I searched and only saw the trade deadline post. I think this will be a discussion going into next year too so I created a separate post.


We all discussed who 'won' this trade. Arguments were made for both sides. I thought this was a trade that both teams would get what they wanted and claim Ws. But the immediate returns look like Ls for both.

At least the nets got a couple of side pieces and 1st rounders though.

-The Knicks’ coaching search still includes a lone frontrunner, Kurt Rambis, whose qualifications for the position include a strong relationship with Jackson and a willingness to take the job.

Because if his mental health means he never even takes the fucking floor again, or when he does take the floor, he's never remotely the same, then obvious win for Philly for getting James Fucking Harden for Seth Curry and a couple picks.

But if Simmons plays next year and is even, like, 85% of what he was defensively and as a playmaker for others in Philly, then I'm sure Brooklyn will be pleased that they got an aging star who didn't gel with the others well out of town for that, Curry, and a couple picks. That'd be a really nice deal both short and long term. (Longer term than they'd have had Harden, anyhow. And probably longer term than Harden can expect to be effective in Philly.)

Truthfully, I don't think the Nets' primary problem is Simmons. I think the primary problem is that the two stars of the team are weirdos and it's impossible to say what sort of talent they're going to vibe with. If Simmons clicks with Durant and Kyrie, then sky's the limit, obviously. But a guy struggling with mental health heading into that locker room definitely means the range of expected outcomes is insanely wide, lmao.

I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for the Vegas futures when they drop next year. If the Nets are top 5 (I expect they will be), I'll stay hard away. If they're, like, 7th or 8th? ... shit, that'd be high enough value for the talent of the top three that it'd be worth throwing some down and hoping it all works out in the locker room, lol.

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But yeah, thats how i felt about the lakers this year.

Yrah simmons in an organization and locker room like G.S.....great. this one???? Jesus

-The Knicks’ coaching search still includes a lone frontrunner, Kurt Rambis, whose qualifications for the position include a strong relationship with Jackson and a willingness to take the job.

I remember watching it somewhere..I think it was his interactions with his sister and how his sister kinda babied him? To me he seemed mopey in a "Ross from Friends"-kinda way. I swear I remember instantly thinking "this kid doesn't have it" (to meet the lofty expectations of a #1 pick I mean).

god damn and the ross similarity though. not a good look.

-The Knicks’ coaching search still includes a lone frontrunner, Kurt Rambis, whose qualifications for the position include a strong relationship with Jackson and a willingness to take the job.

At all. I noted as much in the Justivity post. He was terrible defensively! Ben Simmons! Terrible defensively! https://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=8&topic_id=2541253&mesg_id=2541253&listing_type=search#2549756

It was all effort, of course, but it did make it pretty clear that he was never going to be The Guy on the team. Instead, he needs to be The Guy who can help make your team better through what he brings to the table.

But even then, the question of attitude still remains-- as does maybe the question of how much he even loves playing. There are some guys who just don't improve because they don't give a shit about the game like that. Time will tell if he's one of those guys.

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>There are some guys who just don't improve because they don't
>give a shit about the game like that. Time will tell if he's
>one of those guys.

-The Knicks’ coaching search still includes a lone frontrunner, Kurt Rambis, whose qualifications for the position include a strong relationship with Jackson and a willingness to take the job.

>But even then, the question of attitude still remains-- as
>does maybe the question of how much he even loves playing.
>There are some guys who just don't improve because they don't
>give a shit about the game like that. Time will tell if he's
>one of those guys.

This is/was...

Andrew Wiggins
Andrew Bynum
Kwame Brown
Michael Olowokandi
D'Angelo Russell (watch)

and potentially...
Dennis Smith Jr.
Markelle Fultz
Kristaps Porzingis
Rui Hachimura

I will caveat this with...some get this way after they get paid, some get discouraged by injury and get this way and some just aren't comfortable with the pressure/attention/criticism but either way, it's something that makes them not really care about the game like that.

____________

>D'Angelo Russell (watch)
>
>

he has not gotten better since his All-Star game appearance and played like a complete pussy this series.

he's more injury prone now and still a liability on defense. he's the most tradeable player on the Timberwolves

-------------------
I wanna go to where the martyrs went
the brown figures on the walls of my apart-a-ment...

he can't get any worse. At the most, he flames out like Anthony Bennett and they can pay him to go away. Best case scenario, you get an elite defender that can run like a deer in the open court.

I'm still upset that we didn't get to see a 1 vs 8 Sixers Nets series

-------------------
I wanna go to where the martyrs went
the brown figures on the walls of my apart-a-ment...

I mean i blame the nets more than Simmons. Did they know about the back when they did his physical or did they just think it was a mental illness issue.

Unless they were doing this trade for the future, which fine.

-The Knicks’ coaching search still includes a lone frontrunner, Kurt Rambis, whose qualifications for the position include a strong relationship with Jackson and a willingness to take the job.

They're betting that, since Harden will be 33 next year, and since their biggest problem is on the defensive end, having multiple years of Simmons under contract was going to be more of a net positive than having to negotiate with Harden (a) if he would sign his player option extension for that final year and (b) if he would be worth what they'd have to pay the year after.

The Nets have Simmons for three more seasons. They'll likely have Durant for the rest of his career with his new deal. They'll either have Kyrie or a lot of money to play with in the offseason. Nets will be fine imo.

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________________________________________
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

The player option is the first move. No way dude doesn't take that, unless he gets some wild guarantee from a team in a state that gives no shits like Florida or Texas I guess? Queue up your Brunson, Bertans and picks for Irving rumors, lol.


Marks made some pretty pointed comments today about buy in and accountability, though. He sounded quite wistful for the days before the Joe Tsai money came in and he was casually spending Russian oligarch money on scrappy dudes with a chip on their shoulder.


~~~~~~~~~
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Aren't they pretty much committed to riding with Durant, Kyrie, and Simmons at this point? With that trade, it seems as if the Nets made a solid commitment to winning in the immediate present.

That is unless the Nets do a sign and trade for Kyrie to get assets somehow, which would be pretty wild.

"Sean sparks like John Starks, nah, Sean ball like John Wall" - Rest In Power Forever Sean Price.

This playoffs shouldnt really be a thing....plus the surgery

-The Knicks’ coaching search still includes a lone frontrunner, Kurt Rambis, whose qualifications for the position include a strong relationship with Jackson and a willingness to take the job.