thecampster

Logic'ing this thing out....2 for 1 would create the opportunity to buy someone else's buyout on the cheap once waived. So the real deal wouldn't be Cap/Bogi for Ayton. It's Cap+ Bogi for Ayton and whoever else signs for the min.

The original deal as it was told to me was the following. Without Crowder in it now, I'm not sure how it would work. FYI, there were numerous iterations of this with different player scenarios.

Every time someone tells me they'll wait for the media to say something about it, I think of headlines like these.

Watch and acknowledge what I said above.

They aren't on the floor together all the time. Since in my scenario, Trae/DJ start, Simmons is coming in with the first wave of subs and plays 2/3 of his time with OO or as the center himself. The unicorn thing about Simmons is he's one of only 2 or 3 players in the NBA that given the right personnel sets can play 1-5 on both offense and defense with SG/SF on offense being the 2 places the fit is terrible. But he isn't a solid swap with JJ or Hunter or Trae but kind of a player on the floor who floats to different positions. In his career, he's been guarded by the best on ball defender whenever he's been on the floor. Take away his ability to create for others. With DJ/Trae on the floor with him (only need 1), he can no longer be considered the primary drive threat. This means most nights, he'll have an inferior on ball defender on him. Posting his highlight reel from this year and I'm asking you to count the number of times he creates offense for others without even moving. How many times while driving he passes with the dribble hand while dribbling.... Trae and Murray create offense for others by driving and making wrap around passes, no looks, drawing attention. Simmons is different. He passes over the opposition. He gets people's hands high, taking away their lateral quickness and allowing cutters space. I would say without fear that he'd help Clint much more when Trae isn't in the game than pretty much anyone else. Its his mix with OO/JJ that I'm most salivating over. Defensively, that is one really long second unit and offensively, 3 guys who are always coming downhill at you. JJ specifically should feast with Simmons driving. Those two's games are made for each other. They have a lot of similarity in how they move, soft touch finishes. The glaring hole in my logic is free throw shooting but he's not the primary ball handler here like he was in Philly and he doesn't have to close games here like in Philly. I'm okay with it all.

Simmons is a monster moving toward the basket. The above is just not true. The Hawks penetration, dribble drive was light years better than Brooklyn's this season. Simmons average 6.4 apg this year for the Nets(in just 27 minutes)...there is a reason for that. His per 36 numbers this year are: 9.6, 8.5, 8.4, 1.9. Its the reb/assists/steals you're looking for there. He's 56.6% from the floor this year, mainly because he limits himself to around the basket plays. Its not pay him or not. It's you're tied to Collins for 3 more years at $25ish million and Bogi can opt in for another year at 18 million. You're already doling out $43 million for 2 players who have been net negative. Simmons is an instant improvement as is more AJ on the floor instead of Bogi. We get better defensively.

For the right deal, yes? I'm going to try to explain this as best I can. When Trae is trapped, and with DJ off the floor, or with DJ on the floor without Trae, there is no one they gives the ball up to that can take advantage of driving lanes. We lose our entire drive and kick opportunity. We lose the lob and the floater. Ben Simmons is a freak and at his best receiving a pass moving toward the basket. Not just because he's impossible to stop physically with the ball in his hands, but because he is capable of passing / dribbling while moving in traffic. In our current sets, if our PGs give up the ball, they can't get it back to spot up (DJ gets more of these than Trae due to height but still few). We are movement stagnant on offense. Not the case when you add Simmons on the floor for either of the other 2. It isn't that you lose Bogi's shooting and replace it with Simmons. Its that Simmons gives you someone who must be stopped from dribbling and that requires a double team and increases off ball shots for Trae/DJ. On the defensive side of the ball, Simmons has a length problem few can match. he disrupts lanes, creates havoc. Brooklyn's record this year has a lot to do with once Simmons got healthy, they were finally at least average defensively, allowing Durant and Irving's offense to carry them. I have always been a Simmons fan at what he does despite his shooting. Do I want to pay him $35 million a year, no...but Simmons + Curry IMHO > JC/Bogi from an impact perspective and that's the salary tradeoff you're looking at. More importantly, JC/Bogi for for Simmons/Curry is netting you at least 1 of those 1st Brooklyn just got.

So a bit of background. I was given info early yesterday that I posted in the insider private message. Very cryptic, something was going down. Message this morning from the same guy.... Phoenix F*#$ed us! I now have a bit to go on. Atlanta and Phoenix stayed engaged on the Clint/Bogi deal that they revised multiple times with Phoenix who kept hedging on Bogi and his knee health. At some point, they reworked it including Collins and removing Bogi....pieces from Phoenix changed a bit as well but included Ayton coming here and there was a 3rd team involved which is why he couldn't give me details. The deal was evolving and we were going to get 2 protected 1sts in the process and take their Crowder problem. The Hawks were reluctant and trying to drive up the price, down their send price. It seems, Phoenix was playing us the whole time trying to leverage our deal to get Brooklyn to drop their demand for 4 1sts. At the same time, Brooklyn was trying to see if there was something to be worked to get JC. Phoenix stopped trying to withhold the 4th 1st when they realized they could lose out on both the Atlanta deal and the Brooklyn deal. Per the guy, we had other deals in place during this time but held off as they really felt they could get a deal done with Phoenix and may have ruined our other big deals. Phoenix may have burnt some bridges here and with other teams in the league. Per the guy, we aren't the only one they were trying to leverage to work a better deal with Brooklyn. Lastly, Durant drove the Irving trade, not Irving trade drove the Durant deal. Per the guy, Irving's trade demand was in relation to learning KD was being moved. He felt betrayed by the Nets who sold him on the idea they were giving he and Durant a shot to win a chip.

Lost in all of this is Josh Hart to the Knicks for Cam Reddish, Ryan Arcidiacono, Svi Mykhailiuk and a lottery protected 1st. Knicks had to include a 1st to send out Reddish. Meaning the Reddish trade with Atlanta was actually Knox, 2 1sts, 2 free agent scrubs for Josh Hart. More terrible team management. Means the Knicks spent 3 x 1st round picks to get Josh Hart.

Phoenix's bench just got depleted as well. If just one of their top 4 is injured, they're screwed come playoff time.

@bleachkit Sorry quotes for you guys posting duplicates isn't working right now. I stand by what I said. KD is about to plummet in value and won't finish out that deal. I think next season might be his last good season before he falls off the cliff. Too many tic tac injuries popping up. Meanwhile, what they gave up means they can't replenish the team...4 1st rounders....If I were Ayton, I'd want out after this playoff run.

How do you part ways with Cam Johnson right now for a rental??? This is terrible team management 101.

I'd say the same if he were healthy. There is no way you can rely on KD being healthy come May/June.

IMHO, Phoenix got absolutely fleeced and this won't lead to a chip this year.

No...absolutely not. The public has come to expect D pics from @kg01and I can't in good conscience let you railroad his D pics off the site. As a sign of rebellion...I'm posting my own. My favorite D in the world...mister Van Dyke.

I could live with that guilt....just saying.

Some shady stuff going on tonight.

About 4 bad calls too late, but good challenge Nate.

I don't complain about the refs much, but there some funny business going on tonight.

The case for Trae Young to be an all-star this year. Remember, we're talking Eastern Conference as his competition. Trae is 2nd in ppg among Eastern Conference Point Guards. 1/10th of a point behind Kyrie. Its reasonable by the all star game he could be 1st here. Trae is tied for 4th in ppg among Eastern Conference Guards. 1/10th of a point behind Kyrie, D. Mitchell and tied with Jaylen Brown. Its reasonable by the all star game he could be 1st here. Trae is 2nd among all guards in the Eastern Conference in assists per game. 1/3 of an assist behind Haliburton. 1st in the East among all guards in FTA per game. 1st in the East among all guards in FTM per game. Trae has been routinely gimped in assists this year by his team shooting terrible from 3 most of the year. Trae has been routinely gimped in assists this year by "miss a bunny" Capela. Trae has been routinely gimped in points this year by "The Trae rules" officiating. He has seen visible improvement on the defensive end. The case against Trae young to be an all-star this year. He pisses people off on the regular. Fans, coaches, opposing players with his theatrics, nutmegs, disrespect. Whines to the refs too much. Foul hunts. Shooting a poor percentage from 3. Discuss!!!

Who are you and what have you done with AHF? He would never make this spelling error!!!

IMHO this is a blessing. A chance for everyone to rest, get healthy.

I applied to be her Robin but she rejected me before I could hand in the resume.