That team would still probably make the playoffs they would be mediocre rather than outright bad, unless Kyrie goes on extended vacation.
Brooklyn Nets drama still good news for Houston Rockets Watching dysfunction is great fun when it isn't your team. It feels like the Rockets have paid their due in this regard, and it might be time for them to get their chance to watch other teams crash and burn due to moody superstars. https://spacecityscoop.com/posts/br...ll-good-news-for-houston-rockets-01gammpmewva
Well they likely have Kyrie for no more than a year anyway. I'm hoping they trade him for Westbrick and picks.
Pretty sure Lebron struck a deal with lakers. I’ll sign you will trade for Kyrie or Leonard. Don’t think the clippers will cooperate, so Kyrie it is
Yep Kyrie to LAL for WB and picks has always seemed inevitable. I’m all in on a Simmons and Westbrick pairing. Just glorious.
If I'm the nets I'm not helping the lakers. They don't want Westbrook and the Lakers don't have many picks to offer. Lakers can't even sign Kyrie in the off season unless he takes a MLE. And I'd like to see that happen as the Lakers would be over the cap even without Westbrook.
Ya people are really underestimating the talent of Kyrie. Also a healthy Ben Simmons as a secondary role during the regular season is going to add you a lot of wins. He is a horrible scoring option once you go to the playoffs, but Ben Simmons healthy will add wins to a regular season easily. Unfortunately a healthy Kyrie and Simmons is good enough to be a 5-9 seed in the East. The Nets need to implode as in players like Kyrie just sit out games for majority of the season.
Nobody is estimating the talent, people are just acknowledging the fact he might not be available a huge part of the time and that he has never won much being a huge focal point on offense. Who are Simmons and Kyrie beating out to get up to the 5th seed, the east is pretty stacked? We have no idea what Simmons psyche will be after not playing all this time, and how he is going to react to what the fans will say. He is a horrible #1 scoring option in the regular season as well, what has he done as a #1 option, missed the playoffs most times.
I'd be happy to watch that. Simmons hasn't played in over a year now. The last time he played was a disaster and since then he's supposedly had mental and physical issues. Kyrie is also a head case and has not shown any ability to carry a team. He was -27 in games Durant didn't play last season. And some of those games were with Harden. Also kyrie has played more than 60 games only three times in his 11 year career. Simmons hasn't exactly been an ironman himself. Yeah sure they could be an ok team with those two, but they could just as easily implode. If one or both of them miss time they could easily be a lottery team. Even if both of them play I don't think they'll be setting the NBA on fire.
And you have to factor in the potential lockerroom drama. Kyrie and Simmons are like two time bombs. The ingredients of distraction and morale killing are readily available.
Kyrie is also someone opposing team can attack on defense. Even mid East teams like Hawks and Hornets, if the other side has a scorer like a Trae or LaMelo, they can cook Kyrie just as Kyrie could cook them. Those games could end up as toss-ups. We've seen Net's regular season games, where they couldn't hold onto leads. Can Simmons play drop defense, enough to cover for teams hunting Kyrie... maybe. But then on offense, just like the Theis problem we had here, teams can sag off of Simmons, just watch for his cuts. Kyrie and KD might have to rely on more on their middy, which they're good at, but will they remain as efficient. Is Nash (without MDA or Udoka), smart enough to game plan on both ends. Apparently... KD doesn't think so. Net's W/L record next season is something to keep track on.
My prediction is that Simmons comes out fired up and looks great for about 10 games. Then teams start lagging off of him and he goes 0-10 and has a mental breakdown that slowly puts him on the bench and eventually he goes on mental leave. I also think Kyrie goes to the Lakers for the two frp’s they have left. Durant does not report to camp and finally gets traded to sixers for Maxey, Harris, and two picks. Westbrook, Maxey, and Harris fight for the play-in.
I think the Lakers can offer more picks than we think they can They can throw in a 24 or 25 conditional swap (ie if they have the pick) 27 and 29 picks outright 28 could be a swap 26 could be a conditional trade Perhaps if they take Big Ben off BKNs hands as part of the trade it might be more appealing? Kyrie + Simmons for Russ + THT + 27 and 29 picks plus 2 swaps? They can then play all the young guys (ok, they have limited numbers of young guys). And if they just let Russ average a triple double again, there is some remote chance they could recoup more assets by facilitating a S&T for him in the summer (remote)
Sure if they get the Pelicans to remove the condition they could offer more picks, but swaps are no good to me if I'm brooklyn. Brooklyn will be absolutely terrible for years to come if they get Westbrook for Kyrie and Simmons. And since Rockets own all their picks they have no chance of getting better. How would the Lakers ever be worse than the Nets for the swaps to be happen.. Not to mention LA is the hottest free agent destination. They are never bad for that long because some stars are always willing to play in LA. It's a bad trade unless you get guarnateed assets back.
Like I said from the early reports of this - Teams aren't going to give up premium talent NOR a "haul of picks" for KD. They'll get a poo platter of matching salary and a pick or two and that's all.
Meh. If legit, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and a FRP is a pretty decent offer. Hardly a "poo poo" plater, particularly if they end up giving more.
That deal is, if true, by far, the best offer Brooklyn has received thus far. I have to believe that if that offer was real, that they would have worked something out by now. So, I don't buy it as having been factual .... I don't see offers increasing for Brooklyn when training camp begins and Durant is a no show. Their leverage decreases as time wears on.
