sturt

We're on different planets. On my planet, he's not a lock, and he's not even "possibly" a lock. He's not even on the fence. From where I sit, I see the fence as being right in front of him. And he's at a place in his career that he's going to either (a) become the guy who infamously underperformed because of some psychological efficacy issues that became blatantly clear in 2021, and he remained on the wrong side of that fence for the balance of his career, or (b) the guy who famously overcame those issues. I'd bet on "b" if forced to bet... but it's too close to call for me to even be interested in making a bet if losing the bet means that the Schlenk is fiscally hog-tied for these upcoming critical years.

Don't care what you want to call it. Make up a new name if you'd like. At its core, just like Sax, it's a psychological efficacy thing if you want to get into some technicalities, but who really cares. The point made remains.

This was never the case for Shaq. It is the case for BS. And every post you've posted @Diesel has curiously ignored it, though it's been the theme of every post I've posted.

Not from me. Um. You'd have to show me some evidence that there is some similarity between Simmons' parting experiences in PHI and Shaq's parting experiences in ORL. There is no similarity that I recall. Everyone understood Shaq to be dominant. There would not have been a single team that wouldn't have moved heaven and earth to get him if they could. And most applicable... there was no Steve Sax syndrome concern. The concern is not merely free throw shooting for BS. The concern is more than that. It's that he checked out of games. He's begun to doubt his ability to affect a game offensively. That could reverse itself once he gets to a new place. I might even say it's likely. But because of the situation it puts ATL in if that didn't happen, and in view of the fact that it's not necessary for Schlenk to take that risk given the assets he has... it doesn't work for us. For some other team, sure. Not us. Some are. Not very many, actually, or it would be a seller's market for him. Word is that PHI might finally be coming to the realization that they're not getting what they thought they would get. Those that are, no doubt, see blood in the water, and think they can get a bargain basement discount. And they might be right. We'll see.

1. Actually, it's not for this season or next. 2. Um. That's my line. 3. Zooming out, what you spend practically all of your words about Simmons discussing, Dies, is the reward side... that "walking triple-double" thing. I'm not sure why, because most of us insofar as I've read any of this thread, have acknowledged the reward side. But that's not true. Really, I think I do know why... because you get it that the risk side is so toxic that you won't even let yourself go there as you think about the situation. And yet, you know as well as any of the rest of us, we make a deal for Simmons, and there's no even barely decent options on the other side of that. Your best offering was to suggest that Schlenk can draft such exceptional talent in the late 20s that we can survive a Steve Sax evolution of Simmons anyhow. C'mon. No. Clearly, you've sold yourself on this, though. I don't pretend to have said anything that would back you away from that cliff. But at least I have the self satisfaction that I tried.

So, your answer to "how do we deal with a monster bad contract if the player doesn't get us over the top"... is... draft more rookies??? What? Me, I subscribe to the idea that... ... so, no, the time is now. This team can't be dependent on grooming rookies at this stage as a strategy for winning a title.... and who's kidding whom that you're going to get superior talent drafting in the back end of the draft every year anyhow. At that salary, Simmons is simply too high of a Steve Sax syndrome risk for a team at our stage of evolution.

Me, I do wish he didn't have the contract he does because I do agree with @Diesel that the whole of the evidence suggests whoever obtains him will be getting a quality player. But at that number, for that number of years? No. I have to have a player who I have full confidence did not just have a Steve Sax moment, ie, one so psychologically devastating as to torture him for much, if not all, of the rest of his career. Look, Cam might never be better than Simmons. Dre might never be better. Kev might never be better. However, I can deal with that because I'm not locked in to a big-number-big-year contract with any of them anyhow. They will or won't prove their worth. I get to hold on to my options and make a judgment after this season, which many of us perceive as the franchise's best chance to go to the NBA Finals since Nique and Bird went 7 games. Whereas, if I invest in Simmons, it's the epitome of shoving all of the poker chips into the middle of the table. It's all or nothing, and if it doesn't go exceedingly well... not just good, but if it doesn't prove to put us over the top... then I'm stuck. I've got a humongously bad contract that will be a ball and chain with consequences like we haven't seen since Jon Koncak's contract in his era. Notice, I didn't even mention what we would give up.... even if we gave up nothing, it's a problem. It's made worse by the loss of whoever we would send to Philly. Just. Can't. Do it. Again, wish I could. I do see reason for believing it could work, as said, exceedingly well and he could prove to be the biggest bargain basement trade acquisition, not just for ATL, but for any team in the last several years. It would be general manager malpractice of the highest order, though, to take that degree of risk. Goodbye, BS thread. You are officially, for good, dead to me.

Forgive if horse's mouth vid is already posted under one of the other threads...

Eventually, yes. But I don't care about going into the tax b/c I trust (a) we're going to the EC Finals again at minimum (there... I said it...) and (b) Ressler's said multiple times that he's going to pay tax. Oh. And (c) I suspect we can trade BogBog eventually, too. (Don't underestimate that prospect.) See, I don't want to play with what chemistry began to develop last season to the degree that I can keep from it. It worries me that playing with the chemistry inherently puts our progress at greater risk. Yes, you're going to lose Gallo. But losing one piece is do-able. Losing two pieces, and putting in place of that one piece that is a whole other kind-of piece... I know there's potential reward, but I can't persuade myself it's greater potential than the potential risk... the chances that we just acquired for ourselves a 100 lb ankle weight to Schlenk's leg to make any future moves (as evidenced by how difficult it's apparently been to trade BS this off-season)... I'm just not even barely interested, me.

1 - If "long-term" means "when he is 27 or 28".... yes, that's altogether reasonable. He can be another Paul Millsap, and maybe even better. 2 - I've seen Bogi off the bench, albeit small sample size. Prefer Bogi starting, and getting synched up with the rest of the backcourt immediately 3 - If "sooner than later" means "as soon as 2022-23," maybe. Getting drunk on summer league and making significant PT decisions is not wise. Give it time. The things that made him the 12th PG selected in the draft didn't magically vanish just because he had some impressive minutes against SL competition. 4 - Of course they would. Too many talk about 2021-22 as-if we should just skip it and 2022-23, and make roster decisions as-if it's 2023-24 already. 5 - I'm slow to give anyone, including Luka, "MVP level guy" status until it's actually happened. And in that vein. It remains a very viable possibility that Luka ends up with a reputation for being one of the best all-around players ever, yet counterintuitively, whose DAL teams boasted no championships, ostensibly because his teams became too Luka-centric to ever get to that level. If he ever earns an MVP or a championship, it could be that it's only after he embraces his inner ringbrat and joins the ringbrat brotherhood.

Corrected. Now we agree.

You think that I don't appreciate what JC brings? I think you read that one too fast, Dies. That's not what I said. Read slower, and without any encumbrance on your shoulder (e.g., a chip).

Most already do. Unlike you, apparently, I'm pessimistic about the ones who don't.

Put me down for #3. Assuming he's approximately as valuable this season as last, I believe there will be extra timidity to let go of such an important piece in a season when there's a realistic opportunity to make the NBA Finals. Think you deal with next season after this season is over... in the pursuit of being pound-wise rather than penny-foolish, so to speak.

1. Jalen Johnson will end up playing about 50-60 regular season games with the big team. 2. Sharife Cooper will end up playing about 25-30 regular season games with the big team. 3. For the first time ever as ATL GM, Travis Schlenk will make no in-season trades.

There really is a lot to like about the parts of his game where there is something to like. I'm not sure that anyone back before he was drafted really could have imagined that those things to like would have been so sabotaged by what there isn't to like that he'd be relegated to some team's 15th man. But here we are. For old time's sake, I thought this might be fun to re-live...

If you want... and I want... to see a viable positive role that we mainly know Okafor could fill for us, it's this... He gives McM a legit 4th quarter option to play offense/defense even after BigO2 gets back. That could be valuable.

Having had some time to digest this... I mean, really, I had us signing offense-impoverished Biyombo well ahead of signing defense-impoverished Okafor... the optimist in me, rather than arguing for what Okafor could be, is arguing instead for the hope that Schlenk truly has merely signed two experienced camp bodies (Okafor and TLC)... ie, there's a good chance that neither one actually is part of the final 15. History says there will be, after all, some teams shedding some veteran players at the last minute in order to take chances on some less proven players. So, barring a highly unanticipated breakout training camp performance, my better angels are whispering "patience" in my ear... that there will be other better options immediately before the season starts, and that 5th big slot will still yet go to someone for whom stronger confidence is merited.

The comparison is pretty close in my book... I was just getting ready to post the same. Though, I would say that what Okafor gives up to Parker in athleticism, he gets in inches of height.

Whoa. Just watched those highlights. And that has to be the most underwhelming #1 I think I've ever seen. Keep reminding me, please.

Figured on a big, of course, but just did NOT see that coming. At all. It's the 15th spot, so no big deal, except that the 15th man is likely to be the 5th big man for the first half of the season until Big2O returns. Can't say I'm content, but the optimist in me wants me to be content really, really bad, and will surely wear me down.

My gif. My rules. You're the one who said something absolutely abhorrent, demanding the Lava treatment. You're Ralphie.

Hmmm. Even if Hali is part of the return the Sixers get?