Deadspin article: Could Ben Simmons change the structure of NBA

[Ogaju]

I don't think Simmons is good enough to matter.  No doubt he's good, will be a perennial All-Star, but I don't see him as a generational talent that could single handedly win you a title.

Danny Ferry didnt change the game when he played in Europe instead of the team that drafted him.

Josh Childress didn't change the game when he played in Europe to get out of restricted free agency.

And while Simmons is far, fat better than either of them, whatever he does won't change the game either.  Lebron and KD have yet to change the league with their 1+1 deals.

Also don't think Klutch will be a top agency in 5 years.  The most powerful agent is very cyclical, otherwise David Falk would still be on top.  Every few years it seems to be someone else, Klutch will be no different.

They might start to weaken in 2 years if Davis leaves due to them fumbling his trade plans/image and Lebron's influence wanes.

this is why i want Leturd gone from NBA ,  he has disrupted it with his star power at every turn .  He has led the nba around by its nose too many years cattering to his whims .  He was so much better than the next five best players are more closer in talent , this helps even up the spread of power . 

I agree, Simmons will be a top 10 player , but will not command the power Lebron did .  Once Lebron leaves ,  the gap from 1 to 2 players is not so crazy great .  The only way to beat Lebron was put 3  top p,auers on same team . His physical abilities were unlike anybody before or since .

You know I never viewed the GSW super team as a team that was constructed to stop LeBron or the Boston Big three or Laker Big threes. When you look at it this way, then you cannot really fault LeBron for seeking help of his own.

[tazzmaniac]

I don't think Simmons is good enough to matter.  No doubt he's good, will be a perennial All-Star, but I don't see him as a generational talent that could single handedly win you a title.

Danny Ferry didnt change the game when he played in Europe instead of the team that drafted him.

Josh Childress didn't change the game when he played in Europe to get out of restricted free agency.

And while Simmons is far, fat better than either of them, whatever he does won't change the game either.  Lebron and KD have yet to change the league with their 1+1 deals.

Also don't think Klutch will be a top agency in 5 years.  The most powerful agent is very cyclical, otherwise David Falk would still be on top.  Every few years it seems to be someone else, Klutch will be no different.

They might start to weaken in 2 years if Davis leaves due to them fumbling his trade plans/image and Lebron's influence wanes.

this is why i want Leturd gone from NBA ,  he has disrupted it with his star power at every turn .  He has led the nba around by its nose too many years cattering to his whims .  He was so much better than the next five best players are more closer in talent , this helps even up the spread of power . 

I agree, Simmons will be a top 10 player , but will not command the power Lebron did .  Once Lebron leaves ,  the gap from 1 to 2 players is not so crazy great .  The only way to beat Lebron was put 3  top p,auers on same team . His physical abilities were unlike anybody before or since .

Also if Simmons did leave and they end up with Embid and an aging max Jimmy Butler, that would really help our chances of contending with Tatum Brown and Irving the next 5-6 years.

You think the Sixers will give Butler Max but not retain Harris.  If I had to bet of the two I'd say Harris is the more likely to be a Sixer next season.  They could even let Butler walk, go after Irving and trade Simmons for AD.   Irving, warm body, Harris, AD, Embiid

The Sixers can and assuredly will offer Simmons the 25% Max extension this offseason and it will probably include the 30% Max possibility if he meets the criteria.  If he doesn't accept that it will be interesting to see what the Sixers do. 

[gouki88]

I don't think Simmons is good enough to matter.  No doubt he's good, will be a perennial All-Star, but I don't see him as a generational talent that could single handedly win you a title.

Danny Ferry didnt change the game when he played in Europe instead of the team that drafted him.

Josh Childress didn't change the game when he played in Europe to get out of restricted free agency.

And while Simmons is far, fat better than either of them, whatever he does won't change the game either.  Lebron and KD have yet to change the league with their 1+1 deals.

Also don't think Klutch will be a top agency in 5 years.  The most powerful agent is very cyclical, otherwise David Falk would still be on top.  Every few years it seems to be someone else, Klutch will be no different.

They might start to weaken in 2 years if Davis leaves due to them fumbling his trade plans/image and Lebron's influence wanes.

this is why i want Leturd gone from NBA ,  he has disrupted it with his star power at every turn .  He has led the nba around by its nose too many years cattering to his whims .  He was so much better than the next five best players are more closer in talent , this helps even up the spread of power . 

I agree, Simmons will be a top 10 player , but will not command the power Lebron did .  Once Lebron leaves ,  the gap from 1 to 2 players is not so crazy great .  The only way to beat Lebron was put 3  top p,auers on same team . His physical abilities were unlike anybody before or since .

Also if Simmons did leave and they end up with Embid and an aging max Jimmy Butler, that would really help our chances of contending with Tatum Brown and Irving the next 5-6 years.

You think the Sixers will give Butler Max but not retain Harris.  If I had to bet of the two I'd say Harris is the more likely to be a Sixer next season.  They could even let Butler walk, go after Irving and trade Simmons for AD.   Irving, warm body, Harris, AD, Embiid

The Sixers can and assuredly will offer Simmons the 25% Max extension this offseason and it will probably include the 30% Max possibility if he meets the criteria.  If he doesn't accept that it will be interesting to see what the Sixers do.

Ew. Why are you thinking of mega pipe dreams for Philly? Gross

[bdm860]

Here's another crazy thought that won't happen but is fun to think about.  You know the GMs/owners don't like the powerful agents, but are more than happy to work with them when their interests are aligned.

So maybe Magic/Pelinka/Lakers aren't really happy with LeBron/Paul dictating trades and how LeBron is already trying to get the coach fired, and maybe even playing "Carmelo" ball (i.e. getting his stats, but not playing winning basketball) now in an attempt to sand bag it and force the Lakers hand. 

Plus it's been talked about how top free agents don't want to play with LeBron.  So their only hope is to trade for Davis.  But then the Klutch grip gets even stronger.  Maybe the Lakers start thinking 35-year-old LeBron just isn't worth it.

So Lakers trade LeBron (who doesn't have a no trade clause) for Davis (and filler),  Signs Kawhi and Klay Thompson.

LAL absolutely puts together a better team then if they keep LeBron.

Small market NOP gets the biggest name player in the game under contract for at least 2 more years.


If 2 of the top free agents said they would sign with the Lakers if LeBron wasn't there, this is a trade that absolutely makes sense for the Lakers.  Although I doubt they're ready to bite the Klutch hand just yet.

[Jvalin]

Then we'll get rid of every team except for those located in the top 8-10 media markets.

Maybe some of the eliminated teams can form their own secondary league.


The bottom line is, the closer you get to allowing players to have complete control over where they want to play, the closer you get to a situation where it makes little to no sense to have a league larger than 8-10 teams.  Which means that two thirds of the players in the league are out of a job or forced to play overseas.

I'd love to see them cut 10 teams and go to a 20 team league. There isn't enough talent to support a 30 team league.

Too many mediocre teams.

I'm not sure I'd cut 10, but I'd cut several, for sure.

Well, I'd add 2. One in Seattle and one in Mexico City. Would love to see the Clips relocate to San Diego as well, but that's a different story.

[tazzmaniac]

I don't think Simmons is good enough to matter.  No doubt he's good, will be a perennial All-Star, but I don't see him as a generational talent that could single handedly win you a title.

Danny Ferry didnt change the game when he played in Europe instead of the team that drafted him.

Josh Childress didn't change the game when he played in Europe to get out of restricted free agency.

And while Simmons is far, fat better than either of them, whatever he does won't change the game either.  Lebron and KD have yet to change the league with their 1+1 deals.

Also don't think Klutch will be a top agency in 5 years.  The most powerful agent is very cyclical, otherwise David Falk would still be on top.  Every few years it seems to be someone else, Klutch will be no different.

They might start to weaken in 2 years if Davis leaves due to them fumbling his trade plans/image and Lebron's influence wanes.

this is why i want Leturd gone from NBA ,  he has disrupted it with his star power at every turn .  He has led the nba around by its nose too many years cattering to his whims .  He was so much better than the next five best players are more closer in talent , this helps even up the spread of power . 

I agree, Simmons will be a top 10 player , but will not command the power Lebron did .  Once Lebron leaves ,  the gap from 1 to 2 players is not so crazy great .  The only way to beat Lebron was put 3  top p,auers on same team . His physical abilities were unlike anybody before or since .

Also if Simmons did leave and they end up with Embid and an aging max Jimmy Butler, that would really help our chances of contending with Tatum Brown and Irving the next 5-6 years.

You think the Sixers will give Butler Max but not retain Harris.  If I had to bet of the two I'd say Harris is the more likely to be a Sixer next season.  They could even let Butler walk, go after Irving and trade Simmons for AD.   Irving, warm body, Harris, AD, Embiid

The Sixers can and assuredly will offer Simmons the 25% Max extension this offseason and it will probably include the 30% Max possibility if he meets the criteria.  If he doesn't accept that it will be interesting to see what the Sixers do.

Ew. Why are you thinking of mega pipe dreams for Philly? Gross

To tweak Celticsclay of course.  Although I have said before a Simmons for AD trade makes sense for them assuming AD would resign. 

[tazzmaniac]

Here's another crazy thought that won't happen but is fun to think about.  You know the GMs/owners don't like the powerful agents, but are more than happy to work with them when their interests are aligned.

So maybe Magic/Pelinka/Lakers aren't really happy with LeBron/Paul dictating trades and how LeBron is already trying to get the coach fired, and maybe even playing "Carmelo" ball (i.e. getting his stats, but not playing winning basketball) now in an attempt to sand bag it and force the Lakers hand. 

Plus it's been talked about how top free agents don't want to play with LeBron.  So their only hope is to trade for Davis.  But then the Klutch grip gets even stronger.  Maybe the Lakers start thinking 35-year-old LeBron just isn't worth it.

So Lakers trade LeBron (who doesn't have a no trade clause) for Davis (and filler),  Signs Kawhi and Klay Thompson.

LAL absolutely puts together a better team then if they keep LeBron.

Small market NOP gets the biggest name player in the game under contract for at least 2 more years.


If 2 of the top free agents said they would sign with the Lakers if LeBron wasn't there, this is a trade that absolutely makes sense for the Lakers.  Although I doubt they're ready to bite the Klutch hand just yet.

Lebron stuck on the Pels would be wonderful although they probably would do okay with Holiday still there. 

[Moranis]

Then we'll get rid of every team except for those located in the top 8-10 media markets.

Maybe some of the eliminated teams can form their own secondary league.


The bottom line is, the closer you get to allowing players to have complete control over where they want to play, the closer you get to a situation where it makes little to no sense to have a league larger than 8-10 teams.  Which means that two thirds of the players in the league are out of a job or forced to play overseas.

I'd love to see them cut 10 teams and go to a 20 team league. There isn't enough talent to support a 30 team league.

Too many mediocre teams.

the league has always had mediocre teams.  I mean have you actually looked at some of the garbage teams that existed in every single decade.  Contracting quite simply won't correct that

[ozgod]

So let's just abolish the draft.

Then we'll get rid of every team except for those located in the top 8-10 media markets.

Maybe some of the eliminated teams can form their own secondary league.


The bottom line is, the closer you get to allowing players to have complete control over where they want to play, the closer you get to a situation where it makes little to no sense to have a league larger than 8-10 teams.  Which means that two thirds of the players in the league are out of a job or forced to play overseas.



Perhaps the players union will agree to some actually effective measures to curb the creeping power of star-run player agencies like Klutch.  In theory at least the players union exists to protect the interests of the average player, not the superstars.

We'll see.

It would end up being like the European soccer leagues like the Premier League where you have an elite tier, then all the wanna-bes competing in a secondary league below then getting promoted and demoted each year. It's great if you're an elite player, not so much if you're an Avery Bradley or a Semi Ojeleye just trying to get by.

[Who]

Then we'll get rid of every team except for those located in the top 8-10 media markets.

Maybe some of the eliminated teams can form their own secondary league.


The bottom line is, the closer you get to allowing players to have complete control over where they want to play, the closer you get to a situation where it makes little to no sense to have a league larger than 8-10 teams.  Which means that two thirds of the players in the league are out of a job or forced to play overseas.

I'd love to see them cut 10 teams and go to a 20 team league. There isn't enough talent to support a 30 team league.

Too many mediocre teams.

the league has always had mediocre teams.  I mean have you actually looked at some of the garbage teams that existed in every single decade.  Contracting quite simply won't correct that

Garbage teams are one. It is the mediocrity in between garbage and good teams that compounds things.

There is what 4-5 good teams in each conference. That is 8-10 teams. There is 5 terrible teams / garbage teams in the league. Which leaves 15-17 mediocre teams in the middle.

I want less of those middle teams. The mediocrity.

You will still have the 5 garbage teams and you will still have similar number of good teams. You will just have less of the in between teams. That would be my goal in contraction.