(08-11-2021, 01:21 PM)vfromlmf Wrote: That's the trouble ... Morey wants to use Simmons to get a better player.
Since Ben is probably a top 30 player in the league that means Morey is shopping among a very select few guys, and Lillard may be the only one who's even potentially gettable. Personally I don't put Beal in the same tier with Dame, but most other people probably do. Unfortunately Beal isn't likely gettable either, at least until October when he either signs an extension or doesn't.
It's the smart thing for Morey to do since the team who receives the best player usually wins the trade. That said, if the situation continues to deteriorate the Sixers may be forced to either play Simmons or simply accept a top 80 player plus assets. That would open the door to deals involving guys like KP, Siakam, McCollum and a bunch of other guys.
Teams have been forced by players in these situations only because they won't take a stand.
This is not a 1 year to go or even 2 year to go situation like Anthony Davis or even a later in career James Harden situation. Simmons is still under the fat contract that was given him only because of being with the team that drafted him.
Morey could also simply take a stand against the Klutch cabal and let Simmons sit out or whatever he decides to do that completely dishonors his contract. He's under contract for the next 4 years.
It may sound crazy because it would take steel cajones to do the long term stare down with a Klutch star, but fact is Simmons is locked into 4 years. I would treat it as if Simmons has a season ending injury, let him give all that money back and run my team without him.
The reason it makes some sense to hold the line is because Philadelphia is not going to win any rings anyway if they don't get a real star back in place of Simmons or if they trade away their young talent + futures Assets + Simmons in order to get in a Damien Lillard or the like.
They won't be good enough to beat Brooklyn or Milwaukee and may not be good enough to beat Miami or Atlanta just to make it out of the East! So in a sense they have nothing to lose if they refuse to accept a bath on Ben Simmons.
Its a game of chicken and I understand that there probably won't be a team willing to do it but imo that's what an NBA ownership and GM needs to do with players they won't honor their contracts.
Let him sit 1 year and see how he feels the next year. Even putting the millions of Dame Dollas aside he and Klutch will be giving away, does he want to sit out from 25 till he's almost 30? It would never happen. Klutch and Lebron themselves will go out and find the Sixers a deal before that ends.