In this thread, let's look at the Ben Simmons situation though the lens of the Sixers' organization. Imagine Morey was just fired today and you've been asked to take over with resolving the Ben Simmons situation as your top priority. The situation is clear. Simmons wants out. He's pissed at the organization for multiple reasons including being publicly thrown under the bus by the team's head coach and top superstar. Even before that, he was unhappy with the organization's effort to trade him for Harden and with a stream of leaks over the past two years about Embiid not wanting to play with him anymore. Bottom line, there appears to be an irretrievable situation that requires the Sixers to move Simmons. Unfortunately for the Sixers, Morey overplayed his hands before you took over and made a bad situation worse - to the point where Ben's market value has been diminished to a level even lower than it would otherwise be based on the glaring flaws in his game. To make matters worse, the top lead guards in the League who would fit perfectly as replacements for Simmons, namely Beal and Lillard, want to remain with their current teams and their teams likewise want to keep them. So what do you do? Do you wait it out and hope the whole thing just blows over the way Thibodeau wanted for the Butler thing to resolve itself? If not, what do you do to get the best deal possible and when?
Here's what I'd do. I would contact the Raptors, Kings, Cavs, Blazers Spurs and Wolves organizations and ask them to make me their best offer by Oct. 1, built around VanVleet (Toronto), Haliburton (Kings), Sexton (Cleveland), McCollum (Blazers), DeJounte Murray (Spurs) and Russell (Minnesota). If you're in charge of the Sixers organization there's no sense trying to posture or get cute at this point in the process. You know Beal, Lillard, Fox KAT and Ant are strictly off the table. Apparently, the Raptors have already offered VanVleet and Anunoby. If true, that's the bottom-line market valuation that should inform the bidding. The Kings either put Haliburton on the table or they don't. If not, they won't get Simmons. Same for Cleveland when it comes to Sexton and Russell when it comes to the Wolves.
To salvage something from the situation bequeathed by Morey, I would focus on getting a high-caliber lead guard who is likely to give me over 20 points per game and effectively run the offense while also getting another a high quality starter. I think Sexton is the best realistic centerpiece of any deal Philly can reasonably expect to get for Simmons this year. His offensive efficiently is essentially the same as Simmons, but with a much more diverse and impressive scoring arsenal. He's also young with lots of remaining upside after already averaging over 24 points per game last season. And he has a high-octane motor to boot, which would be well-received by the PhIlly fans and his Sixers teammates. Otherwise, secondarily, I'd be interested in a deal with the Raptors built around VanVleet and Anunoby or a deal with the Wolves built around Russell and Beasley.
You’ve Just Replaced Daryl Morey - What Would You Do?
Re: You’ve Just Replaced Daryl Morey - What Would You Do?
lipoli390 wrote:In this thread, let's look at the Ben Simmons situation though the lens of the Sixers' organization. Imagine Morey was just fired today and you've been asked to take over with resolving the Ben Simmons situation as your top priority. The situation is clear. Simmons wants out. He's pissed at the organization for multiple reasons including being publicly thrown under the bus by the team's head coach and top superstar. Even before that, he was unhappy with the organization's effort to trade him for Harden and with a stream of leaks over the past two years about Embiid not wanting to play with him anymore. Bottom line, there appears to be an irretrievable situation that requires the Sixers to move Simmons. Unfortunately for the Sixers, Morey overplayed his hands before you took over and made a bad situation worse - to the point where Ben's market value has been diminished to a level even lower than it would otherwise be based on the glaring flaws in his game. To make matters worse, the top lead guards in the League who would fit perfectly as replacements for Simmons, namely Beal and Lillard, want to remain with their current teams and their teams likewise want to keep them. So what do you do? Do you wait it out and hope the whole thing just blows over the way Thibodeau wanted for the Butler thing to resolve itself? If not, what do you do to get the best deal possible and when?
Here's what I'd do. I would contact the Raptors, Kings, Cavs, Blazers Spurs and Wolves organizations and ask them to make me their best offer by Oct. 1, built around VanVleet (Toronto), Haliburton (Kings), Sexton (Cleveland), McCollum (Blazers), DeJounte Murray (Spurs) and Russell (Minnesota). If you're in charge of the Sixers organization there's no sense trying to posture or get cute at this point in the process. You know Beal, Lillard, Fox KAT and Ant are strictly off the table. Apparently, the Raptors have already offered VanVleet and Anunoby. If true, that's the bottom-line market valuation that should inform the bidding. The Kings either put Haliburton on the table or they don't. If not, they won't get Simmons. Same for Cleveland when it comes to Sexton and Russell when it comes to the Wolves.
To salvage something from the situation bequeathed by Morey, I would focus on getting a high-caliber lead guard who is likely to give me over 20 points per game and effectively run the offense while also getting another a high quality starter. I think Sexton is the best realistic centerpiece of any deal Philly can reasonably expect to get for Simmons this year. His offensive efficiently is essentially the same as Simmons, but with a much more diverse and impressive scoring arsenal. He's also young with lots of remaining upside after already averaging over 24 points per game last season. And he has a high-octane motor to boot, which would be well-received by the PhIlly fans and his Sixers teammates. Otherwise, secondarily, I'd be interested in a deal with the Raptors built around VanVleet and Anunoby or a deal with the Wolves built around Russell and Beasley.
One thing I wonder about with Sexton is whether his multi-level scoring fits with Embiid and Harris. He isn't a volume 3 point shooter but obviously he would be a step up from Aimmons but isn't the facilitator that Simmons is either and of course the drop off def Rickey would be pretty significant.
If I'm taking over from Morey and he kinda pissed people off I'm trying to get teams interested in Simmons on board for trade talks but I think I need to show some strength too. I'm not sure if an October 1 deadline is a good idea although it sounded good when I first read that. What if you really don't get any good offers by then? I personally loath what I consider false deadlines because that allows me to procrastinate. The reality is that if someone took over from Morey my guess is whether it's you or me or FNG we would not have to make many calls we would have teams calling us.
Re: You’ve Just Replaced Daryl Morey - What Would You Do?
Good thread...Morey is a unique and somewhat odd mind in the NBA, and we need to understand what he is thinking when we evaluate rumored deals. But you're not asking that...you're asking what we would do if we replaced Morey. If I'm suddenly in charge of the 76ers, I have to realize two things: the Philly fans want Simmons gone, and they won't be satisfied with a sub-50 win season. These two factors may not be compatible, so I would conclude that wins are more important than cutting a bad Simmons deal just to make the fans happy. And I would also realize that Ben is not Jimmy Butler...he won't like it, but he will show up and play in a non-disruptive way if Morey doesn't trade him.
So I hold tight for a few weeks if I'm Morey and continue to keep the price tag high, and I only drop it if an unhappy Simmons is torpedoing my team...or if some team panics because they are underperforming expectations (and I would keep an eye focused on Target Center, because I would know the Timberwolves are the team that most consistently underperforms expectations). Meanwhile I would focus on Rosas, because I know he is the least sophisticated and perhaps dumbest POBO, and the one who seems to crave Simmons the most. I would wait well into the season before I would accept less than Edwards and salary-matching pieces, or a package that includes all of DLO, Beasley, Jaden and picks. (I don't expect Rosas will bite though, unless his team embarks on another 23-win season pace). I would avoid any deal with Cleveland and San Antonio because I would have no interest in the one-way assets you suggest. Sexton can score, but he actually might defend the perimeter worse than Dlo and Beasley. And while Muarry is promising on defense, he is a terribly inefficient scorer. So beyond Rosas, I would target Sacramento (asking for Haliburton and Hield plus picks), Toronto (Van Vleet and Anunoby), and maybe even Golden State with a deal built around Wiseman if I thought his rookie year was an aberration.
Let's face it...Morey is in a tough position. POBOs always are when a star demands a trade, and that's why everyone is keeping their asking price low for now. But if I'm him I stay patient. Fan bases are generally not patient with losing, and a team underperforming badly by early November may cause their POBO to raise his offer to get a game-changing deal done. And like I said, I would have Rosas on speed dial.
So I hold tight for a few weeks if I'm Morey and continue to keep the price tag high, and I only drop it if an unhappy Simmons is torpedoing my team...or if some team panics because they are underperforming expectations (and I would keep an eye focused on Target Center, because I would know the Timberwolves are the team that most consistently underperforms expectations). Meanwhile I would focus on Rosas, because I know he is the least sophisticated and perhaps dumbest POBO, and the one who seems to crave Simmons the most. I would wait well into the season before I would accept less than Edwards and salary-matching pieces, or a package that includes all of DLO, Beasley, Jaden and picks. (I don't expect Rosas will bite though, unless his team embarks on another 23-win season pace). I would avoid any deal with Cleveland and San Antonio because I would have no interest in the one-way assets you suggest. Sexton can score, but he actually might defend the perimeter worse than Dlo and Beasley. And while Muarry is promising on defense, he is a terribly inefficient scorer. So beyond Rosas, I would target Sacramento (asking for Haliburton and Hield plus picks), Toronto (Van Vleet and Anunoby), and maybe even Golden State with a deal built around Wiseman if I thought his rookie year was an aberration.
Let's face it...Morey is in a tough position. POBOs always are when a star demands a trade, and that's why everyone is keeping their asking price low for now. But if I'm him I stay patient. Fan bases are generally not patient with losing, and a team underperforming badly by early November may cause their POBO to raise his offer to get a game-changing deal done. And like I said, I would have Rosas on speed dial.
Re: You’ve Just Replaced Daryl Morey - What Would You Do?
FNG - I don't see Portland or Washington performing so badly by November that they'll suddenly put Lillard or Beal on the table. There's a chance that scenario could occur by late January or early February, but even that's unlikely. Morey may decide to roll the dice and keeps Simmons as he hopes for that scenario. But let's be honest - that would be a roll of the dice and not a solid business move for a team that needs to win now.
I agree that Simmons isn't Jimmy Butler; how could I not. But don't underestimate what Simmons and his agent are willing to do to force Ben's way out of Philly. Simmons' agent has a reputation for playing hard ball and he his credibility will be hurt if Simmons turns the other check. Also, don't confuse Ben's lack of Butler's punk bravado with softness. Keep in mind that Simmons is the guy who can't shoot but refused to use the shooting coach hired by the team and instead relied on his brother. Remember also that Simmons has refused to take perimeter shots even though his coaches and fans have implored him to shoot. And apparently, he has refused to work hard on his shooting in multiple offseasons. The common thread in all of this is a stubborn streak - which is precisely the characteristic that would lend itself to sitting out training camp and even the beginning of the season. Note that Butler actually played a few games with the Wolves after initially sitting out. That's Butler. He's all show - an extroverted asshole. Simmons strikes me as a quite, introverted stubborn SOB. I'm not suggested he's a bad guy; quite the contrary. But he can be, and has proven to be, a one of those quite, stubborn types who will sit on his hands until he gets his way. And he'll have an agent pushing him and supporting him in his resolve to do that.
So I think Morey has a tough road ahead of him. Morey will be pressured by ownership and his players, especially Embiid, to do what it takes to put the best possible team on the floor THIS SEASON. He can't do that if Simmons sits and even if he plays, the chemistry and buy-in necessary to compete at that high level likely won't be there. I'll add that the Sixers don't need to replace Simmons with Lillard or Beal to remain a championship contender. Beal and Lillard would actually improve the Sixers given Ben's flaws and the mix of players on their roster. The Sixers will rise of fall on the health and play of Joel Embiid. And he has a terrific supporting cast in Tobias Harris, Thybulle and Curry. Replacing Simmons with DLO and Beasley or VanVleet and Anuoby will keep the Sixers in contention. Morey knows that and, therefore, that's the sort of deal he'll eventually have to accept.
I agree that Simmons isn't Jimmy Butler; how could I not. But don't underestimate what Simmons and his agent are willing to do to force Ben's way out of Philly. Simmons' agent has a reputation for playing hard ball and he his credibility will be hurt if Simmons turns the other check. Also, don't confuse Ben's lack of Butler's punk bravado with softness. Keep in mind that Simmons is the guy who can't shoot but refused to use the shooting coach hired by the team and instead relied on his brother. Remember also that Simmons has refused to take perimeter shots even though his coaches and fans have implored him to shoot. And apparently, he has refused to work hard on his shooting in multiple offseasons. The common thread in all of this is a stubborn streak - which is precisely the characteristic that would lend itself to sitting out training camp and even the beginning of the season. Note that Butler actually played a few games with the Wolves after initially sitting out. That's Butler. He's all show - an extroverted asshole. Simmons strikes me as a quite, introverted stubborn SOB. I'm not suggested he's a bad guy; quite the contrary. But he can be, and has proven to be, a one of those quite, stubborn types who will sit on his hands until he gets his way. And he'll have an agent pushing him and supporting him in his resolve to do that.
So I think Morey has a tough road ahead of him. Morey will be pressured by ownership and his players, especially Embiid, to do what it takes to put the best possible team on the floor THIS SEASON. He can't do that if Simmons sits and even if he plays, the chemistry and buy-in necessary to compete at that high level likely won't be there. I'll add that the Sixers don't need to replace Simmons with Lillard or Beal to remain a championship contender. Beal and Lillard would actually improve the Sixers given Ben's flaws and the mix of players on their roster. The Sixers will rise of fall on the health and play of Joel Embiid. And he has a terrific supporting cast in Tobias Harris, Thybulle and Curry. Replacing Simmons with DLO and Beasley or VanVleet and Anuoby will keep the Sixers in contention. Morey knows that and, therefore, that's the sort of deal he'll eventually have to accept.