The Heat are the best trading partner if the Cavaliers are looking to move guard Collin Sexton, contends Nekias Duncan of BasketballNews.com. Sexton is only 22 and is coming off his best season, averaging 24.3 points per game, but he will be eligible for a rookie-scale extension this summer. Cleveland is focused on re-signing restricted free agent center Jarrett Allen and may not want to hand out a second large contract.
Duncan likes the fit for Sexton in Miami because the Heat need another scorer who can attack the rim. Sexton’s limitations as a play-maker wouldn’t matter as much with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo handling the ball, Duncan adds, while coach Eric Spoelstra could find ways to overcome Sexton’s defensive issues.
Duncan suggests it would be easy to include Kevin Love in the potential trade and get his contract off Cleveland’s books. Miami could match salary by picking up its options on Goran Dragic and Andre Iguodala and possibly including Tyler Herro and KZ Okpala in the deal.
Duncan mentions the Raptors, Celtics and Lakers as other possible destinations for Sexton.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- The Cavaliers have gotten calls from teams interested in their No. 3 pick, but nothing has moved beyond “cursory conversations,” according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. The Magic, who own the fifth and eighth selections, and the Warriors, who have No. 7 and 14, could be teams to watch if talks get more serious.
- Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was able to do on-court work today for the first time since hyperextending his left knee Tuesday night, tweets Malika Andrews of ESPN. Coach Mike Budenholzer confirmed the workout in a pre-game session with reporters, adds Eric Nehm of The Athletic (via Twitter), but said he wasn’t able to watch it.
- A source tells J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star that the Pacers haven’t had any trade talks with the Sixers involving the 13th pick (Twitter link). A report Friday said Philadelphia declined an offer of Malcolm Brogdon and the pick for Ben Simmons. The Pacers tend to avoid large contracts like Simmons has, Michael adds, noting that owner Herb Simon vetoed a trade for Mike Conley two years ago. Indiana is open to moving the pick, according to Michael, but he says there have been no talks with the Sixers, who are hoping to land Damian Lillard from the Trail Blazers.
Dame and Embiid would be so good together.
And I mean for Portland if you getting Simmons your also going to get picks and players like Thybulle and/or Maxey.
Before everyone jumps on and says if they can’t win with dame they won’t win with Ben…. Yeah yeah I understand that. But I mean will they try build a roster around Ben who is still young so that way they can try compete for a title in a couple years.
But if Dame does want out, I don’t think trading him for another all star that’s slightly worse would be that good. I’d think going for Ben who is young with potential plus getting some other young players and picks would be the direction to go. If not Ben then Brandon Ingram plus young players and picks.
Ben Simmons will be a more willing shooter next season and will even sprinkle in some makes with that shooting. The guy I hear he’s gonna train with is REALLY good.
You can’t train heart… Simmons doesn’t have any. Passing on an open dunk because you’re scared you might get foul’d was the death of his career to me personally. No matter what he does.. that will stain him forever. Even Embiid couldn’t help but call it out.
Hes unable to shoot due to the Oedipus complex.
People probably said the same thing about LeBron when he left Cleveland, and need Ray Allen to hit the three for him to win a chip and look at what he’s gone on to do. Have to removed the kids only 24 years old, with sky high potential. You don’t get as good as he is without putting in a lot of work and I think this offseason he will put a lot of work into his jumper and will be better. Don’t think you can ever just fight someone off cause of one play
Did Simmons have “no heart” when he was the NBA Rookie-of-the-Year, a 3-time All-Star, 2x First Team NBA All-Defensive Team, and 3rd Team All-NBA selection?
Or just in his last playoff series when he passed up that dunk (which should’ve been, at WORST, an And1 because he shoulda had a sure two on a slam – IF he got fouled)?
I’m a novice at this, but from the outside looking in, it seems like it’d be damn hard to achieve the accolades he has in his (still young) career having “no heart”. Not knowing much about the game in relation to most who comment to this site, I’d still say there’s a huge difference between not having any “heart” – and choking… which is what I saw from him these playoffs. What I saw was more mental than intestinal fortitude. Even lacking confidence in a short term isn’t equivalent to having “no heart”. It’s simply choking! And, at a horrible time.
Therefore, in my (again, novice) opinion, his “problems” can be fixed… pretty easily and quickly, if the “assistant” knows what they’re doing.
Just my take. I think he can rebound from his underwhelming playoffs of this season. Hard to imagine his career bottoms out from that. I guess we’ll see!
He only puts in effort if he’s about to lose out on an individual accolade. ROY he upped his scoring, same with the AS voting. Oh he’s a fringe AS let me go on a tear. Then once he gets it he goes back into coast mode. His defensive effort was the only consistent aspect of his game this year. How do you drop 40 on Gobert and the Jazz and you can’t handle posting up Trae Young? Trae is a little B and has no ability to defend a 6-10 post player yet Ben wouldn’t take advantage in any game this series when Trae or any small guard was on him.
I mean I’m no different than anyone posting here or anyone that considered themselves a hopper. I’m 6’3, 6’4 in shoes. You put a guy on me that’s even an inch shorter and it’s an advantage in my eyes.
Like no one is guarding him on the perimeter too, you have all the time in the world to get setup for a shot. You miss you miss but at least
to answer your direct question… yes.. he had no heart when he did those things. You can fill all the stat sheets in the world… if you’re scared of the big moment because you might fail.. you have no heart. Some people have “it”… he doesn’t. That’s just how it is brother. He is insanely talented with all the skill in the world to be where he is and do what he does… that will never undo him coming up to the “moment” and running from it has hard as he possibly could. His “fight or flight” instinct is to run away… whether you except it or not… its not something you can just change.
To give another context example.. in the 2011 Finals Lebron James had some of the worst 4th quarters of any “star” in NBA history. The difference? He wasn’t running from the moment.. he wasn’t scared.. he continued to shoot and attack.. he just couldn’t get through a clear mental block. Twelve months later he broke that mental block and raised a Larry O’Brien trophy…. Lebron was never scared of the moment.. he had to overcome it. Ben Simmons is too scared to fail.
I hope this is supposed to be a joke, at least I assume it is. Maybe not to the OP.
He’s about to turn 25 in a few weeks, and he’s been playing the game since he was 7, so he has been playing basketball for almost 18 years. How are we supposed to believe he is going to re-invent himself after playing the game for 72% of his life?
Jason Kidd, Shane Battier, LeBron James, Brook Lopez, Marc Gasol, Jonas Valuncunas, Serge Ibaka etc etc are all examples of guys that developed a 3 pointer later in their careers… Kidd was so bad his nickname was Ason kid because he had no J.
That is true but Simmons is the worst shooter of all those named.
Dwyane Wade, Jimmy Butler, LaMarcus Aldridge, Dominique Wilkins, Michael Jordan, etc etc… names of people who were / are all-stars and HOFers and never shot the 3 with a ton of success… there’s an example for everything.
Your crazy to right Simons off who is still so young and so talented. He might’ve been playing for so long but he doesn’t need to reinvent himself he just need to get better in one or two areas of his game. Like Tacocat said loads of dudes added a three point shot to their games as they got older. Ben’s first concern has to be improving his FT, that way he isn’t a liability in the fourth. After that it’s about getting more confident in your jumper and extending your range. Giannis become an MVP with his 3 ball, if Ben can add a similar jumper he’s going to be near that level
Spoken like a true fan. He was a career 60% FT shooter. Meaning most of his life. Now pressure of NNB is obviously making it worse. To me that’s mental. A real team should easily get him to 70% or better. He doesn’t need to shoot better. Although it’s better. He just needs to make more than 75% of his FTs. Than he can post anyone or take anyone of dribble. But should not play PG. Sixers have shown their inability to help Ben. I would go somewhere else and get my act together at PF or SF. He can play either. And he can stop any wing.
“limitations as a playmaker” = doesn’t pass and turns the ball over too much. The Cavs reluctance to give him a max extension has nothing to do with Jarrett Allen, they don’t believe Sexton is a player to be built around, not a winner.
You have no idea what they “believe”.
Sexton ranks 97th in TO% and of players with at least 2,000 mph hes ranks around 23rd, with Devin Booker and Chris Paul ranking ahead of him with more TOs. He’s not a “great” playmaker that’s why they have Garland as the primary PG. Among all players considered PG/SG/SF he ranks 24th in FG%. Not sure where the narrative is that he turns it over too much. As far as he “shoots too much” he ranks 17th in both FG made and FGA. He might attempt a lot but he also makes a high% both from 3pt (37%) and 2pt range (51%).
To me, he needs to improve on his team defense. If he’s a willing student you can teach that. He hasn’t exactly had stability in the coaching department with 3 different coaches in 3 seasons. Also, Delly is really the only G mentor on the squad.
If the Cavs prioritize paying Allen, who is as limited as the much maligned Dwight Howard and Andre Drummond (majority of shots within 5ft of rim, great defenders and rebounders, limited offensively considered overpaid) then their GM should be fired.
It’s not like FA are lining up to come to Cleveland. When’s the last time the Cavs had a 24pt guy not named Lebron or Kyrie? How will they replace their best scorer and don’t say the draft because those kids are unproven. If you willingly overpaid an oft injured and over 30 Love then do the same with Sexton. Whol are we holding the money for? Move Cedi and others is salary cap is an issue and work on grooming and retraining the kids you draft.
Lillard is not available for trade, but if your offering is huge overpaid, he will be traded
Huge overpaid example
Paul George for
Shai – young star first year rookie contract
Gallo – top role player
6 first round picks
Shai is a good player but
Most if not all of those picks will be role players.
Kawhi and pg13 aren’t gonna be elite much longer and thunder got some of those picks into the future
Always exaggerating with those first round picks, combining traded picks with swaps. Just like the CP3 for Westbrook trade when you insisted OKC was receiving 4 first round picks instead of two. OKC didn’t even get the swap this year, so all they will end up getting is the Rockets first round pick in 2024 and 2026 plus and another potential swap in 2025. By 2024 and 2026 those picks will be in the late twenties as Houston gets back to being in the playoffs every year (like from 2012-2020).
Or they could be like the Nets after the Garnett/Pierce deal without any firsts to improve and they will stink for half a decade. At this point it could be either depending on whether the #2 pick adjusts to the league.
You are posting too often. Go outside and take a walk.
Many things can happen, but for now I like the chances of the Rockets 2024 pick being in the lottery. And please do not forget Houston gave 2 picks and 2 swaps to get the worst player in that trade.
The heat could have had 1 of Russell Westbrook, James Harden, or Kyle Lowry if they were willing to include Herro in a trade… the fact that pundits think they would give him as a throw in for someone like Collin Sexton (while taking Kevin Love’s contract to boot)… boggles my mind.
Xactly!
It wasnt just Herro, it was Duncan robinson that was the issue. I would 1000% have traded Herro for Lowry
But the rest is all legit. There is zero reason to want Sexton at all, and including taking kevin Loves contract makes no sense. If you tell me Taurean Prince is coming over, with a draft pick, and something else, that’s something to think about, but ya…not happening
There is no such thing as “1000%”. It’s your responsibility to know this on your own before you embarrass yourself on the internet.
That’s the downside to keeping a guy with just potential. Herro had a down year and now a lot of people are a bit more bearish on his potential.
BTW, “someone like Collin Sexton” was selected higher in the draft than Tyler Herro, and has arguably outperformed him in the NBA. So is it that crazy?
Because Herro is presented as a throw in to this deal while Sexton is the bait to get the Heat to eat Love’s contract.. in thie scenario… Herro was the author’s after thought like “the heat could throw this guy in to make it easier”.. also as I pointed out.. Herro was the demand by nearly half the NBA in high tier trades.. don’t recall teams asking the cavs for Sexton in negotiations over all-star/ hof talents.
Herro is not highly thought of anymore, (and IMO won’t be again), and maybe Riley would not want him around as a reminder of what he could have had! Seriously anyone who cares about him personally should prefer Herro away from Miami’s temptations. But I hope not Cleveland.
The Basketball News writer is entertaining, but erred when he wanted the trade bigger than Herro/Sexton.
your ADD attitude is basically what’s wrong with everyone age 20 and younger now… if it didn’t happen literally right now.. it’s irrelevant… horrible way to go through life brother.
Draft Pick Trade idea
Raptors get Wiseman
Cavs get 4 and 14
Warriors get 3
Not bad, but if I am the Warriors I remove the Cavs from the equation, keep 14 and just take 4 for Wiseman. 14 is a more valuable asset than just moving up one spot. You can then select a young guy at 4 and possibly package 7 and/or 14 for a vet like McCollum as insurance for Klay or a young guy like Sexton who would work great as a 6th man.
Seriously you ain’t gonna pay a budding star (Sexton) so you can keep & pay a bum (Allen) SMH!!!
‘Nough said ’bout CLE if that is the path they wanna go, right?
I mean I know Allen ain’t a bum, he is sort of a lil’ bit good, but centers that can’t score for their life & only defend, which ain’t important for a center, you can get them a dozen a dime, meanwhile guys that can score like Sexton, well CLE hasn’t had many of those, right?
Winner, winner chicken dinner. The only legit thing anyone has voiced is his height and defense. But he’s far from Isiah Thomas 2.0. He has strength and was known as a good defender at Alabama. Teach him better team defense. But he’s outscored a number of all-star guards he’s played against even if he didn’t defend them 100% of the time.
Miami might be a good place for Sexton. He ain’t pulling that BS there with Jimmy. He could straighten out. Cavs need to move him. He is no team guy there. You don’t want that on a rebuilding team. Love still got gm, he will help someone. Cavs are fools if they move the #3 pick. He’s the best player on their team Right Now.
I truly think all this stuff about Sexton is bs. I’ve yet to hear anyone say anything bad about him in terms of his character. Funny how these narratives come about.
Are you saying the #3 pick or Love is the best player on the Cavs?????
No …. The #3 pick is best player right now. Love is probably their next player healthy. Is the only one with a resume. Sexton rumors aren’t just coming out. Players have spoken out before. And it’s been reported by different cities and reporters. Plus all you need to do is watch him. His body language on TOs. His attitude on court playing. His shot selection. Personally I don’t deal with me first players. Don’t care how good they are. Or head cases. Great players can help you win. Great Teams make you a winner and contender for yrs. They say Green is a hard worker and good kid. Would not want him near Sexton.
This is what is wrong with the world. The Cavs can’t afford to get rid of Sexton for an unknown whos never set place on an nba court. And who cares about his shot selection if he’s shooting 48% from the floor? and ive not noticed any body language issues other than a look of disappointment when he turns the ball over which as ive pointed out isn’t that significant compared to the field. and he’s a kid. called growing pains. Cavs don’t have an abundance of talent and are limited to whom they can draft.
when historically good franchises (heat, Lakers, etc) are calling about Sexton, who I assume is going to ask the same contract from them, then that should tell you something. Cavs would be stupid to bail on him inorder to give the very limited Allen a huge contract. The nba simply isn’t going into the direction of continuing to pay big money for defensive but offensively limited bigs. Guys like Allen are great when they’re cheap. Guys like Sexton get paid. Look at all other scoring 20+ on 45+/35+/80+ shooting. it would be naive to think whomever they pick at #3 will do that with any certainty.
If the Heat want to combine Dragic/Iguodala to match Love and trade Herro for Sexton, I’d do that pretty quickly if I’m the Cavs. Getting out from Love’s deal for a pair of expiring contracts is a huge win in itself, and Herro is cheaper for longer than Sexton is so they’d have more flexibility.
I still love Sexton, but I’m also a believer in Herro long term — I think he was overrated this time last year, but he had a little bit of a down year and now he’s pretty underrated.
If rumors about Herro being too much into his celebrity status and South Beach night life are true, then getting banished to Cleveland will cure that real fast.
I get why the Cavs want to deal Sexton, they don’t have confidence in him being an efficient player worth +20M. But advanced metrics show that both Sexton and Garland are trash on O and D from an efficiency standpoint. Sexton is one of the worst VORPs of his draft class and Garland is in the high teens for VORP.
I think Sexton could develop into a scorer on a good team, not just a chucker on a bad team. Like right now, he’s JR Smith OJ Mayo and given the green light.
I think if I were the Knicks tho. I’d send Knox (salary match and preserve my cap for FA) and a 1st and 2nd or two 2nds. And then, let him go to RFA and let the market decide his value. It would be a better option than overpaying Dinwiddie. They will still have space and assets to make another trade or signing. Like they could go no defense and trade for CJ and pair him with Sexton. Or they could sign Lowry.
Or if I’m the Sixers, two 1sts BC they’ll be near the end of the 1st and Shake. If I didn’t trade Simmons for a guard.