2019-2020 Sixers Season/Offseason

[zambonir]

The place that started the Russell idea is True Hoop, who literally does "trade machine" proposals precisely so people will talk about it (i.e., it's for fun).

Henry Abbott on Twitter

The thing is, as much as Joel is the beloved star and Simmons continues to be whipped for not shooting, I'm not sure Simmons is the one you trade... assuming they do decide to break up the band.

Simmons is two years younger (and signed for two years longer). He doesn't (knock wood) have the same injury/load management issues. And Embiid/Horford doesn't seem to be working any better than Embiid/Simmons.

[Dirk41]

It just seems that someone, somewhere would be able to figure out how to make two of the best young players in the NBA exist together. It's not like they play the same position.

[zambonir]

They do now!

[jimbomill]

Thoughts on this potential deal?

I'm a fan of Simmons. The whole package is better than most PGs out there. My thoughts on the potential deal are that if it happens, they better get it right with that pick. If GS adds in a particular former VU player, that would be better.

[California_Dreamin]

jimbomill...thanks for your thoughts and its interesting to me that you were the first responder to comment on the value of that pick. It well could be the #1 pick in the whole nation and while I am a Warrior fan and admire Simmons from afar I am ambivalent to the deal and suspect many 6er fans only remember Russell from the playoffs last year and have not seen him play this year. The guard has become a veritable scoring machine [high of 52, consistently in the high 20's, low 30's] while still being arguably the best pick and roll guard in the league, something that seems almost non existent to Simmons game.

And Russell has been a very high quality 3 point shooter, something Simmons will never be. Defensively there is no comparison, Simmons is one of the best in the league. But to wonder why two great players [Simmons and Embiid] can't find a way to co-exist with their skills is to ignore the history of the league. I will only speak as a long time Warrior fan but have witnessed it often. Hard to believe but Wilt Chamberlain and Nate Thurmond played together on the same frontline till the Warriors realized it was simply not going to work, the 76ers were the beneficiaries of the Wilt deal but Thurmond and the Warriors flourished with a clogged low post.

Rick Barry and Guy Rodgers [another Philadelphia guy] were brilliant players but both needed the ball and the Dubs decided they wanted it in Barry's hands instead of Rodgers and jettisoned the HOF guard to Chicago for Jeff Mullins and Jimmy King, a deal that benefited both teams.

Look, the talk of this potential down the road deal is picking up steam here on the Left Coast and while I still doubt it happens, it should not be dismissed so easily. Russell and either a LaMar Ball or Edwards from Georgia would sure space the 76er floor and make Embiid more difficult to defend than he is now. And while the perception is that Russell doesn't like to speed up the pace like Simmons does, it sure seems to me that this pace would be precisely what this 76er team would prefer to play.

Simmons loves to run, as do the Warriors and would seem to benefit them equally well. There was a site that zambonir sent us to that discussed the potential deal and I found it interesting that the perception among the fans [Warriors and 76ers] was split...both sides thought they were giving up too much.

Sounded precisely like what is probably a fair deal when both sides protest!

[phillychuck]

Russell is not an efficient scorer; never has been. He's a slightly below league-average 3-point shooter, he's a league-average 2-point shooter, and is a very poor defender statistically. He has to be in any deal, though, to match salaries. As a Sixer fan I'd like to flip him somewhere else if this deal is made.

Keep in mind Simmons can't be traded until after this season because of the new contract.

As valuable as the Warriors' pick may be, I'd still prefer to keep Simmons. His defense alone is worth too much.

Simmons and Embiid fit fine--the pieces around them need to be re-arranged. Horford needs to be replaced by a better Trey Burke and a Nerlens-Noel-type defensive oriented back-up center. Horford doesn't space the floor enough with both Simmons and Embiid on the floor.

[flyers19rw]

The concept of two talents such as Embiid and Simmons not being able to play with each other is the residue of media personalities who either couldn't play the game or those that are looking for internet clicks. If they aren't gelling together, its on the coach. Teams rarely have the opportunity to have two talents like Simmons and Embiid together. Trading one of them is idiocy. Find a way to work it out. If Russell and Embiid would make a good pick and roll partnership, can you imagine what Simmons and Embiid could be? It might be time for Brown to be replaced.

[zambonir]

Well I think you and PC are both right. It's an imperfect roster and an imperfect system. Of course it's also not a bad team. Just not a dominant one, and struggling on the road while not being the 2nd seed could really bite them. However (assuming Embiid is okay and they make some changes but even if not they are still clearly capable of going 4-3 against every team in the East come spring. Or 3-4.

[bigegypt0417]

I realize it was the nets but the sixers can play some elite defense when they decide to .

Ben Simmons with a triple-double.

Also named player of the week.

[el-pietro]

Not just a triple double. 34/12/12. The 34 matches his career total. He also had 5 steals and 2 blocks to just 3 turnovers. Matisse also had 4 steals and 1 block.

There was one spell of about a minute in the 4th quarter where Matisse kept getting the ball back for the Sixers but the shooters kept missing, I think he won the ball four times consecutively through steals and rebounds.

[phillychuck]

This was pretty clearly Ben's best game as a pro. He needs to build on it and keep performing well in the second half (he almost always dominates in the first half).

And, of course, he and Jo need to figure out how to play better together!

[bigegypt0417]

And, of course, he and Jo need to figure out how to play better together!

I think this is the question...are the sixers better off with Ben and the pieces brought back with Embiid or Embiid and the pieces that come from Simmons.

I think the Sixers should think about letting simmons be the big he excels at being.

[schillingfan]

And, of course, he and Jo need to figure out how to play better together!

I think this is the question...are the sixers better off with Ben and the pieces brought back with Embiid or Embiid and the pieces that come from Simmons.

I think the Sixers should think about letting simmons be the big he excels at being.

You are always better with the star than two or three pieces. You really need two stars. If the two stars don’t work together than trade one for another star that better fits.

[phillychuck]

Four possibilities:

1. Embiid and Simmons continue to play "adequately" with each other and Sixers switch coaches hoping to improve fit

2. As Embiid and Simmons mature, they learn to play better together and the fit develops. Championships abound.

3. Embiid is traded to improve fit. His health concerns may reduce the return, but every GM in the NBA would take the risk.

4. Simmons is traded to improve fit.

3 and 4 will be difficult; you have to find stars that are equally a bad fit either contract-wise or on the floor where they currently are. And SF is right (as usual)...stars win in the NBA 95% of the time.

Would you Sixers fans trade Simmons straight up for Steph Curry? Remember the difference in ages...

[zambonir]

We'll know a lot more come May. If they make the conference finals or finals they'll probably run it back. If not it becomes the question of change one star, change the coach, or both.

They could also move on from any of the other opening starting 5 under the right circumstances. Even as soon as next week.

[VoteForKalas]

Unless Ben and Joel continue to develop their games and the 76ers help & compel them to do so, we're not winning any rings.

Brown I think has proven he will not or cannot get Ben and Joel to the next level.

Brand has also IMO proven unable to build a championship level roster around the two stars.

The 76ers are nearly capped out and will struggle to improve the roster without moving a major piece

They need a PG who can run a half court offense effectively and free up Ben to leverage his advantage at SF or SG.

They need outside shooters desperately, but again if Ben would ever shoot one additional shooter might be enough

They need Scott, Horford and Ennis to play much better

They need Korkmaz and Thybulle to continue developing

[bigegypt0417]

Embiid is traded to improve fit. His health concerns may reduce the return, but every GM in the NBA would take the risk.

I love Joel but I think his return would be substantial enough to make you make the move. I would imagine he'd bring back what AD brought if not a little more. Embiid has to be on a team that builds its offense to go through him and I'm not sure the sixers are that team. My biggest issue with Embiid is his basketball IQ is less than ideal.

Ben Simmons may never develop a long range shot but we're also seeing he may not need to. His defense is close to elite and when embiid isn't on the floor, they can match him up against bigger guys that can't cover him. he HAS to get better from the foul line.

[xogfog]

Embiid didn't start playing basketball until he was 15 years old and only arrived in the US at age 17. He has missed over two years of playing due to injury, so his basketball IQ had plenty of room to grow as he is still just 25, so I expect him to improve, I'd like the Sixers to bring in a player development coach more akin to Embiid than Roy Hibbert, like Olajuwan or Robinson, even if it is just for a summer.

[zambonir]

They are both young and have a lot of room to grow, the question is can they grow together, in the current timeline (which means winning a championship as soon as right now, and continue o do so before Joel's next deal). Recent developments aside, we're also seeing the Sixers might not be good enough with the often-unavailable Joel they have (whether it's load management or injury or games where he just doesn't seem to be at full-strength), and Horford's been an imperfect solution who was only acquired in the first place because of Joel's limitations.

But you're only trading either of these guys because they are borderline elite players with considerable upside who might do better on a different team while bringing back a superstar return.

LeBron didn't win his first championship until he was 28 but do the Sixers have that kind of patience? Of course he also did it on his second team.

[bkeich]

I really can't imagine them trading Embiid. We talk about Simmons moving towards being an elite defender, Embiid is already there. He is the best defensive C in the league. When you look at the numbers with and without him on the floor in his career they really stand out how much he affects the other team.

I dont see anything to the "dont work well together". We seem to win alot when they are both on the court.