We are close to the point of no return (if we haven't gotten there already) with Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers.
What first started as the All-Star guard asking for a trade this offseason has now turned to Simmons boycotting training camp.
The fines, which have already been excessive ($7,500 for missed practices at a minimum), and the $227,000 that Simmons will lose for every game he misses, have not persuaded him to show up in person.
Simmons is under contract through 2024-25, and the 76ers have elected to slow play the trade process with two beliefs -- 1) that the marriage is still salvageable, and 2) that there is no trade right now that improves the roster, or at the very least keeps them as an Eastern Conference contender.
"I think there's a lot of hope," 76ers president Daryl Morey said Monday morning during his season-opening news conference alongside coach Doc Rivers. "I would say I watched last night a player [the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers] lead his team to victory when a thousand pounds of digital ink were spilled on how much he would never play for that team again.
"Look, every situation is different, but we have a lot of optimism that we can make it work here."
But what happens if we get to the start of the season and the situation is the same? Or come early December and the 76ers are a .500 team?
Would Philadelphia take the best deal on the table or wait until after Dec. 15, when trade restrictions are lifted on most of the free agents signed this offseason?
To show the challenges the 76ers' front office faces in finding the right trade, we have broken down the 29 teams into five different tiers, starting with the group that has the combination of young prospects, top-caliber players, contracts and draft assets to make a deal.
At a minimum, a team has to send out at least $26.5 million in salary for a Simmons trade to work.
MORE: Everything we know about the Ben Simmons situation
2:00
Stephen A. Smith runs through the teams interested in Ben Simmons should he depart the 76ers.
Tier 1: Teams that check all the boxes
Removing Damian Lillard from any trade talks leaves the Blazers with CJ McCollum as their prized trade asset.
McCollum, who is coming off six straight seasons of scoring at least 20 points per game, is under contract through the 2023-24 season.
Lillard has asked for upgrades to the roster, but is Simmons the right player? And especially at the cost of Lillard's longtime backcourt partner?
The Trail Blazers traded a lottery-protected first to Chicago in the Larry Nance Jr. deal and would need to remove the protection in 2022 in order to trade future first-round picks.
Off the table: Damian Lillard ($39.3 million; player option in 2024-25)
Cannot be traded: Norman Powell (Jan. 15 signing restriction), Cody Zeller (Dec. 15 signing restriction), Ben McLemore (Dec. 15 signing restriction) and Tony Snell (Dec. 15 signing restriction)
First-round assets and trade exceptions
Note: The Trail Blazers are sending Chicago a top-14-protected first-round pick from 2022 to 2028. Because the pick has seven years of protection, the Blazers are not allowed to trade a first-round pick unless the protection is lifted.
Tradable contracts (2021-22 season)
-
CJ McCollum: $30.8 million; unrestricted free agent in 2024
-
Robert Covington: $13.0 million; unrestricted free agent in 2022
-
Jusuf Nurkic: $12.0 million; unrestricted free agent in 2022
-
Larry Nance Jr.: $10.7 million; unrestricted free agent in 2023
-
Anfernee Simons: $3.9 million; restricted free agent in 2022
-
Nassir Little: $2.3 million; restricted free agent in 2023
-
CJ Elleby: $1.5 million; restricted free agent in 2022
-
Greg Brown III: $925K; restricted free agent in 2023 (non-guaranteed in 2023-24)
Does a combination of Collin Sexton, Kevin Love and draft picks appeal to the 76ers?
If that question was posed in 2017, the answer would have been a resounding yes -- because of the play (and health) of Love.
Now, Love is anything but the All-Star he once was and the $60 million left on his contract is seen as dead weight.
Sexton is one of the top players under the age of 25 and is coming off a career season in which he averaged 24.3 points per game. But he is a restricted free agent (if there is no extension reached by Oct. 18), and Philadelphia would need to have a comfort level in committing to a lucrative contract.
Another hurdle: Would Cleveland give up lightly lottery-protected first-round picks in a deep Eastern Conference?
Simmons is certainly an upgrade to the Cavs' roster, but does he push this team from the lottery to one competing for a spot in the play-in tournament?
Cannot be traded: Jarrett Allen (Jan. 15 signing restriction), Kevin Pangos (Dec. 15 signing restriction), Denzel Valentine (Dec. 19 signing restriction) and Lauri Markkanen (Dec. 15 signing restriction)
First-round assets and trade exceptions
Tradable contracts (2021-22 season)
-
Kevin Love: $31.3 million; unrestricted free agent in 2023
-
Ricky Rubio: $17.8 million; unrestricted free agent in 2022
-
Cedi Osman: $8.1 million; unrestricted free agent in 2024 (non-guaranteed in 2023-24)
-
Evan Mobley: $8.1 million; restricted free agent in 2025
-
Darius Garland: $7.0 million; restricted free agent in 2023
-
Collin Sexton: $6.3 million; restricted free agent in 2022
-
Isaac Okoro: $6.7 million; restricted free agent in 2024
-
Dylan Windler: $2.3 million: restricted free agent in 2023
-
Dean Wade: $1.8 million; unrestricted free agent in 2023 (non-guaranteed in 2021-22 and team option for 2022-23)
-
Mfiondu Kabengele: 1.7 million; unrestricted free agent in 2023 (non-guaranteed in 2021-22 and 2022-23)
-
Lamar Stevens: $1.5 million; team option in 2022-23 (non-guaranteed in 2021-22 and 2022-23)
It's hard to see Indiana making a blockbuster trade for Simmons, considering the early part of the season is an evaluation period for new head coach Rick Carlisle.
But the Pacers have six players earning between $10 million and $22 million, including All-Star Domantas Sabonis and starting point guard Malcolm Brogdon.
Cannot be traded: T.J. McConnell (Jan. 15 signing restriction) and Torrey Craig (Dec. 15 signing restriction)
First-round assets and trade exceptions
-
Indiana has all its first-round picks
-
Trade exceptions: $7.3, $4.8, $4.0 and $2.9 million
Tradable contracts (2021-22 season)
-
Malcolm Brogdon: $21.7 million; unrestricted free agent in 2023
-
Domantas Sabonis: $19.8 million; unrestricted free agent in 2024
-
Myles Turner: $18 million; unrestricted free agent in 2023
-
Caris LeVert: $17.5 million; unrestricted free agent in 2023
-
T.J. Warren: $12.9 million; unrestricted free agent in 2022
-
Jeremy Lamb: $10.5 million; unrestricted free agent in 2022
-
Justin Holiday: $6.0 million; unrestricted free agent in 2023
-
Chris Duarte: $3.7 million; restricted free agent in 2025
-
Goga Bitadze: $3.1 million; restricted free agent in 2023
-
Isaiah Jackson: $2.4 million; restricted free agent in 2025
-
Edmond Sumner: $2.3 million; unrestricted free agent in 2022
-
Kelan Martin: $1.7 million; restricted free agent in 2022 (non-guaranteed in 2021-22)
-
Oshae Brissett: $1.7 million; team option in 2022-23 (non-guaranteed in 2021-22)
It's unclear if the Timberwolves have the players to get a Simmons trade done, unless they recruit a third team or if a team believes D'Angelo Russell can still be an impact player.
Because the roster is loaded with rotational players, any Simmons trade would require Minnesota to move multiple first-round picks.
That is a big risk for a team that has one playoff appearance since 2003-04.
Off the table: Karl-Anthony Towns ($31.7 million; unrestricted free agent in 2024) and Anthony Edwards ($10.2 million; restricted free agent in 2024)
Cannot be traded: Jarred Vanderbilt (Jan. 15 signing restriction) and Jordan McLaughlin (Jan. 15 signing restriction)
First-round assets and trade exceptions
Tradable contracts (2021-22 season)
-
D'Angelo Russell: $30.0 million; unrestricted free agent in 2023
-
Malik Beasley: $14.5 million; team option in 2023-24
-
Patrick Beverley: $14.3 million; unrestricted free agent in 2022
-
Taurean Prince: $13 million; unrestricted free agent in 2022
-
Josh Okogie: $4.1 million; restricted free agent in 2022
-
Jake Layman: $3.9 million; unrestricted free agent in 2022
-
Leandro Bolmaro: $2.4 million; restricted free agent in 2025
-
Jaden McDaniels: $2.1 million; restricted free agent in 2024
-
Jaylen Nowell: $1.8 million; team option in 2022-23 (non-guaranteed in 2021-22)
-
Naz Reid: $1.8 million; team option in 2022-23
The Spurs should be the wild card out of this group. They have a combination of young players (Dejounte Murray and Derrick White) on team-friendly contracts, a veteran in Thaddeus Young who can impact a playoff roster and all their own first-round picks, including a future one from the Chicago Bulls.
To jump into the deep end with Simmons, though, the Spurs would have to do something they rarely do -- make an in-season trade.
The last time they did so? Nine years ago, in 2012, when they moved Richard Jefferson and T.J. Ford to the Golden State Warriors for Stephen Jackson.
Cannot be traded: Doug McDermott (Dec. 15 signing restriction), Zach Collins (Dec. 15 signing restriction), Bryn Forbes (Dec. 15 signing restriction) and Jock Landale (Dec. 15 signing restriction)
First-round assets and trade exceptions
Tradable contracts (2021-22 season)
-
Dejounte Murray: $15.4 million; unrestricted free agent in 2024
-
Derrick White: $15.2 million; unrestricted free agent in 2025
-
Thaddeus Young: $14.2 million; unrestricted free agent in 2022
-
Al-Farouq Aminu: $10.2 million; unrestricted free agent in 2022
-
Jakob Poeltl: $8.8 million; unrestricted free agent in 2023
-
Lonnie Walker IV: $4.5 million; restricted free agent in 2022
-
Devin Vassell: $4.2 million; restricted free agent in 2024
-
Josh Primo: $3.9 million; restricted free agent in 2025
-
Luka Samanic: $3.0 million; restricted free agent in 2023
-
Keldon Johnson: $2.1 million; restricted free agent in 2023
-
Drew Eubanks: $1.8 million; unrestricted free agent in 2023 (non-guaranteed in 2022-23)
-
Tre Jones: $1.5 million; restricted free agent in 2023 (non-guaranteed in 2022-23)
Former All-Star Pascal Siakam would be the top trade target out of this top tier, but does a frontcourt of Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and Siakam -- who shot 29.7% from 3 last season -- address the Sixers' spacing concerns? If not, Philadelphia would need to include a third team.
The Raptors have Goran Dragic's expiring contract but would need to include a player such as OG Anunoby and draft compensation for the 76ers to consider a trade.
Cannot be traded: Gary Trent Jr. (Jan.15 signing restriction), Khem Birch (Dec. 15 signing restriction), Sam Dekker (Dec. 15 signing restriction), Svi Mykhailiuk (Dec. 15 signing restriction), Isaac Bonga (Dec. 15 signing restriction) and Ishmail Wainright (Dec. 15 signing restriction)
First-round assets and trade exceptions
Tradable contracts (2021-22 season)
-
Pascal Siakam: $33.0 million; unrestricted free agent in 2024
-
Fred VanVleet: $19.7 million; player option in 2023-24
-
Goran Dragic: $19.4 million; unrestricted free agent in 2022
-
OG Anunoby: $16.1 million; player option in 2024-25
-
Scottie Barnes: $7.3 million; restricted free agent in 2025
-
Chris Boucher: $7.2 million; unrestricted free agent in 2022
-
Precious Achiuwa: $2.7 million; restricted free agent in 2024
-
Malachi Flynn: $2.0 million; restricted free agent in 2024
-
Yuta Watanabe: $1.5 million; restricted free agent in 2022 ($375K guaranteed in 2021-22)
-
Freddie Gillespie: $1.5 million; restricted free agent in 2022 ($50K guaranteed in 2021-22)
-
Dalano Banton: $925K; restricted free agent in 2023 (non-guaranteed in 2022-23)
Tier 2: The trade assets are there. But how's the fit?
These four teams might have much of what Philadelphia would be seeking in exchange for Simmons. But there's a problem: The 25-year-old, three-time All-Star might create fit issues with each of them.
Besides all their draft picks, the Hawks have the contracts of Bogdan Bogdanovic and Danilo Gallinari and young players in Cam Reddish and De'Andre Hunter.
Adding Simmons would benefit Trae Young on both sides of the ball, but is there an appetite to take back the $147 million owed to Simmons?
Warriors owner Joe Lacob has already gone on the record, saying that Simmons is not a fit for the team's current roster.
"In some ways, it doesn't really fit what we're doing," Lacob told the San Francisco Chronicle. "He makes a lot of money. And, can he finish games? I don't know. He's very talented. The problem is: We have Draymond. Draymond and him are very similar in the sense that neither one really shoots and they do a lot of the playmaking. That's one issue. The salary structure is another."
Lacob would eventually get fined $50,000 for his comments.
The Celtics, for their part, are likely not trading Jaylen Brown for Simmons and cannot move Marcus Smart because of extension restrictions in his contract that don't get lifted until Jan. 25.
Plus, would the 76ers really trade their second-best player to a conference rival?
And even though the Pelicans have the draft capital, their lone trade asset is Brandon Ingram. (They are not trading Zion Williamson).
If Ingram is not available, New Orleans would be short of contracts to make the numbers work.
Josh Hart can't be traded until Jan. 15, and recent signings Devonte' Graham and Garrett Temple can't be moved until Dec. 15.
Tier 3: Available: young players, draft assets, veterans. Unavailable: an impact player
Luka Doncic and Simmons would be an intriguing duo, but unless you consider Kristaps Porzingis as a valuable trade asset, the Mavericks have little on their roster that would entice the 76ers.
The Rockets check the box with draft assets, but the $92 million owed to former All-Star John Wall should come with a warning sticker.
The Grizzlies are in Tier 3 because they have some intriguing players in Dillon Brooks, Kyle Anderson and De'Anthony Melton, and they own all their own first-round picks, along with future firsts from Utah and Golden State. But we are removing Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. from any Simmons trade proposal.
Would those three players and draft picks be enough for Philadelphia? And would Memphis ownership be comfortable committing $147 million to Simmons, with Jackson eligible for an extension now and Morant next offseason?
Tier 4: Just not enough to get in the conversation
The Julius Randle extension, along with the free-agent signings of Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose, Alec Burks, Kemba Walker and Nerlens Noel, takes the Knicks off the board.
Each of the six players have a Dec. 15 trade restriction and cannot be moved.
And the Suns are not trading Devin Booker. They would have to gut their roster (Jae Crowder, Mikal Bridges, Dario Saric and Cameron Johnson) for any Simmons trade to work.
Tier 5: The no-chance group
The group of nine have either depleted their pool of draft assets or have All-Stars that fit better than Simmons. In other words: no chance.
For example, the Clippers are not trading Paul George for Simmons, nor do they have the right combination of draft picks and players to send to Philadelphia.
"trade" - Google News
September 30, 2021 at 07:04PM
https://ift.tt/39SvXVq
Ben Simmons trade guide - The six NBA teams that check all the boxes - ESPN
"trade" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2VQiPtJ
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar