Players That MAY Become Available This Offseason

bobheckler wrote:https://www.yahoo.com/sports/nba-rumors-sixers-latest-asking-202355185.html



NBA rumors: Sixers' latest asking price for Ben Simmons trade revealed


Nick Goss
Mon, August 2, 2021, 3:23 PM



NBA free agency begins at 6 p.m. ET on Monday, and even though plenty of good players will be available, many of the best options for teams looking to make major upgrades are in the trade market.

One player reportedly available via trade is the Philadelphia 76ers point guard Ben Simmons.

Simmons has some well-documented offensive limitations. He doesn't shoot from 3-point range and his free throw shooting is also poor. That said, he's a triple-double thread on any night and earned his third consecutive All-Star selection during the 2020-21 season. He also averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game last season.

Understandably, the Sixers' asking price for a trade involving Simmons is incredibly high. Just how high?

"At minimum, the Sixers are seeking control of at least four future first-round picks via direct trade or pick swaps, along with an All-Star-level player in most (but not all) scenarios," David Aldridge of The Athletic wrote Monday.

A league exec recently told Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix the Sixers "want what Boston got for KG and Pierce" in exchange for Simmons.


Four first-round picks is a lot for any player. The Celtics received multiple players and three unprotected first-round picks (2014, 2016 and 2018) and the ability to swap 2017 first-rounders from the Nets in the legendary trade that sent Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Brooklyn Nets in 2013.

It would be foolish for any team to give up that many prime assets for Simmons. He's a really good player, but that type of trade package should be reserved for top five or top 10 players. Simmons is not a top 10 player right now.

The 76ers don't need to trade Simmons immediately. He's got four more years remaining on his contract, so it's not like free agency is around the corner.

It makes sense to set a high asking price for a 25-year-old All-Star, but it would be pretty shocking if another team was willing to pay what Philly reportedly wants.


Bob
MY NOTE:  Nucking futs, that's what this is.  This is a shooter's league and the player they are offering is not only "not a shooter" he is afraid to shoot.  Hell, he shot 61% from the line last year.  He can't even shoot from 15' when nobody's on him!  Can he pass?  Yeah, in the open court, but in the half court all you have to do is keep him >10' away from the rim and stay home on defense with his teammates and you've negated his passing ability because nobody fears his shot.  NObody.  And I'll tell you this:  while the author is right about there being no rush to trade him because he's young and has 4 years on his contract but, unless his shooting takes a sharp upward turn, his value is going to plummet because he will have lost the cache of "being young and having a lot of potential upside" and will be seen as "maxed out".  I know there are people who already think that but there are others who are still holding out hope that his embarrassing performance in this year's playoffs will light a fire under his ambitions.  To reassure his fans, and confound his critics, Simmons needs to show he has overcome his mental block to shooting and has put in the work to become a complete player.  Simmons averaged 6.9apg and 3.0TOpg (2.3:1), 14.3ppg, 30% from 3 and 61% from the line last season.  His 30% 3pt fg% is based upon a total of 10 3pt fgas.  He hit 3 out of 10.  BFD.  SHOOT THE 3, COWARD!!  His usage rate, the percentage of the plays in which he has the ball in his hands, was 20.2% last year.  Marcus Smart averaged 5.7 and 2.0 (2.85:1), 13.1ppg, 33% from 3 (282 3pt fgas) and 79% from the line.  Smart's usage % was 18.4%.  This means that, with the ball in his hands more often, you would expect a player like Simmons to have more assists, more points, more everything in the same number of minutes.  As nuts as Smart's shooting can make us sometimes he is better than Simmons by a shoot-ton and is a lion on the court and in the locker room.  If you had to share a foxhole with one of these two players who would you trust with your back?


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About time you came to your senses softie, last year at beginning of season you and I had a debate on Simmons and Jaylen, you unbelievably thinking Simmons was the better player. Even before his meltdown I never liked his game, anyone who compares him to Magic Johnson is an idiot.

cowens/oldschool wrote:

bobheckler wrote:https://www.yahoo.com/sports/nba-rumors-sixers-latest-asking-202355185.html



NBA rumors: Sixers' latest asking price for Ben Simmons trade revealed


Nick Goss
Mon, August 2, 2021, 3:23 PM



NBA free agency begins at 6 p.m. ET on Monday, and even though plenty of good players will be available, many of the best options for teams looking to make major upgrades are in the trade market.

One player reportedly available via trade is the Philadelphia 76ers point guard Ben Simmons.

Simmons has some well-documented offensive limitations. He doesn't shoot from 3-point range and his free throw shooting is also poor. That said, he's a triple-double thread on any night and earned his third consecutive All-Star selection during the 2020-21 season. He also averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game last season.

Understandably, the Sixers' asking price for a trade involving Simmons is incredibly high. Just how high?

"At minimum, the Sixers are seeking control of at least four future first-round picks via direct trade or pick swaps, along with an All-Star-level player in most (but not all) scenarios," David Aldridge of The Athletic wrote Monday.

A league exec recently told Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix the Sixers "want what Boston got for KG and Pierce" in exchange for Simmons.


Four first-round picks is a lot for any player. The Celtics received multiple players and three unprotected first-round picks (2014, 2016 and 2018) and the ability to swap 2017 first-rounders from the Nets in the legendary trade that sent Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Brooklyn Nets in 2013.

It would be foolish for any team to give up that many prime assets for Simmons. He's a really good player, but that type of trade package should be reserved for top five or top 10 players. Simmons is not a top 10 player right now.

The 76ers don't need to trade Simmons immediately. He's got four more years remaining on his contract, so it's not like free agency is around the corner.

It makes sense to set a high asking price for a 25-year-old All-Star, but it would be pretty shocking if another team was willing to pay what Philly reportedly wants.


Bob
MY NOTE:  Nucking futs, that's what this is.  This is a shooter's league and the player they are offering is not only "not a shooter" he is afraid to shoot.  Hell, he shot 61% from the line last year.  He can't even shoot from 15' when nobody's on him!  Can he pass?  Yeah, in the open court, but in the half court all you have to do is keep him >10' away from the rim and stay home on defense with his teammates and you've negated his passing ability because nobody fears his shot.  NObody.  And I'll tell you this:  while the author is right about there being no rush to trade him because he's young and has 4 years on his contract but, unless his shooting takes a sharp upward turn, his value is going to plummet because he will have lost the cache of "being young and having a lot of potential upside" and will be seen as "maxed out".  I know there are people who already think that but there are others who are still holding out hope that his embarrassing performance in this year's playoffs will light a fire under his ambitions.  To reassure his fans, and confound his critics, Simmons needs to show he has overcome his mental block to shooting and has put in the work to become a complete player.  Simmons averaged 6.9apg and 3.0TOpg (2.3:1), 14.3ppg, 30% from 3 and 61% from the line last season.  His 30% 3pt fg% is based upon a total of 10 3pt fgas.  He hit 3 out of 10.  BFD.  SHOOT THE 3, COWARD!!  His usage rate, the percentage of the plays in which he has the ball in his hands, was 20.2% last year.  Marcus Smart averaged 5.7 and 2.0 (2.85:1), 13.1ppg, 33% from 3 (282 3pt fgas) and 79% from the line.  Smart's usage % was 18.4%.  This means that, with the ball in his hands more often, you would expect a player like Simmons to have more assists, more points, more everything in the same number of minutes.  As nuts as Smart's shooting can make us sometimes he is better than Simmons by a shoot-ton and is a lion on the court and in the locker room.  If you had to share a foxhole with one of these two players who would you trust with your back?


.

About time you came to your senses softie, last year at beginning of season you and I had a debate on Simmons and Jaylen, you unbelievably thinking Simmons was the better player. Even before his meltdown I never liked his game, anyone who compares him to Magic Johnson is an idiot.

Cow,

At the beginning of last season Jaylen Brown wasn't an All-Star. At the beginning of last season Ben Simmons wasn't an obvious big-game choker.


Bob


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https://www.yahoo.com/sports/nba-free-agency-lauri-markkanen-144418377.html



NBA free agency: Lauri Markkanen wants off Bulls, has multiple offers


Darren Hartwell
Fri, August 6, 2021, 7:44 AM



If the Bulls honor Lauri Markkanen's wishes, he won't be playing for Chicago this season.

The 24-year-old forward and restricted free agent told Finnish journalist Antti-Jussi Sipilä he's seeking a "fresh start" on another team, as relayed by Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes.


It's hardly a surprising development, as Markkanen turned down the Bulls' contract extension offer prior to the 2020-21 season and said this May he planned to test the open market this summer.

The No. 7 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Markkanen has struggled with injuries and inconsistency in Chicago and has missed at least 20 games in three consecutive seasons.

The 7-foot forward has plenty of potential if he can stay healthy, though, and could fit the Boston Celtics' need for a "stretch four" with a strong outside shot. While not a great rebounder for his size (5.3 boards per game last season), Markkanen shot a career-best 40.2% from 3-point range in 2020-21 while averaging 13.6 points per game.

So, should the Celtics extend an offer sheet to Markkanen in restricted free agency?

If the C's use the standard $9.5 million midlevel exception on Markkanen, they would be "hard capped" and forbidden from exceeding the tax apron at any point during the league year. They'd likely need to sign Markkanen to a multi-year deal, too, which would hamper their ability to pursue a quality free agent next offseason.

Markkenen is expected to demand well north of his $9 million qualifying offer on a new deal anyway, and the Charlotte Hornets reportedly have already begun preparing an offer sheet for him. So, unless Boston is very high on Markkanen's fit with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, a deal with the Celtics seems like a long shot.


Bob
MY NOTE:  A good 3pt shooter (40% last season), a good frito shooter (82.6%) but otherwise?  Mediocre rebounder, at best.  A negative assist-to-turnover ratio.  A mediocre, non-physical, non-active defender.  At least Kelly O was a good team defender, I have yet to see Markannen play any defense of any kind.  Based upon my limited eyeball reads he's soft-as-a-grape (must be a Chenin Blanc because he's as white as a sheet).  One of the times I'm glad we're salary-constrained.  It removes temptations like this (now watch Brad trade for him.  Would they take Grant and Jabari in a sign-and-trade?).


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https://www.yahoo.com/sports/ex-celtics-star-isaiah-thomas-154521319.html



Ex-Celtics star Isaiah Thomas scores 81 points at Pro-Am


Darren Hartwell
Mon, August 9, 2021, 9:45 AM



What's Isaiah Thomas doing as he eyes an NBA comeback? Oh, just getting buckets.

The former Boston Celtics star and current free agent dropped a ridiculous 81 points Sunday while playing in "The Crawsover," a Seattle-based Pro-Am league run by former NBA guard Jamal Crawford.

Thomas had 40 points by halftime and continued to make it rain until he hit 81, which in the NBA would have tied him with late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, who torched the Toronto Raptors for 81 points in 2006.

Here's the best play from Thomas' scoring binge:


Bleacher Report
@BleacherReport
ISAIAH THOMAS DROPPED 81 POINTS IN A PRO-AM GAME

(via @ballislife, @thecrawsover)
https://twitter.com/i/status/1424519815931121666


And here are full highlights from his epic performance, which he fittingly pulled off in a pair of Kobes.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1424531280033505282


A Seattle area native, Thomas had plenty of love for his hometown after Sunday's outburst. (Warning: tweet contains some NSFW language.)

Thomas became a star with the Celtics, earning two All-Star nods and averaging 28.9 points per game in 2016-17 while becoming a fan favorite for his on-court passion and ability to deliver in the clutch.

His NBA fortunes have turned since Boston traded him in 2017, though: The 32-year-old has played for five teams over the last four seasons while battling several injuries.

The Celtics were reported to have interest in signing Thomas this offseason, and C's fans may point to Sunday's showing as evidence he can still contribute. But while there are some legitimate players in this Pro-Am league, it's a far cry from NBA competition -- especially on the defensive end.

If Boston can land point guard Dennis Schroder in free agency, then it seems unlikely the team would add Thomas as well. Celtics fans would love to see "The Little Guy" back at TD Garden, though, and maybe he'll return in a visitor's jersey if another NBA team takes a chance on him.


Bob
MY NOTE:  It's Pro-Am and it was for charity.  I suspect the level of competition and the intensity of the defense were sadly deficient, especially compared to the NBA.  Nevertheless, it's nice to see The Little Guy playing like he's healthy.  If there's one open roster spot for a ballhandler who would you rather see in green this season: Kris Dunn, Isaiah Thomas or Yam Madar?  Because if the talks with Schroder break down those might be our choices, with Dunn in the lead position because he has a guaranteed $5M contract for this year.  If Brad can't trade him he might be "it", unless you think Wyc would be willing to buy him out and sign one of those other players.  Between the $5M buyout and their salary that would make for a very expensive return to the NBA for IT and, when you also throw in the buyout $ for Yam from his Israeli team, a very big gamble on a 20 year old international player who has never played in an NBA game.

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If Parker is cut there will be an open roster spot.

Schroder is an absolute idiot and I just do not see an extended deal for him.

IT is the guy we love, Dunn is already on the team and to cut him would be both asinine and expensive. So I am going with the future in Yam Madar even though his year may be best spent in the weight room along with frequent visits to the local
smorgasbord.

dboss wrote:If Parker is cut there will be an open roster spot.

Schroder is an absolute idiot and I just do not see an extended deal for him.  

IT is the guy we love, Dunn is  already on the team and to cut him would be both asinine and expensive.   So I am going with the future in Yam Madar even though his year may be best spent in the weight room along with frequent visits to the local
smorgasbord.

dboss,

You mean give up that healthy Mediterranean diet and gorge himself on Ipswich clam rolls, New England Clam Chowdah and such?


Bob


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Javonte Green resigns with Chicago on a two year deal.

Congratulations.  I always liked him.  

Interestingly, of the 4 players involved in that trade the only one retained was the one considered  "a throw in".  Mo Wagner was cut, Luke Kornet is looking for a home and Theis is now in Houston.


Bob


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https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2021/08/celtics-have-shown-interest-in-lauri-markkanen-is-there-a-realistic-path-to-acquiring-bulls-restricted-free-agent.html



Celtics have shown interest in Lauri Markkanen: Is there a realistic path to acquiring Bulls restricted free agent?


Updated 12:45 PM; Today 12:45 PM



By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com


LAS VEGAS -- The Celtics have had a quiet free agency period thus far but the team remains active in exploring its options for upgrades. One of the top free agents remaining on the open market is Bulls big man Lauri Markkanen and the Celtics are one of four teams that have shown interest in the 24-year-old according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Dallas, New Orleans and Minnesota are other potential suitors, along with Chicago who retains matching rights on the seven-footer, who is a restricted free agent.

With Markkanen looking to make in the range of $15 million per season according to Fischer, it’s worth exploring the question from Boston’s perspective: Is there any realistic path to acquiring the sharpshooting big?

Outright free agent signing isn’t an option: Chicago has matching rights on Markkanen due to his restricted free agency and they aren’t going to let him walk away unless the price gets too rich for their blood. That’s not going to happen during a potential Boston pursuit. The Celtics can only offer a maximum starting salary of $9.7 million with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception and that’s likely not an amount that would be appealing to Markkanen or high enough for the Bulls to not offer themselves.

A sign-and-trade scenario quickly gets pricy and complicated: With significant salary cap room dried up across the NBA, the only way Markkanen doesn’t play in Chicago next season is via a sign-and-trade pursuit for Boston or another one of his suitors. The problem for the Celtics on that front comes in a number of different ways.

We covered the obstacles to a sign-and-trade already this offseason, back when Boston had interest in Lonzo Ball. Like Ball, Markkanen is set to be a base-year compensation player which complicates how his contract is measured for salary matching purposes in a trade.


In theory, the Celtics and Bulls can work around this restriction in a number of ways but the Bulls would likely require draft compensation on top of the matching salary required back in a deal to pry away Markkanen from Chicago. That’s a hefty price to pay for sharpshooting big man who showed flashes of offensive brilliance during his first four seasons in Chicago but has also been very injury prone and limited on the defensive end for much of his career. Markannen averaged career lows with 13.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game in 2020-21.

On top of that, the Celtics would also be hard-capped ($143 million) for the upcoming season upon receiving any player in a sign-and-trade deal, which would force them to potentially move out other addiitonal salary if they pursued Markkanen. The team currently has just shy of $136 million committed to 15 players so a couple of decent-sized salaries would need to be on the move to fit in Markkanen (along with draft compensation to make Chicago happy). Any sign-and-trade contract would need to be for three years as well (first year guaranteed) and that would eat into Boston’s flexibility for 2022 free agency.


The bottom line for now? It looks like there are too many obstacles in play for the Celtics’ to pursue this path. A couple of salary clearing trades could change things on that front but for now, don’t expect Boston to emerge as a serious suitor for the 24-year-old.


Bob
MY NOTE:  I've always thought of Markannen as "soft", like a Kelly Olynyk who didn't even try to play defense (say what you will about Kelly O he at least tried to play defense, alligators just aren't good at it.  He moved his feet on defense, for help, he was just a mediocre man-to-man defender).  $15M for Markannen is nutso.  The only thing he does at an NBA level, in my opinion, is shoot 3s.  He's a poor defender for his size, he's a poor rebounder for his size, he's a poor passing big man.  Ok, fritos, he shoots fritos at an 83% clip.  That makes two things.  BFD.

The Pelicans are interested too, and have a $17M TPE to do it with.  Reports are that Chicago wants a 1st round pick to make it happen.  NOT worth it, and if it's not worth it when it's all TPE + 1st rounder for Nwalins then it isn't worth it for us, not unless they take Grant Williams and Carsen Edwards in payment instead of the pick.  Even then my gag meter needle starts to wake up.

If this is to be a "bridge year", then let it be a bridge year.  Don't pay stupid money for a player who won't make a big difference just because he's not getting the money from his current club that he'd like.  Maybe there's a reason why they won't pay him, huh? And maybe there's a reason why he is still, awkwardly, still a Bull. Nobody else sees that much value in him either.


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Latest rumor-du-jour is that the Lakers are considering signing  IT.


Bob


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Frank Ntilikina, of the Knicks, is not having his contract option picked up by the team.  He was the #8 pick in the 2017 draft.  He's 23 years old.

Dating back to the 1994 draft, when the Knicks took point guard Charlie Ward 26th overall, the Knicks have not re-signed a first-round draft pick to a multi-year deal. Ntilikina is the 18th first-round pick who did not stay with the team long-term.

(The Knicks did re-sign David Lee, their first-round pick in 2005, but only to a one-year deal. They sent him to the Golden State Warriors in a sign-and-trade the following offseason.)


Bob
MY NOTE:  18 swings-and-misses in 27 years is pretty bad, especially when you consider just how freaking bad the Knicks have been over that time period and how many of those 18 were lottery picks that were busts.

I don't watch Knick basketball (I'm not bulimic and am not the binge-and-purge type anyway), I don't know if Ntilikina is worth anything, but I am pretty confident that James Dolan, his front office and his draft scouts aren't worth anything.  


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