If CJ were to be traded, who are we most likely to get?

Simmons has had a horrific series. But he's not a career 30% FT shooter. if he even shoots 50% (he's a career 60% shooter) , they're already in the ECFs. You really think THIS is who he is? If Morey is as impulsive as their fanbase seems to be, it would be the absolute PERFECT opportunity to acquire a undervalued asset.

And let's not underestimate the impact Doc Rivers has had on this series. Getting out coached by McMillan is no easy feat but he's managed to do it.

 

I think it's more likely that Philly doesn't want to sell low and tries to recalibrate by surrounding him with shooters (like CJ). I think the more viable trade is probably CJ + Jones for Tobias Harris and Thybulle. I think we'd be a much better team with that deal, but definitely hemmed into counting on Tobias/Powell/Nurk as our 2/3/4 (in whatever order).

Agreed on this point (especially with D'Antoni). I think he's shown that he can utilize a non-shooter if he offers other skills (in Russ' case, getting to the cup and running the fast break). I could see Derozan being a cheaper fit in a role like that. D'Antoni could surround him with shooters and defenders (Simons, Collins) and let him murder in a second unit (while picking up fouls on the opposing bigs).

 

In lineups with Dame, Simmons is Draymond.

In lineups without Dame, Simmons is a suped-up form of Ricky Rubio who is 6'10.

 

I just don’t see us getting much for him. Unless he’s packaged with younger guys like nas and Simons.

That contract is awful.

 

Simmons is a HUGE reason why their offense is dying in the 4th. It's not just him missing free throws. He clogs the lane for their best player and does NOTHING when the ball is out of his hands. He will be this player on any other team. That means he has to play small ball center in close games. You need big wings they can shoot next to him. Even the Milwaukee series is showing the limits of what you can do with a guy that can't shoot, no matter how good he is at other parts of the game.

Bottom line is they shouldn't be down 3-2. This should have been an easy 4-1 victory for Philly.

And yeah, he's probably not THIS bad, but I do think he was a bit overrated by the collective NBA hivemind before these playoffs. He's literally the same player he was 4 years ago, and he's got clear mental issues on the floor. Needs the right coach/players to get the most out of him. I think Dame could do it, but if the rest of the roster around him sucks, there's no point. Need to field a competitive roster around those two now.

 

there is a reason why this idea is even a conversation right now. it's the kind of a high risk opportunity that can catapult us from a middling playoff team to a contender. (and to be honest, what's the risk here? Us losing in round 1 of the playoffs again with CJ?)

you keep mentioning adding to Dame/Powell/Simmons/Nurk.

I think that's a championship roster as is with the right coach and Simmons unlocking his full potential. We know who CJ is. We don't know who Simmons can be.

 

Westbrook was unlocked by Houston going super small and trading their best big for RoCo, not because of anything crazy D'Antoni did. Morey (and probably D'Antoni) realized you can't play 2 non-shooters, so they took pennies on the dollar for Capela, only to get pounded in the second round by the Lakers anyways.

Having one of your best players be a non-shooter is a problem. Ask any team that has had to deal with Westbrook, Simmons and Giannis.

 

Russ getting COVID pre-bubble didn't help. That team in the time between the Capela trade and the bubble was very fun to watch. D'Antoni did a lot of creative shit with Russ initiating the offense from the post, it wasn't just a matter of removing the center and running the same stuff.

 

You really think that's a championship roster? I see Dame, Simmons and Powell. Nurk will get played off the floor in the playoffs. Doesn't really seem that much different to me than Steph/Draymond/Wiggins. I guess that's where our differences lie. The rest of the roster sucks.

Again, the whole we don't know who Simmons can be thing still overrates him. Sometimes when a player tells you who he is, you should take him at his word. I see no path to him making a significant jump unless he develops a jump shot, and I'm not going to bet that he's going to develop a jump shot. How much better can he be if he doesn't develop a jump shot really? I mean, the potential with him is that if he DOES get a jump shot, it will unlock every other aspect of his game. I just don't see that happening. So at best he's just Draymond.

And again, I'd move CJ + Some picks for him because I think that makes our team better. I think replacing CJ AND RoCo with Simmons makes it worse, and I don't want to do that with Dame on the clock.

 

you say that like it's a bad thing. Draymond was 2nd team All NBA in his peak.

No combo of CJ+Roco can reach that level.

 

he stopped shooting any shots outside of the paint for like 2 months, and that was 100% MDA's doing.

 

The point is, it's hard to have one of your best players be a non-shooter. You have to do weird shit with the rest of the roster in order to get the most out of this one player. I don't trust Olshey to do that.

 

I mean Draymond now. Peak Draymond had a jumpshot.

 

Hold up. That foursome wins a championship? Between Simmons and Nurkic I’d be terrified if that group had to win a close championship game/series

 

Great, he dominated our shitty defense. What happens in the playoffs against good defenses? I mean, he's not even doing this to Atlanta.

 

I would 100% trade CJ for Simmons... but I want to keep RoCo. Those two can be interchangeable at forward.

Dame
Powell
RoCo
Simmons
Nurk

I'm not against trading Nurk, but I really want to see what he can do in a new system. With that said, I really wish he could shoot the three.

 

with the right coach and simmons regaining his confidence, ya. think the pieces are there. Simmons' ceiling is a top 20 player. Dame was maybe the 5th best player this past year.

I believe that's the framework for a title team when you put a decent supporting cast and a great coach with two top 20 guys whose games would fit with each other perfectly.

 

And as @boredinsalem posted, it would be interesting to see what someone of D'Antoni's inovation would do with Dame/Powell/Simmons/RoCo/Powell or some other somewhat similar itteration of Simmons coming to Portland with Dame.

 

Simmons is EXACTLY the kind of buy-low star that we should be trying to get.

I would love to get Middleton but I think his stock is rising too high.