A lot of us have been thinking a Sixers/Blazers trade of some kind makes sense for both teams. We have an extra scoring guard who can create his own shot, and they have too many bigs. Does them adding Morey as President of Operations make it more likely some kind of deal happens? Much like Harden never seemed as good as he was until he got the keys of an offense handed to him, maybe he sees CJ in a similar light. CJ has often put up very Lillard-like performances when Dame has been injured. CJ seems to have a lot of the skills he values. Great range, fantastic handle, reasonably good passing. I've heard rumors on podcasts about the new season resuming perhaps as quickly as Xmas. Which means any trades would have to happen shockingly fast. Personally, I don't think Simmons is on the table. I think if he trades he's going to deal Embiid because of the injury history. Something like the following has things both teams would love and hate: We get the best player, and they get the next two best players. We rid them of the Horford contract. They take a flyer on Simons. We get a backup center/pf to replace Whiteside.
I do like the idea of getting Embiid, I could see Dame getting more out of him. But Nurk has been pretty awesome when healthy, so I'm not sure this really makes the Blazers better. They still have a massive problem at both forward spots and now a large problem with a second guard. We have 3 great starters, so I question trading 2 for 1 until we improve our depth. Backup center is the easiest position to fill, they may get that at the minimum or for a second round pick. I'm also a little hesitant to trade with Morey, similar to Ainge I feel like he's so good at maximizing his teams value in a trade. Maybe if they could sign Gallo for the MLE and trade for a SF along with this. I'm not sure Olshey will trade CJ, but Embiid is potentially the type of second star talent.
I think Horford needs to go to a 3rd team with picks, the Blazers need more value per $ on their roster to contend. Trade Horford, Collins, and 4 first round picks for Beal. Get Kanter in one of the trades too. Dame FA Beal Trent Ariza Hood Gallo Melo Little Emiid Kanter
Just when I had recovered from my obsession http://www.sportstwo.com/threads/joel-embiid.354783/ http://www.sportstwo.com/threads/would-you-do-it.355862/
I don't see him moving Embiid or Simmons before he takes a chance at surrounding them with better fits. As for "moreyball", I think he built what he thought was the best fit around Harden. I don't think that it's just that he is obsessed with small lineups.
The main reason why I could see him moving Embiid is that Embiid doesn't fit with the three point era...... although neither does Simmons. Neither of those guys really fit with the style of basketball that Morey likes.
NO! MoreyON, Mr. (Anal)ytics seems to have an allergy to Bigmen. But i don't see him blowing up the Embiid process this time. There is no way the Sixers are trading him. I've got to believe he promised the owner that he would fit pieces around Embiid and Simmons. The Harden for Embiid rumors are silly to me. I actually love Nurks progress as a basketball player going forward. He's young and continues to WANT to get better. He has learned well from Dame.
That was what I was trying to say though. I don't think he just has that one style, it was what fit best around the star he got.
Both Morey and Doc are saying that they can make Simmons-Embiid work, and while that could be a smokescreen, I think they'll give it at least a year. More likely they'll try to get a shooter to go with them. You know - someone like CJ...
I don't know.... I don't think so. He supposedly buys into the Moneyball theory, which is all about finding efficiencies. Building around starts that don't fit that method would fly in the face of his beliefs. Morey traded for Harden, he wasn't there already. The Sixers are currently built like a 90s team, which I guess could still be successful, but none of the winners from the past... what.... 10+ years have been built in that model. The champs have all been athletic, fast, three point shooting teams. The Raptors, the Warriors, the Cavs, the Heat, etc. The last team I can think of that won with that older style was the Spurs.
I think Morey would like CJ so much with Simmons as their primary distributor. I could see him giving up Richardson, Harris this year's first and a future first for CJ and Ariza whereas before Morey I wondered if we would even get the 21st pick in that deal, now I think we would get two first rounders.
