Random Thoughts From COVID-19 Quarantine, Including Harden V Simmons, Saleh V Modern Football, And The Devils V The No. 2 Pick
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Sweating out my COVID-19 symptoms in the basement these past few days while Game 7 victories by both the detested Celtics and Rangers on Sunday tested my anxiety levels, I was moved to type up a few thoughts: Nets Notes 1) Stop trying to pick a winner in the James Harden/Ben Simmons trade. The Nets and Sixers each got rid of their respective headaches only to be stuck with new headaches. They’re both home for the summer. Nets fans were all too giddy when Philly flamed out against the Heat in Round 2 last week after a pair of Harden no-shows in the second halves of the last two games. They can’t wait for the Sixers to lavish The Beard with an expensive contract extension that has the potential to age quite gracelessly. Meanwhile, though, Simmons heads into next season dealing with the double whammy of recoveries from microdiscectomy surgery on his back and his issues with “mental readiness” while having not played a game since June 20, 2021. Who knows what his physical and mental condition will be going forward? As for the other pieces of the Nets’ consideration in the deal: Seth Curry is a wonderful shooter, but he’s too small to play alongside Kyrie Irving in Eastern Conference playoff battles; Andre Drummond won’t be back unless he somehow agrees to a veteran minimum deal; and the two first-round picks (the latter a top-8 protected pick in 2027) most likely won’t be of much help in Brooklyn’s current window unless they’re used in trades. It seems to me that both teams have gone backwards in terms of their capacity to contend for the ultimate prize since making the trade. Don’t call it a blockbuster—it was more like mutually assured destruction.
Random Thoughts From COVID-19 Quarantine, Including Harden V Simmons, Saleh V Modern Football, And The Devils V The No. 2 Pick
Random Thoughts From COVID-19 Quarantine…
Random Thoughts From COVID-19 Quarantine, Including Harden V Simmons, Saleh V Modern Football, And The Devils V The No. 2 Pick
Sweating out my COVID-19 symptoms in the basement these past few days while Game 7 victories by both the detested Celtics and Rangers on Sunday tested my anxiety levels, I was moved to type up a few thoughts: Nets Notes 1) Stop trying to pick a winner in the James Harden/Ben Simmons trade. The Nets and Sixers each got rid of their respective headaches only to be stuck with new headaches. They’re both home for the summer. Nets fans were all too giddy when Philly flamed out against the Heat in Round 2 last week after a pair of Harden no-shows in the second halves of the last two games. They can’t wait for the Sixers to lavish The Beard with an expensive contract extension that has the potential to age quite gracelessly. Meanwhile, though, Simmons heads into next season dealing with the double whammy of recoveries from microdiscectomy surgery on his back and his issues with “mental readiness” while having not played a game since June 20, 2021. Who knows what his physical and mental condition will be going forward? As for the other pieces of the Nets’ consideration in the deal: Seth Curry is a wonderful shooter, but he’s too small to play alongside Kyrie Irving in Eastern Conference playoff battles; Andre Drummond won’t be back unless he somehow agrees to a veteran minimum deal; and the two first-round picks (the latter a top-8 protected pick in 2027) most likely won’t be of much help in Brooklyn’s current window unless they’re used in trades. It seems to me that both teams have gone backwards in terms of their capacity to contend for the ultimate prize since making the trade. Don’t call it a blockbuster—it was more like mutually assured destruction.