That’s the difference. You can win in college without 5-star talent because of (1) the added value of having experienced four-stars with time to grow and (2) because of inefficiencies in evaluating guys like Dre and Davion Mitchell when they’re 17.
Hoping we are getting similar inefficiencies in Dunn and Bond.
Interesting comparison. There’s some good similarities but I like Virginia’s ceiling a lot more than the Pacers. Hoos have been near or at the top of college hoops for 3-4 of the last 5 or so years and likely on their way back with next year’s class coming in. I don’t recall the Pacers ever being considered a contender.
Very true. The difference between Virginia and the average college basketball team is greater than the difference between the Pacers and the average NBA team (actually, I might even call the Pacers an average NBA team).
It also just occurred to me how much easier it is to be a contender in college than in the NBA because of how variable the NCAAT is. If Virginia enters the tournament as a six-seed, they have to win 5 games against teams better than them in a row — no small feat but it’s doable. If the Pacers enter the playoffs as a six seed this season, they’d have to win four games against the Heat/Hawks/Sixers/Celtics/whoever finishes third, then four games against the Nets/Bucks, then four games against the other Nets/Bucks team, then four games against the best team in the West.
So true. Star power is the name of the game in the NBA nowadays. Super star power honestly. College you can use a collection of talent/scheme to reach the top. Too hard to do that in the pros.
And thanks to upsets, it’s frequently the case that some of those 5 games will be against lower seeded teams.
Not a Hoo, but woah
It’s like Kyrie and Simmons are playing a game of one-upsmanship on who can be more of a pain for their team.
I have very little sympathy for either
So thats why he didnt go to UVa
Unbelievable. It’s like Simmons is aging backwards, he’s more immature now than he was when he came into the league. Also would you take him? and how much would you give up for him?
Doc Rivers has been in the league playing and coaching a looooong time. Seems to be very bad coach to choose to not having on your side
Wouldn’t touch him. Doc called him out after the playoff loss and he had his feelings hurt. Now does Doc maybe need to understand who can take that and who can’t? Probably so. But come on man you play in Philly. A legit title contender. You gotta have thicker skin than that.
You get paid 8 figures. Cmon man.
Doc called him out, but so did Embid and everyone else. Bottom line is Simmons failed to show up in that series. I don’t blame Doc for breaking him, he was broken the moment he passed up an open dunk that could have sealed the game for them. All that said I maybe would have made a trade for him over the summer, but seeing how he’s handled this entire situation and now the new season, no way I’d touch him. There’s not enough upside at all.
Yeah if the Sixers thought somehow his value was going to go up the closer the start of the season became, they sure didn’t read the situation. Seems unplayable and untradable right now.
Not sure anyone saw that one coming. I woulda bet someone would make a last minute grab for him. But I did not see him going off the rails.
I mean John Wall’s contract was traded. So was Gilbert Arenas’ contract. Simmons will be traded.
At this point though, I think they’re landing a bad contract/change of scenery type deal with at best a pick swap. They’re not getting 1st round picks or prospects. D’Angelo Russell or Wiggins seem most obvious.
And really they only have themselves to blame.
Interview with Joey Buckets
Oh he will get traded, but I question if it will be during the season. Wall has his issues and Gilbert was off his rocker, but Ben quit. I can’t think of a team with a winning culture that would trade for him right now. But money talks so who knows?
No debating that, no matter which side of the Ben vs Sixers question you are on. Could have moved on months ago.