[Russillo] 76ers waiting on Rockets for Simmons / Harden deal; also PJ Tucker wants out

No matter how much fans and the media (and even Harden) rant and whine, the following things remain unchangeable:

- Harden is a top 2-3 player in the league.
- He is in his prime.
- He almost never gets hurt.
- He is perhaps the best offensive player of all time.
- He is under contract for at least 2 years, and really 3, because no contender can open up $50 million to sign him.
- Ben Simmons can’t shoot, and likely never will.

So keep on with the ridiculous proposals and “we should just take what’s available”. Other than the Lakers, there is no team clearly better than us, so I’m fine rolling with Harden and hoping for the best. Harden alone guarantees getting to the 2nd round. At that point, who knows where luck could take us?

So no...the price has not changed. A centerpiece player, young talent on rookie deals, and multiple picks and swaps.

A good test for this is asking yourself what you would be willing to trade your best player for. Go ask Portland fans if they would trade Lillard straight up for Simmons.

 

Simmons will bring back the Kardashian curse with him

 

This makes the most sense, I mean once the 30 million loan the nba got to the rockets is gone (looking at tilman..) .. And now that Elon musk is here in Texas .... And he likes spaceships.. Maybe he'll have to buy the rockets once tilman defaults on everything.

That probably would fix it since Elon has money. - or we need someone else that has money to come in.

I Thought Les was bad sometimes, and while he made mistakes at least he didn't screw up until 2001 where $5 million was all that caused hakeem to be traded... 5 million more would have been worth it to keep hakeem a houston rocket

 

D-rock with post of the day for me.

 

/thread

 

Yes, definitely, haha

 

Like Harden, been there done that.

Next!

 

Harden will sleepwalk to averaging 35/10/6 to start the season. 2 or 3 of the 5-10 teams trying to trade for him will start out slow, and start increasing their bids. Then everyone will start increasing their bids. At that point, Houston will either be winning or we will take the best offer.

Right now Hardens value is at its lowest point and the players we would trade him for are at their highest point while everyone is in fairyland. But reality eventually sets in.

Harden is still elite. Simmons still can’t shoot.

 

As stated earlier, I also think this is the most likely scenario. Assuming Harden doesn't opt-in to year 3, this is the year that he has to be traded then, right? It has to be done by the trade deadline or his value will decline in the off-season with only 1 year left. Can't risk a Durant or Kawhi situation.

 

Maybe Elon can offer Tilman a free ride on his next Rocket.

 

We don’t have to trade him at the deadline, but that will be one inflection point, yes.

Honestly, I’m of the opinion that if we are sitting here in the summer of 2022, Hardens contract is coming up on his player option and he wants to opt in to be traded to a contender....we will STILL be able to get Simmons and a pick, even at that point.

 

I don’t want Harden or Tucker either one anymore, House either for that matter, but Simmons isn’t enough value for James. I do think Morey would give up every draft pick Philly will ever have from now until the end of time if you asked him nicely enough, so that helps, but I doubt it matters because I’m pretty sure Tilman isn’t real thrilled with the idea of Harden and Morey together again after all that has gone down recently.

 

Lol, just to add, when I click on a thread w/ Simmons name on it, I'm honestly thinking of Bill Simmons 1st (like if it brings up some silly idea) and someone shares the whole article/podcast synopsis etc... Before I see that the link doesn't go to the ringer (after scrolling down) .. Man, he really does suck.

 

Absolutely. Contenders who start struggling for whatever reason will come calling. If Miami, Boston or couple western conference teams feel Harden can put them over the top they will conjure up some assets that could be deemed satisfactory

 

You are forgetting the part where Les threatened to move the Rockets to Louisville, which was the reason this site was founded in the first place.

 

Happy to send Tucker off for a younger tweener forward and a FRP. His defense has become overrated recently - still very consistent, don't get me wrong. But he ain't a somebody-stopper any longer. Just a solid defensive guy who sets a good culture on defense.

 

Because if he doesn't report he won't get paid AND his contract season doesn't start.

 

If we get Ben, we definitely don't want AG, because we already get a size upgrade, and you don't want to surround Ben with non-shooters. Buddy Hield makes much more sense than AG.

 

i don’t think you go with either if you get Simmons.

The goal is to win a championship. And championships come via stars, which is a description that does not apply to either Gordon or Hield. You are better off continuing to compile assets until you can trade for a star to pair with Simmons.

Now if Harden stays and recommits himself to the franchise, I’m more than happy to trade the picks we’ve accumulated for someone like Aaron Gordon. But until then, we should wait on Harden. Time is our friend.

 

Ben Simmons is a 6'10 playmaker. He's played 3 years in the NBA, he's had a ROY, multiple time all star, NBA all defensive team.
He's a completely unique specimen.

Ben Simmons, Ingram and Tatum are tier 1 prospects, Brown is like tier 3.There are tons of guys like Jaylen Brown in the NBA.

If you can get a tier 1 young star for a disgruntled superstar. You do it.