the defense gives you, get the ball in the hoop and run it back. I just don't see CJ being the type of player that Morey would target or value highly at all. That's not to say CJ doesn't care about that stuff, just that his philosophical approach to the game was formed on the playground rather than the front office - for example he looks at a midrange shot and instead of thinking "the average points per possession here is X" he thinks "I can make this ****"

[PDXKnight]

I hate the personality Ben would bring, but you take the talent.

If we really dont have CJ on the table for Simmons, I am done with this team. Just tear it down.

If CJ is not on the table it is time Olshey gets terminated. Irresponsible period.


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Yeah if neil turns down simmons for cj he deserves to be fired. That’s an inexcusable botch especially given our roster composition