ATL - 2021-22 Regular Season Begins

[MickeyDavis]

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[emunney]

They probably shouldn't have thrown him under the bus if they wanted him around? Also, Giannis was right: he is a baby.

[paulpressey25]

What if I told you a 25-year old player was on the trading block. A player who has career averages of essentially 16/8/8 on a 58% TS.

Oh, and he's also got these accolades:

2x first team all-defense
3x NBA All-star
1x All-NBA (3rd team)

Oh, and he's under contract for four more seasons.

This Ben Simmons situation is just bizarre. Every metric would suggest he should be coveted, but his team wants to dump him.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/simmobe01.html

[raferfenix]

This Ben Simmons situation is just bizarre. Every metric would suggest he should be coveted, but his team wants to dump him.

Rich Paul wants a California team and the league knows it.

Totally possible another trade demand comes up in a few years. And who wants to deal with Rich Paul at all much less as a small market with him representing a diva star?

Also Morey (most likely) totally blew all his leverage. He needed to bail last offseason for the best available offer. Though to Morey’s credit Simmons both choked worse than anyone could have predicted, and Rivers and Embiid were immensely unprofessional and non-strategic (albeit factually correct) when throwing Baby Ben under the bus.

[MoreTrife]

They probably shouldn't have thrown him under the bus if they wanted him around? Also, Giannis was right: he is a baby.

God, that's one of my favorite moments. "A **** baby"

[ReasonablySober]

What if I told you a 25-year old player was on the trading block. A player who has career averages of essentially 16/8/8 on a 58% TS.

Oh, and he's also got these accolades:

2x first team all-defense
3x NBA All-star
1x All-NBA (3rd team)

Oh, and he's under contract for four more seasons.

This Ben Simmons situation is just bizarre. Every metric would suggest he should be coveted, but his team wants to dump him.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/simmobe01.html

It's probably less about them wanting to dump him than it is they're asking for a monster package in return.

[Ron Swanson]

There's still a zero percent chance Zion turns down the rookie max-extension, but holy crap, could David Griffin (allegedly) have botched the first two years of the post-AD era any more spectacularly? Just absolutely damning stuff from the local media outlet.

https://www.nola.com/sports/pelicans/article_b7cabbaa-1168-11ec-b544-b78190e33d1b.html

[MickeyDavis]

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[emunney]

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I don't think that dude knows how to get along with ownership. Remember when he got hired to be the Mavs' GM and left after like a week? He's made some nice value pickups during his 2+ years in Minnesota, though. I think he should have gotten another year but there's clearly non-basketball stuff going on.

[ReasonablySober]

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[LuessiT]

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Lmao.

[Ron Swanson]

Have to imagine Simmons to Minnesota is all but inevitable now unless another team swoops in with a crazy offer. Taylor wants him and, if Bobby Marks' initial comments were true, Rosas didn't want to budge off his initial price point.

[Milbucks96]

I agree Simmons to minny looks to be real now but they must be sending russell back and more than the super low ball offer that t wolves fans thought they were getting Simmons for. The ownership was probably fed up with the time it was taking and wants to make a big trade to sell tickets before the season starts.

[MrHoneycutt]

There's still a zero percent chance Zion turns down the rookie max-extension, but holy crap, could David Griffin (allegedly) have botched the first two years of the post-AD era any more spectacularly? Just absolutely damning stuff from the local media outlet.

https://www.nola.com/sports/pelicans/article_b7cabbaa-1168-11ec-b544-b78190e33d1b.html

"Although they communicate infrequently now, Griffin tried hard in Williamson’s rookie year to forge a bond. One example: During the Pelicans’ bubble stay, Griffin asked to meet with Williamson and played the piano for him."

Zion must be a real Luddite if he can't connect with such an awesome display as this.

[paulpressey25]

It's probably less about them wanting to dump him than it is they're asking for a monster package in return.

Your statement is 100% accurate.

I think my post was going more towards the thought of how a guy with that pedigree, could end up in a situation where his reputation has fallen so badly with fans, media and presumably other teams. If I were Atlanta, Dallas or some team looking for that 2nd or 3rd star, I'd be working hard to take a chance here.

[paulpressey25]

I agree Simmons to minny looks to be real now but they must be sending russell back and more than the super low ball offer that t wolves fans thought they were getting Simmons for. The ownership was probably fed up with the time it was taking and wants to make a big trade to sell tickets before the season starts.

If the T-Wolves could get Simmons for D-Lo and a couple protected firsts, I'd do that deal if I were Minnesota.

[Ron Swanson]

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How funny would it be if they trade D-Lo in the package for Simmons, and KAT demands a trade 5 months later at the deadline? Can't imagine both A) not keeping your franchise guy in the loop, and B) trading his close friend before they've even played a full season together are going to go over very well.

[StickeeFingaz]

Bam ranked ahead of Khris and Jrue on the SI top 100 list.

[HurricaneKid]

And who the **** wants DLo at his price anyways?

LOL at you guys simultaneously saying Philly wants too much and Philly gonna get DLo and last years #28 for Simmons.

Man if I'm Philly I'm not sure I wouldn't rather unload him for a 42 yr old Croation 10 years out of basketball into cap space than some of these packages.

I want no part of nearly anyone on that Minny roster. McD is fine with some upside if you squint real hard but his BPM last year was -3.8. Beasley just got out of prison for a horrifying DV issue and did nothing (and I mean NOTHING) the second half of last year. Okogie isn't an NBA player outside of a decent man defender. He gets the Tony Allen treatment and shot .524TS% and was passed by JMac, Nowell, and a bunch of borderline NBA players. Naz? What is this 1989? You are talking about dregs off a team that didn't have their pick and beat out OKC by 1 game.

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[DingleJerry]

It's probably less about them wanting to dump him than it is they're asking for a monster package in return.

Your statement is 100% accurate.

I think my post was going more towards the thought of how a guy with that pedigree, could end up in a situation where his reputation has fallen so badly with fans, media and presumably other teams. If I were Atlanta, Dallas or some team looking for that 2nd or 3rd star, I'd be working hard to take a chance here.

Surprising Por isn't sticking their nose in at all