MavsBoard

I really use to like Ben Simmons and he can still be a great defender/play maker, but he looks absolutely broken as an offensive player.

Im a casual.  I was caught up in the Simmons drama and had been waiting over a year to see how he came back after being publicly embarrassed on a large scale...

I have watched him specifically for 2 games and he has been so underwhelming.   His offense is truly trash...missed easy floaters against us.  Game before ours...he was passed the ball in the middle of the lane with no one around...he didnt even turn around to look at the basket to see if he had a clear lane to the hole...he passed out.

Hes always looking to pass because hes not a creator or playmaker...our team doesnt have anyone worth passing to because all our guys lack offensive talent.  Seems like a a bad fit.

And...has he always looked this stiff?  He runs with his back straight up like he has something in his hind-quarters.  Its awkward to me.  He was visibly grabbing his back the game before ours.  He has lingering back issues I think.

No one guards him on offense.  Game before ours...he brought the ball up court and was completely alone with the ball at the top of the key.

Luka seems to not need a lot of talent around him to make things happen.  I would welcome Simmons if there isnt many years left on his contract or for a lower contract.  Hes a long defender and a ball handler which we could use.  He would need to play second unit ball handler though unless Luka wants to play 4vs5 with Simmons in same lineup.

Guy looks incredibly average to me.

I think Simmons is toast. He's an entitled primadonna that doesn't realize how lucky he has it. This is an ideal situation for him to thrive in and yet he still can't function.

The idea of Simmons is great. The reality is torture.

Unless hes playing possum and has another gear or two that hes not showing...that contract is too steep for me...and for two more years after this one.

If he wants to trick me and all the sudden start playing at near all star level I might be interested...but what hes shown in a couple of games is a firm pass from me.

Simmons and Westbrook both have a lot to contribute. But they will have to humble themselves to do it. No signs thus far that they will, although I’m not certain that’s true of RW.

(10-29-2022, 05:22 PM)Jommybone Wrote: [ -> ]Simmons and Westbrook both have a lot to contribute. But they will have to humble themselves to do it. No signs thus far that they will, although I’m not certain that’s true of RW.

I am full speed ahead for EITHER of those two if the cost is THJ/Bertans.  (RW probably GETS pick(s) to make it happen).

DO IT yesterday!

Seriously, even if you don't get a ton out of incoming, this is addition by subtraction.  Either possible incoming has intriguing upside and would make this team better.

How are you using Simmons here and in what lineup?

No one guards this guy...its 4vs5.   Are you using him on second unit against other teams bench?

Are Mavs all the sudden going to start using slashing(Green can do that)...Luka drive, collapse defense, Simmons trails for the easy slash bucket?

Simmons looks stiff out there...possible lingering back issue...possible just needs to remove some rust.

That contract if it doesnt work out.

(10-31-2022, 02:00 PM)dynamicalVoid Wrote: [ -> ]How are you using Simmons here and in what lineup?

No one guards this guy...its 4vs5.   Are you using him on second unit against other teams bench?

Are Mavs all the sudden going to start using slashing(Green can do that)...Luka drive, collapse defense, Simmons trails for the easy slash bucket?

Simmons looks stiff out there...possible lingering back issue...possible just needs to remove some rust.

That contract if it doesnt work out.

He is your starting 5.  If Simmons came here, I would do the following rotation to put shooters around Luka/Simmons and watch the fun on BOTH sides of the ball:

Luka/Din
Bull/Hardy
DFS/Green
Wood/Maxi
Simmons/McGee/Powell

And then we would RUN in transition, and if its not there, pull it out and let Luka orchestrate.  Simmons is a unique player, but he is ELITE.  If the cost were THJ/Bertans (and their contracts which run the same length), I wouldn't hesitate for a second. I could see where we would use Din/Simmons at times as the 1/2 in the second team with Green/Maxi/(McGee or Powell) and have a big versatile lineup.  Our team would be BIG, skilled, defensive, and have playmakers all over the place at different positions.  Very tough to guard, and on defense, VERY versatile!  I love it! 

That said, this is a pipe dream as we aren't getting gifted Simmons for THJ/Bertans.  I could imagine that package getting RW though (with sweeteners) - which I would still do.

Luka/RW
Din/Hardy
Bull/Green
DFS/Wood
McGee/Maxi/Powell

I still like this lineup better than THJ/Bertans, but not nearly as much as with Simmons. Just for reference, Hardy doesn't play much in either of these lineups as almost all guard minutes go to Luka/Din/Bull in lineup 1 and Luka/Din/RW in lineup 2.

So...Luka and Simmons running PNR?  I still dont know if Simmons can flush dunks.  He seems very disinterested with absolutely average effort.

I get the defense angle and all, though.  But based on what Ive witnessed these few Nets games...he doesnt even look elite there anymore.

(10-31-2022, 02:59 PM)dynamicalVoid Wrote: [ -> ]So...Luka and Simmons running PNR?  I still dont know if Simmons can flush dunks.  He seems very disinterested with absolutely average effort.

I get the defense angle and all, though.  But based on what Ive witnessed these few Nets games...he doesnt even look elite there anymore.

Absolutely.  That dude is an amazing athlete - far superior to Powell and is a little taller than him too.  Look, he is in a toilet bowl - has been for 2 years.  If he were to come in here and have fun with the guys and just be asked to catch lobs, run the break, and defend his ass off...  he'd be good to go.  Brooklyn is a mess and its not going to get better - even if their record improves.  The Mavs culture has fun and everyone is smiling and cheering.  Their leader (luka) shoulders the blame when they lose instead of throwing his teammates under the bus.  It is totally different. Luka(23) and Simmons (26) would run this team for a LONG time and just fill in around the edges.  Wood is 27 and would fit in with those two seamlessly.  I don't know why I am getting invested in this - it isn't going to happen for what we have to offer.  But I would TOTALLY offer it if it were on the table!

Too risky, even for free.  He's owed 78 million after this season and if you can't get him "right", you aren't going to be able to move him.

Yeah...I am a THJ hater and I think I would rather have THJ and his streaky shooting and contract over Simmons.

I get it.  I was gung-ho about adding Simmons when he was up for grabs last.  But he has come out looking even worse of a player instead of showing that he worked on his game and everyone was wrong about him.  Looks like everyone was right about their criticism of him.

With Luka on the clock...firm pass from me.  We need to hit a home run on our next heavy contract...Simmons is too too risky even if only for 2 and a half more years.   Like someone mentioned...you are stuck if you cant fix him.

https://twitter.com/LegionHoops/status/1...4616371201

Just saying...

(10-31-2022, 07:50 PM)dynamicalVoid Wrote: [ -> ]I get it.  I was gung-ho about adding Simmons when he was up for grabs last.  But he has come out looking even worse of a player instead of showing that he worked on his game and everyone was wrong about him.  Looks like everyone was right about their criticism of him. 

Ben Simmons stubbornly refuses to shoot with his natural God-given dominant hand.  Coaches and teammates have all tried to get him to switch and he refuses. It was the real deal ender to his Sixer run, he refused to switch.  
If he ever indicated he was going to switch, I'd snatch him up otherwise, hard pass. 
The NBA has had enough time now to fully capitalize on his weakness which was exposed in the playoffs and now the league knows how to play against him.

He has a loser mentality. This quote sums up why I’d never want him. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/ym...t/iv5x6dt/

(11-05-2022, 04:45 PM)RoyTarpleysGhost Wrote: [ -> ]He has a loser mentality. This quote sums up why I’d never want him. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/ym...t/iv5x6dt/

I'm not in favor of BS to Dallas. But I think this quote is being misconstrued to make him look bad, by twisting the meaning of what he is saying. Although he uses the word money, it's not about getting paid -- it's just a figure of speech that means "I have already gotten farther than expected."

Those words are actually a positive statement, and a good development. In context, he was saying that he was overwhelmed last season, to the extent he couldn't even deal with things.

This year, however, he feels like he has already exceeded where he was (psychologically, and NBA-wise). Which is true, of course. And it's an indication of considerable growth for him.

So, he is saying, having ALREADY succeeded (in comparison to before) has removed the stress and anxiety from the equation for him. It is NOT saying he is mailing it in, or doesn't care. In fact, by implication, it says the opposite -- that he can continue to work to improve, and doesn't have to deal with the barriers that waylaid him before, when the demand of expectations (and fear of failure) became too impossible for him to handle.