Ben Simmons (not) back for Game 4

[tazzmaniac]

Simmons is trying out for the Scarecrow in the up coming remake of the Wizard of Oz.

Oh, my back hurts….Bet they try and dump him in offseason.

His value would have to be next to zero now, right. No way he can draw in a Harden-esque package, even if they accompany him with all their good role players.

I'd be more tempted to move on from Kyrie. You could build a better group around Durant/Simmons than you can around Durant/Irving.

I mean...imagine if they could ship Kyrie off to, say, Indiana, for a package that included Turner and Brogdon? That'd be a scary team.

But it'll never happen.

Kyrie with Rick Carlisle as the coach. Ha !  Get the popcorn ready !

No popcorn needed. Kyrie would retire immediately.

Kyrie has a 36M player option for next season.  I assume he'll opt out to get a max deal but who knows with Kyrie.  Will any team give Kyrie a long-term max deal?  The Nets are also going to have to resign Brown who will be a UFA which is going to be significantly more costly after the past couple games. 

There are some possible funny trades.  How about Kyrie for Westbrook?  Or how about Kyrie for Harden?   

[RJD1974]

Simmons is trying out for the Scarecrow in the up coming remake of the Wizard of Oz.

Oh, my back hurts….Bet they try and dump him in offseason.

His value would have to be next to zero now, right. No way he can draw in a Harden-esque package, even if they accompany him with all their good role players.

I'd be more tempted to move on from Kyrie. You could build a better group around Durant/Simmons than you can around Durant/Irving.

I mean...imagine if they could ship Kyrie off to, say, Indiana, for a package that included Turner and Brogdon? That'd be a scary team.

But it'll never happen.

Kyrie with Rick Carlisle as the coach. Ha !  Get the popcorn ready !

No popcorn needed. Kyrie would retire immediately.

Kyrie has a 36M player option for next season.  I assume he'll opt out to get a max deal but who knows with Kyrie.  Will any team give Kyrie a long-term max deal?  The Nets are also going to have to resign Brown who will be a UFA which is going to be significantly more costly after the past couple games. 

There are some possible funny trades.  How about Kyrie for Westbrook?  Or how about Kyrie for Harden?   

Imagine Westbrook back with Durant?

That'd be hilarious.

[SHAQATTACK]

I liked a tweet

Kyrie to Lakers for TWO second round picks .

[Who]

They should try trading Seth Curry for a two way wing or a big man. He makes their backcourt too small next to Kyrie. Good player but surely they can find a better fit.

G: Kyrie
G:
F: Durant, Joe Harris
F: Simmons
C:

Not a bad starting point for a team. Get a two way wing to start between Kyrie and Durant or a jump-shooting big next to Ben Simmons to open up the paint. Use Seth Curry as trade bait.

[Phantom255x]

ESPN:

Coach Steve Nash said Simmons scrimmaged 3-on-3 Saturday morning and had no setbacks. He said it's possible Simmons plays in Game 4 but cautioned that given his long layoff, with his herniated disk at the end of it, that there was more to consider than if Simmons felt good after his workouts.

"There's a lot of bigger picture, bigger context to how he's feeling, how able he would be to adapt to the environment," Nash said. "It's a little different than playing a game that's stashed away in the middle of the regular season, so I think that there's a few factors at play here to evaluate when he's ready to play."

The people pushing the narrative that Simmons will return for sure Game 4 is Klutch Sports, Rich Paul, Woj and a few other ESPN guys. Nash has basically been saying this the entire time and we haven't heard much else definitively about Simmons.

I mean, I know they say he's back Game 4 but if we find out he's not playing Game 4 will anyone really be surprised? I wouldn't. I think he'll play limited minutes but if he doesn't, I wouldn't be shocked

HAHA and what did I tell you guys. This dude basically called in sick to work 

"Back Soreness"

FROM WHAT? Standing up so long with that skittles-colored clown outfit on the sidelines last night?? 

[ETNCeltics]

Nets have to look at a year ago when they had Jarrett Allen, Dinwiddie, Prince, and Leverts, and all their picks, and no James Harden/Ben Simmons headaches.

[Birdman]

Series over so why play him

[Phantom255x]

Series over so why play him

Interesting thought though, if the Nets win Game 4 can Simmons play Game 5? Lol I feel like everyone's better off just announcing Simmons won't be available this entire series

[gouki88]

Nets have to look at a year ago when they had Jarrett Allen, Dinwiddie, Prince, and Leverts, and all their picks, and no James Harden/Ben Simmons headaches.

Kyrie and KD wouldn't let Nash bench DJ for Jarrett Allen

[RJD1974]

Nets have to look at a year ago when they had Jarrett Allen, Dinwiddie, Prince, and Leverts, and all their picks, and no James Harden/Ben Simmons headaches.

Kyrie and KD wouldn't let Nash bench DJ for Jarrett Allen

That was Atkinson, but the point still stands.

[gouki88]

Nets have to look at a year ago when they had Jarrett Allen, Dinwiddie, Prince, and Leverts, and all their picks, and no James Harden/Ben Simmons headaches.

Kyrie and KD wouldn't let Nash bench DJ for Jarrett Allen

That was Atkinson, but the point still stands.

Ah yes, my bad. Forget which cowed coach started when it would seem.

[tazzmaniac]

They should try trading Seth Curry for a two way wing or a big man. He makes their backcourt too small next to Kyrie. Good player but surely they can find a better fit.

G: Kyrie
G:
F: Durant, Joe Harris
F: Simmons
C:

Not a bad starting point for a team. Get a two way wing to start between Kyrie and Durant or a jump-shooting big next to Ben Simmons to open up the paint. Use Seth Curry as trade bait.

You don't mention Brown.  Seth Curry isn't worth anything significant.  What he gives in offense he takes away on defense.  A 2-way wing starter is expensive.  Where are they going to get the resources to get one.   Their salary cost will be vying with GSW for most in the league.  Just with the 4 players you mention, the Nets are already at 135M next season.  Their only tradeable contracts of note are Curry, Mills (if he picks up option) and Carter.  That's 18.5M.  Looks like they only have the Sixers 2022/23 pick (or their own 2023) to trade until 2027. 

[RJD1974]

Nets have to look at a year ago when they had Jarrett Allen, Dinwiddie, Prince, and Leverts, and all their picks, and no James Harden/Ben Simmons headaches.

Kyrie and KD wouldn't let Nash bench DJ for Jarrett Allen

That was Atkinson, but the point still stands.

Ah yes, my bad. Forget which cowed coach started when it would seem.

That whole debacle was so freaking embarrassing. You had Irving and Durant (who wasn't even playing at the time) complaining about Atkinson's egalitarian offense, and bemoaning the fact that he was bringing their friend off the bench and starting Allen instead. Then he gets fired/mutually steps away (there was a player's-only meeting where "certain parties" kvetched about the potential of the spread offense*, Jordan/Allen, and the fact that Dinwiddie wasn't playing like he was expected to play), and Jacque Vaughn's first move as interim coach was putting Jordan in the starting lineup.

* regarding the offense, rumor has it that Durant was the driving force behind that complaint. He didn't want a return to GS's spread-the-wealth system, which had become the point of contention that previous playoffs. Being the best player on the floor, he didn't understand why he should concede to players who weren't as good as him. Again, this comes off as weird, since Durant wouldn't actually suit up for the team until the following season.

[Who]

They should try trading Seth Curry for a two way wing or a big man. He makes their backcourt too small next to Kyrie. Good player but surely they can find a better fit.

G: Kyrie
G:
F: Durant, Joe Harris
F: Simmons
C:

Not a bad starting point for a team. Get a two way wing to start between Kyrie and Durant or a jump-shooting big next to Ben Simmons to open up the paint. Use Seth Curry as trade bait.

You don't mention Brown.  Seth Curry isn't worth anything significant.  What he gives in offense he takes away on defense.  A 2-way wing starter is expensive.  Where are they going to get the resources to get one.   Their salary cost will be vying with GSW for most in the league.  Just with the 4 players you mention, the Nets are already at 135M next season.  Their only tradeable contracts of note are Curry, Mills (if he picks up option) and Carter.  That's 18.5M.  Looks like they only have the Sixers 2022/23 pick (or their own 2023) to trade until 2027.

I forgot Brown. I thought there was someone I was forgetting.

I am unsure about him. He has been their 2nd best player in this series after Durant but Brown's dodgy outside shooting makes him a mediocre fit next to Ben Simmons. They need more shooters. Plus they already have Joe Harris at backup SF.

[Phantom255x]

The Nets in theory could have added only Durant in FA while keeping a lot of those guys listed above, and also still traded for Harden later in 2021. No Kyrie, and probably less drama for the Nets and more defined roles for the superstars and role players.

But oh well. Sucks for BKN, they can enjoy the Kyrie experience as well