‘Fascinating’ Ben trade ‘watch’; proof new Lakers coach is the ‘real deal’: NBA Talking Pts

Ben Simmons has gone from being one of the worst contracts in the NBA to a fascinating trade watch. Plus why the Lakers’ hot start to life under new coach JJ Redick is so promising.

Ben Simmons has gone from being one of the worst contracts in the NBA to a fascinating trade watch.

Plus why the LA Lakers’ hot start to life under new coach JJ Redick is so promising.

That and more in our latest NBA Talking Points!

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‘AN ASSET’: WHY SIMMONS IS AN INTRUIGING TRADE WATCH

Ben Simmons mightn’t be the All-Star Ben Simmons of old anymore, but it’s been a promising start to the season for the Aussie.

We know what Simmons is at this stage of his career and his strengths and weaknesses. A point guard with size that can get to the rim, rebound and is a strong defender, but can’t shoot and is perhaps best suited to low 20s minutes in a less prolific role.

Now hopefully healthy again after his last few seasons have been ruined by injury, there’s never been a question of talent with Simmons, but rather his ability — and commitment — to staying on the court.

The thing is though, the 28-year old’s talents are now arguably being wasted on a Brooklyn Nets team that’s expected to finish among the bottom seeds in the East this season.

In fact, Brooklyn is likely to try and finish as low as possible to boost its lottery odds and chances of a high draft pick amid a looming tank-a-thon for highly-rated No. 1 prospect Cooper Flagg.

It puts Brooklyn’s veteran players — like Simmons — on trade watch, though moving Simmons’ expiring $40 million could be more problematic than trading other players on lesser deals.

Still, once considered being one of the worst contracts in the NBA amid Simmons’ injury and off-court issues, has now become much more intriguing if he can keep up his productivity on the court. And perhaps more importantly than anything, if he can simply stay on the court.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 25: Ben Simmons #10 of the Brooklyn Nets dribbles the ball in the second half of a game against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center on October 25, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Julio Aguilar/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Julio Aguilar / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

So could other teams in the playoff mix be circling Simmons as a trade or buyout target?

“Ben Simmons is actually an asset,” NBA analyst Bill Simmons said on his own podcast.

“It feels like he’s healthy again, so then you start thinking, what does that mean?

“He’s an expiring at $40.3 million, could they trade him? I went through every team, I don’t see it. But I think he has a chance to be one of the most fascinating February buyout guys.

“He could be the centre in New Orleans, he could be an absolutely crazy Draymond Green backup in Golden State, he could be a really fun heat culture reclamation project. He’s kind of exactly what the Knicks need.

“I’m watching this Ben Simmons thing and if he can prove he’s health over the next three months.

“Brooklyn don’t want to keep him, they don’t want to be good. So he’s either a trade or buyout guy.

“I actually think he could have an impact on the playoff race playing 10 to 20 minutes a game for a really good team. The guy’s a good basketball player, maybe he gives a s**t now, we’ll see.”

HISTORIC STATEMENT AFTER BIG TRADE QUESTION MARK

After their win against the Sacramento Kings, Anthony Edwards shared that he had a clear message for new teammate Julius Randle that morning: “Don’t fit around us, we’ll fit around you”.

And the Timberwolves did just that, with Randle putting an unconvincing game against the Lakers behind him to score 33 points before following that up with 24 against the Raptors.

With it, Randle’s 73 points marked the most by any player through his first three games in franchise history.

It is exactly what the Timberwolves needed because based on early impressions in their opening night loss to the Lakers, the questions about Randle’s fit at Minnesota seemed legitimate.

The offence, at times, looked like it was operating in slow motion as the Timberwolves made a concerted effort to run plays through Randle, who himself seemed hesitant to really lean into that leading role.

The numbers themselves were solid: 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists. In fact, he was the only Minnesota starter to finish with a positive plus-minus.

But just watching Randle, the offence wasn’t flowing smoothly through him and on the defensive end, some of his efforts were hardly convincing.

The Lakers noticed that too and had a plan to expose it, with Rui Hachimura telling reporters they had talked about Randle in the lead-up to the game.

“He sometimes is just standing and stuff,“ Hachimura said.

Ouch.

Speaking on his own podcast, Bill Simmons said the first taste of the Timberwolves without Karl-Anthony Towns, who they traded as part of the move for Randle, left him feeling like this will be a “work in progress.

“The size Towns, Gobert and Reid and how suffocating and overwhelming those three were. The spacing of the Towns threes and physicality, it really felt like they missed that,” Simmons said.

“Everything you felt iffy about with that trade was on display for the first game. I’m giving them 20 games, I want to see how they incorporate all this stuff and figure out the line-ups.

“I’d like to see more Reid and Randle line-ups and Reid and Gobert and less Randle and Gobert. I’d like to see them go smaller.

“I want to watch whether Ant gets frustrated or not, because the spacing was weird. All of a sudden Minnesota, such a feel-good story last year - 56 wins - now seems like a work in progress.”

Which isn’t necessarily surprising given how important Towns had been to this team’s identity.

But now the Timberwolves look to be forging a new identity with Randle as a central piece, feeding him in the paint and allowing him to bully players in the post until opposition teams have had enough and are forced to send doubles.

That in turn has helped space the floor even if Randle isn’t the outside shooting threat that Towns is, although even in that Kings game he went 5-for-6 from 3-point land so the option is there.

Now, going back to that Edwards quote, in some ways it could be concerning to hear that the Timberwolves, after going all the way to the Western Conference Finals last year, are so determined to fit around Randle when you would hope a player of his caliber would find a way to be successful as part of the system.

It definitely would have been interpreted that way had it come after the opening loss to the Lakers.

But instead, especially coming from a superstar like Edwards who only looks set to reach new heights this season, it speaks to a selfless, team-first mentality that should help the new-look Timberwolves as they build chemistry.

JJ REDICK IS THE ‘REAL DEAL’… SO MAYBE THE LAKERS ARE TOO?

For too long, Lakers fans were used to the same old mistakes. The forever-changing rotations. The lack of adjustments. It is part of the reason why Darvin Ham was fired.

It is a small sample size, but it looks like they won’t have to worry about that with JJ Redick.

The Lakers sit at the top of the Western Conference with a 3-0 record that is its best start to a season in 14 years.

The wins haven’t always come easy, with the Lakers coming back from 22 points down against the Suns while LeBron James inspired L.A. to a 21-0 run to open the fourth quarter against the Kings.

But those runs and that comeback aren’t just a product of the natural ebbs and flows of a sport that is so often defined by momentum, which in turn is hard to win back.

Rather, they are an example of just how far this team has come already under Redick, whose in-game adjustments have been seamless and produced immediate results.

In the first win against the Suns, Redick ran a variety of different actions to keep the Suns guessing but it was a very different approach against the Kings, where he had the Lakers hunting mismatches while feeding his best two players - James and Anthony Davis.

Davis in particular has been a focal point of Redick’s plan, which isn’t something previous Lakers coaches have always looked to do given concerns over his durability.

JJ Redick says it’s the intention of both the players and the coaching staff to have Anthony Davis touch the ball as much as possible.

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) October 26, 2024

None of what Redick has achieved already is a fluke either, as evidenced by the fact he was caught recently by former NBA player Baron Davis watching film while he was at a car wash.

“It’s the circumstance of the back-to-back,” Redick said.

“Basically, I spent last night and this morning on tying the bow from last night’s game and a little bit looking forward to today. This morning, it was no different.”

Just ran into @jj_redick at the Car Wash. he had the Laptop watching film!!!! Players coach!!! Lakers in great hands !! #dedication

— Baron Davis (@BaronDavis) October 26, 2024

Now, we already knew that Redick was a brilliant basketball mind. Watching the way he broke down plays alongside James in the unfortunately short-lived ‘Mind the Game’ podcast was proof of it.

But he obviously is always looking for ways to expand his knowledge, with Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell describing Redick and the coaching staff as “well-prepared” after the win over the Kings.

“I think that preparation is what’s getting us these wins,” he said.

“There’s obviously adversity and ups and downs throughout the game, but they find a way to adjust and respond and put our best players in the best position to find their niche throughout the game.”

Redick already set the tone for his first season as an NBA coach by telling media “I really don’t give a f***” when asked if he wanted to prove any misconceptions of himself wrong.

That response spoke to the self-assuredness Redick had in his ability and his vision for this Lakers team.

But unlike some other coaches who share that confidence, he has already proven it doesn’t border on stubbornness, with an open mind and willingness to experiment with new game plans as he continues to learn what life is like as an NBA coach.

This is pure filth from JJ Redick to start the third quarter. A 1-4 High Iverson set with Reaves coming across, the play, AD cross screening for LBJ to go set an empty side slip screen for Reaves. Pocket pass from Reaves forces the Gobert help which sets up the AD lob. Whew. pic.twitter.com/tDgkNsF11d

— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) October 23, 2024

JJ Redick is the real deal. Lakers offense is playing with so much motion. So many different layers to their actions. And AD has been unlocked. Similar roster, new process. Redick is the difference.

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) October 26, 2024

Before the season, JJ Redick stressed the importance of offensive rebounding, singling out Rui Hachimura as a player who could more of an impact on the glass.

After 4 more offensive rebounds last night, Rui's fgOR% sits at a whopping 9.3% That's 3x more than his rate last year! pic.twitter.com/dJzM2FKucm

— Alex Regla (@AlexmRegla) October 27, 2024

NUGGETS WARNING SIGNS ALL OVER AMID UGLY START

While it’s not time to panic just two games into a marathon 82-game season, all the concerns surrounding the Denver Nuggets going into this campaign have rang true.

From the lack of three-point shooting, to the bench and its new additions Russell Westbrook and Dario Saric, and even the key stars on this team, there’s warning signs all over the place for the Nuggets.

In fact, outside of Nikola Jokic, the main bright spot has been Christian Braun, who was arguably the main question mark in the lead into the season in replacing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the starting line-up.

It includes an ugly 0-2 start for Mike Malone’s team in home losses to the Oklahoma City Thunder and the LA Clippers ... and 1-6 if you include Denver’s abysmal pre-season.

To put it into context, the Nuggets lost just eight games at home in total last season, typically so strong at their Ball Arena fortress.

Beyond the record, the team just hasn’t looked good, especially in its season-opening dismantling at the hands of the red-hot Thunder. So are we witnessing the demise of a contender? A contender that has the best player in the world in Jokic in his prime.

The team’s strategy under general manager Calvin Booth since its 2023 title has been clear. They knew they’d lose key pieces from that championship roster, so added budget replacements via the draft that can be developed and locked down medium term to help keep their core intact.

DENVER, COLORADO - OCTOBER 24: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets drives against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 and Chet Holmgren #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first quarter at Ball Arena on October 24, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by MATTHEW STOCKMAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

But the thing about young players, particularly those taken later in drafts, like Julian Strawther (Pick 29), Peyton Watson (Pick 30), Jalen Pickett (Pick 32) and Hunter Tyson (Pick 37), who are now being relied upon, is that they’re generally not ready to contribute for an NBA team, no less a contender.

It’s a philosophy that has reportedly caused tension behind the scenes between the front office and coach Malone, who like most coaches, would much prefer veterans, even if they’re only short-term options.

The departures of the likes of Bruce Brown, Jeff Green and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has meant Denver is rolling out less proven players who are being dared to shoot by opposition teams ... and missing. The Nuggets are ranked sixth-last in three-point percentage (28.8 per cent) and dead-last in offensive rating (97.4).

Another key issue with the lack of shooting means team can clog the paint more and cause problems where Jokic does his best work.

Malone after Denver’s season-opening loss to OKC was brutally honest with regards to its shooting deficiencies, saying: “Going into the season, shooting was a concern of mine. You lose a guy like KCP (Caldwell-Pope), who’s a 40 per cent three-point shooter.”

Jokic was even more blunt, telling media: “We are not a good shooting team, except Mike (Porter Jr.) and Jamal. All of us are kind of streaky, not streaky, but just average shooters.”

At least Jokic came out and hit a career-high seven threes against the Clippers?

We know how reliant this team has been on the three-time MVP in the past, but it’s now more glaring than ever and too much is being put on Jokic’s shoulders with the supporting stars around him like Murray and Porter Jr. struggling.

It came after a lacklustre Olympics for Murray representing Canada for the first time, followed by the star guard penning a four-year, $208 million extension with the Nuggets.

While only a small sample size, Denver’s -11.9 net rating ranks third-last in the NBA — worse than the likes of the Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls, Portland Trail Blazers and a Philadephia 76ers team without Joel Embiid and Paul George.

“I feel like the Nuggets might be ruining the best player on the planet and ruining his prime and peak,” The Ringer’s David Jacoby said on The Mismatch podcast.

“Watching (the game against OKC), it seemed like if Jokic didn’t create or score the basket, there was no basket.

“I never thought I would see a Nuggets game and think: ‘Did Jamal Murray play?’

“They have absolutely no shooting, none ... I think this team has got to make some changes before the trade deadline.

“They just need shooting. I love Nikola Jokic, I don’t love this team they have around him, I think they’re going to have to make some changes.”

Meanwhile, Westbrook has gotten off to a rough start in Denver after being brought in to bolster the defence and provide Malone with another ball handler.

Westbrook, 35, who Jokic reportedly advocated for the Nuggets front office to sign, is averaging four points, three rebounds and 3.5 assists in 20 minutes across two games including shooting 0-of-8 in the loss to the Clippers.

“At some point Jokic is going to be like: ‘Do not put me and him on the floor at the same time’,” Jacoby added.

“The Russell Westbrook experiment is already a fail.”

WHY PATIENCE IS KEY FOR KNICKS’ BLOCKBUSTER TRADE 

It didn’t take long for Karl-Anthony Towns to impact his regular-season debut at the Garden, for Towns — the pre-season blockbuster acquisition — to elevate toward the rim, slam the ball through the net, hang on for an extra second and then let out a roar.

This was the version of Towns, one of the NBA’s premier centres, the Knicks traded for.

The one who patiently waited on the right block as a chaotic play unfolded in the opposite corner and converted his chance once the ball arrived.

The one who finished his second regular-season game as a Knick with 21 points, 15 rebounds, two blocks, a steal and 10 free-throw attempts.

It was a “really good, all-round game” from Towns, head coach Tom Thibodeau said after the Knicks’ 123-98 victory over the Pacers on Saturday — with his dunk and ensuing celebration a thunderous layer of that performance.

“I guess you could say that,” Towns said postgame when asked if felt the energy from the crowd immediately. “I just always want to impose a lot of energy into the game and amplify my teammates, and I thought that was a good opportunity [with the dunk] to get some energy instilled to us — and the crowd obviously was bringing a lot of energy.”

The limited two-game sample of the 2024-25 season has provided a fitting glimpse of what Towns added to the Knicks when they acquired him in a late September trade from the Timberwolves.

It forced president Leon Rose to part with Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, though, and forced Thibodeau to tweak his starting lineup and rotations, which took — and will continue to take — time before clicking regularly.

In the pre-season, the Knicks preached the need for patience.

Their season-opening loss to the Celtics, when they allowed 29 3-pointers and couldn’t match that output offensively, provided the latest example of that.

The Knicks couldn’t microwave chemistry, but they still had plenty of time to work with — an entire regular season worth of games instead of the sprint that follows deals before the trade deadline.

Even between Game 1 and Game 2, though, there were strides.

Towns said that the Knicks defence, which held Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton scoreless, created easier layups and opportunities while on offence.

The Knicks “did a good job of sharing the ball,” Towns added, with four of their starters finishing with 20 or more points.

They were balanced. They didn’t bank on Jalen Brunson pouring in 40-plus points. They could turn to Brunson or Towns or Josh Hart or Mikal Bridges, and all of them, at least that night against Indiana, were effective.

Towns made 5 of 11 shots from the field, while getting to the free-throw line on five different occasions — including four times in the second half, as the Knicks continued to pull away.

Before his dunk in the opening quarter, Towns backed down Indiana’s Myles Turner toward the block before spinning around and hitting a five-foot floater.

Then, in the final seconds of the first half, the Pacers doubled Brunson off a screen, allowing for Towns to roll outside the 3-point line without a defender tracking him. He made the shot.

He held the form for an extra second. And he added a little shimmy celebration, too.

That carried into the third quarter, when Towns snagged an offensive rebound after Hart missed a 3-pointer — fighting for position, dribbling once and then elevating for another hook shot.

Isaiah Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson helped the Knicks turn offensive rebounding into a strength during past seasons, and Towns, along with others, will be tasked with filling that void with Robinson out for the foreseeable future while recovering from left ankle surgery and Hartenstein now with the Thunder.

So the Knicks’ ability to reach their potential with the current collection of players could still take time.

It might not happen in the first month, the first quarter, maybe even the first half of the season. But Friday was an early reminder of how Towns fits into that — and can raise their ceiling.

“I’m learning a lot,” Brunson said of playing with Towns. “He has so much gravity on the floor when he’s out there. People have to respect that. Obviously, he’s one of the best shooters in the league.”

-This story was originally published by Andrew Crane in The New York Post and reproduced with permission

Originally published as ‘Fascinating’ Ben trade ‘watch’; proof new Lakers coach is the ‘real deal’: NBA Talking Pts