Alright. You’ve convinced me. Simmons for CJ Move Nurk to the bench Dame / Powell / Roco / Collins / Simmons Nurk off the bench and end of games
People say the same about some players' inability to play defense, but somehow nobody's calling Harden a "mental midget". People did the same thing about Shaq's (and before him, Wilt's) FT problems. I think people just refuse to understand psychological issues.
Get in Daryl Morey's ear, please! I have a feeling he's still clinging to the hope he can get Dame somehow.
It is definitely "pile on Simmons" time... which makes scooping him up now so appealing. He's a former number 1 pick so expectations are high (although in comparison to Wiggins, Bennett, and Fultz he's looking amazing) and he's paid at a really high level and there were high expectations for Philly, but... yeah, it's all a bit much. His defense is tremendous and he can distribute the ball exceptionally well. I don't blame the 76ers for moving him, but he's still a very good, young player and it'd be great if Portland could add him.
No he's not. He doesn't guard centers (he guarded Young much of yesterday) and he doesn't have a post-up game to speak of. In what way is he a center?
I’m saying move him to center. Look at these last two playoffs and count the number of teams that can play two non shooters at the same time. Then tell me how far they got. also who gives a shit about post game lmao. Who even posts up anymore besides Embiid and Jokic? You just want your center to roll and finish.
I think the answer should be CJ for him AND the coach cause some are like let's get HC who focuses on D but the personal atm does not fit that not saying a coach cannot get it better like 15 to 20 but that is the best you should expect unless major player changes. I think Simmons on the Blazers ONLY works if you KNOW Powell is returning and CJ is a better player atm or at least has more value then Ben at this time so i would say the basic outline of a trade should be something like this -- CJ for Ben and Top 20 Protected 1st and go from there but i am not against this trade but also one more thing -- Nurk MUST get back to where he was before the major leg injury by being in the paint on offense a tad more for a trade like this to work.
You said "Simmons is a center". That's not the same as "Simmons should become a center". And you said post game doesn't matter, so... how is he a center? He's not a perimeter shooter. He doesn't guard centers. Please tell me: How is he, or would he be, a center? I am not grokking your point at all.
I don’t really care about arguing semantics. He should be a center and center would be his best position. If you disagree that’s fine
It's from the same place, where Dame doesn't like lobs is. And, to be honest, I would like his game lots more if he could be better in this kin of game.
Simmons' great strength is defensive versatility. He can literally guard 1-5. Obviously some better than others, but he has the strength and size to guard frontcourt players and the speed and maneuverability to guard backcourt players. But the coach has to find a way to use him on offense. That worked in the season - when teams backed off him he drove into the paint. But his fear of having to shoot FTs took that away in the playoffs. He's very much damaged goods at the moment, which is why he needs EXACTLY the right coaching staff and environment. (Imagine him going to the Knicks - shudder!)
Imagine Doc and Embid next y after g7. "I don't know, we can't play him. We told him to pass the fuckin ball, but he just don't listen." "I mean, I was alone under the basket, he saw me, but he still shot that three pointer. He stepped out of bounds anyways. That lost the game for us. I hate him." Good luck, CJ.
Never heard of someone with psychological issues and defense. Anyway, the entire point i have been making is it IS psychological issues for him and shooting a basketball. Maybe that gets fixed, good for him. It wont happen overnight. If it does, great, congrats to him.
CJ, compared to not that long ago, is a low price. Maybe not crazy low, then, but reasonable now. Simmons wasn’t highly effective on O with what had been working, but he got schemed and that left him ineffective as he lost confidence. I have far more hopes of Simmons’ game on O getting straightened out than CJ having consistent effort and grit on D. Hope Simmons finds a home on the Blazers.
Please no. He’ll make us look great in the regular season, probably finish with 55+ wins. He’ll probably make an all-star game. Halfway through the season, everyone here will be so excited about how we won the trade. But in the post season, he will get hacked. He will not make his free-throws. Then he’ll get benched. Then we’ll have to rely on our bench players to step up, which has just never been a strong point for us. Then Dame will get triple-teamed from halfcourt and we’ll lose a gentleman’s sweep in the first or second round. He is not our Draymond. Draymond can at least make open threes and free throws at a decent %.
These are the opportunities small market teams have to take advantage of. It balances our roster so much better.