spree2kawhi wrote:moocow007 wrote:The only way I'd take Ben Simmons as a Knick is if the Sixers buy him out (obviously not going to happen) or if they are willing to take a salary dump package consisting of Nerlens Noel, Alec Burks and whatever none talent attached contracts that would make this work to mitigate the clear and obvious risk that this could turn out to be an albatross of a disaster in NY (and that's also unlikely to ever happen with Morey). No way would I include any assets (Randle, RJ, Obi, draft picks, Rose, etc.) So no, I don't see any chance within reason he'll be a Knick. I'm all for taking a chance and eggs in one basket and all that, but that doesn't mean Ben Simmons is worth taking a chance on.
This is not about shooting (or just about shooting). It's about living up to the need, role and expectations and the impact of said contract to what this team will and won't be able to do. The Knicks need is a no.1 option. The role is someone that can carry the offense when it stalls and when the opposing teams ratchet up their defense (what happens when you play better teams and in the playoffs). The expectations is to be able to have that guy be the face of the franchise to carry them further into the playoffs. Their need that Simmons would have to fill. Why? Contract? Simmons is owed 4 years and $145 million on his contract. That's $37 million a year for the next 4 years (or roughly $10 million more a year than Randle will be owed). That Contract forces him to be the "superstar" or (better star) to replace Randle with that would push them further in the playoffs. To which, when you factor what happened in the playoffs with the Sixers (where he had problems being the no.3 option) and what is happening now in Philly with Simmons and not being able to handle criticism and pressure, this is much much much more than Simmons not being able to shoot.
He can't do any of those things the Knicks need most and his contract is going to put a bigger chokehold on what this team can or can't do. This is true for any other team that doesn't have the luxury of capspace, throwaway players, etc. that can actually be wiling to take a risk on Simmons as basically a REALLY REALLY expensive role player. I can guarantee you that the Celtics is not offering any of their top players or assets and they've been really the only team that has been reported being willing to take on Simmons. No Tatum, No Brown, No Robert Wililams, No Marcus Smart, etc. And you guys want to include Randle? Just because he's not Lebron James and can't carry this team beyond where they are at doesn't mean that the guy should be traded.
There seems to be this notion that if you can find someone that can pass and defend (even if you have to trade your current no.1 option for) that it somehow can make this team something serious come playoff time. Really not sure where that is coming from. You need talent to win. You need a bonafide superstar on the offensive side to win. All the great team work in the world isn't going to change that if your best offensive player is a tossup between a guy that may not even be a no.2 option on any other playoff team (RJ) or that just simply cannot be expected to do so (Rose). You can have the passing version of Magic Johnson and that still won't be enough if you don't have the big dog. You guys are trying to find a secret recipe that somehow no other front office has found? Let me put it in a different way. IF Ben Simmons was the type of impact guy for this team that you guys apparently feel then he'd also be the impact guy for A LOT of other teams and he'd no longer be in Philly OR the Sixers would have won the championship already.
There's a reason why the trade market for Simmons can be summarized by this right now:
As a sound minded GM you can't possibly not see 4 years and $145 million of current Ben Simmons as an absolute huge risk that, if you actually include any significant asset, can also not only be a job killer but a potential career killer.
If the Knicks want Simmons and for whatever unknown reason think they can turn him around and he can actually handle being in NY then you do what Danny Ainge is doing and you put on the salary dump offer and look to basically just keep ahead of Ainge in whatever little additions to make. Knicks have more draft picks to offer than Boston so you just need to be ahead of Boston so that in the unlikely case where Morey decides that he needs to get off his high horse (of expectations) and take the best offer available that it's yours.
It's like the skits about lions. You don't need to be the fastest gazelle on the planet, you just need to be faster than the next guy.
Thank you for this. I’d go even further: Simmons wouldn’t improve most NBA teams. In part It’s his shooting, in part his contract and in part it’s his perplexingly arrogant crybaby attitude.
Yes, he's a genuine TRIPLE threat!
