2021-2022 ROSTER TALK: [ARCHIVED]

[DanSchwartzgan]

Bleacher Report idea (not rumor).  Very popular to send out Brunson and/or THJ in trade scenarios.  Philly getting Bird rights is probably a better investment than it would be for other teams.  Trade is fairly well thought out with Philly staying just barely below the tax.  NY/Dallas would need to take restrictions off of 2023 in order to send 2025 in this deal (or 2025 would need to be conditional on what happens in 2023).


Mavs Get Luka Playmaking Help with Ben Simmons, Kemba Walker

 

Dallas Mavericks Receive: PG Ben Simmons, G Kemba Walker

New York Knicks Receive: PF Charles Bassey

Philadelphia 76ers Receive: PG Jalen Brunson, SG Tim Hardaway Jr., F Dorian Finney-Smith, 2025 first-round pick (lottery-protected, via Dallas Mavericks)
It's time to get Doncic some playmaking help and kill the Simmons saga in Philadelphia once and for all.

The Mavericks need a spark following a mediocre 13-13 start to the season, especially with a net rating (minus-0.9) that ranks just 20th overall. Getting another jumbo-sized ball-handler seems a little unfair for the rest of the league, especially with one of the greatest point guards of all time in Jason Kidd guiding Simmons in Dallas.

Playing Doncic off-ball more would help open up the rest of his game, and the fourth-year point guard is hitting 44.4 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes this season. Walker would take over Brunson's role as an offensive spark off the bench, and his lack of defense would be negated by the addition of Simmons.

A starting lineup of Simmons, Doncic, Reggie Bullock, Kristaps Porzingis and either Dwight Powell or Maxi Kleber with Walker off the bench should compete for home-court advantage in the West playoffs.

Even though Philly doesn't get the All-Star player it craves for Simmons, Brunson is averaging 14.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists and shooting 48.8 percent overall this season at age 25. Hardaway (14.0 points) is a proven rotation scorer, and Finney-Smith is a multipositional defender who's hitting 37.1 percent of his threes this season. A future first gives the Sixers some additional trade ammo as well.

The Knicks join this deal to salary-dump Walker, who went from starting point guard to out of the rotation. New York saves $7.8 million this season and wipes off Walker's $9.1 million owed to him next year too.