NBA Power Stinking (Early Feb. 2026 Review)

Since I skipped last month's Power Stinkings, I wanted to try to wait 'til the All-Star Break - the de facto midpoint of the season - to get this latest post off.  But instead it's like, let's get this last one done before the trade deadline, so I can at least make another bold prediction or two before a number of teams more or less seal their fates for this year.

1.  SACREMENTO KINGS (13-36)

The Kings very much deserve to be at the top of the Power Stinkings.  For one, they now have a worst record than even the Wizards or Pelicans.  Second is that their roster, on paper, is or was more talented and deep than half the other squads out there.  So it's obvious their issues aren't just relegated to the players but rather how this organization is being run or whatever.

I feel sorta bad for DeAndre Hunter getting traded into this mess. He went from being stuck on a middling squad to a brief stint with a contender to now being employed by one of the most ass-backwards franchises out there.

And speaking of trades, let's hope that Westbrook is able to find his way outta there also, preferably to a contender.  He's a real interesting case, inarguably one of the most-talented to ever play the game - but so good that he doesnt' work well with others.  If basketball were a solo game, the ScapeGOAT would've won a number of rings by now.

2.  NEW ORLEAND PELICANS (13-38)

Similar to the Kings, the reason the Pelicans don't deserve any love is because, you know, this isn't supposed to be a tanking year.  At the start of last season, New Orleans had arguably the (second) best starting five in the league (on paper), and they also entered this current one with promise.  How quickly it all has dissolved, and you don't even hear about Zion Williamson anymore.

In order for Zion to get his previous standing back of being almost the most-exalted player in the NBA, he'll have to absolutely dominate, which it appears he never will.  It would have served him better if, from the beginning of his career, he would have been allowed to play more along the lines of a traditional PF instead being forced into a point-forward, wannabe-Lebron type.  Now, he's even less-appealing trade bait than a couple of rookies on the team.

Remember when Zion and Ja were considered to be the most-promising young players in the league?  Things can change fast in the modern-day, injury-ridden NBA.

3.  WASHINGTON WIZARDS (13-35)

The Wizards trading for Trae Young and then deciding to like rest him for the season, I don't know if I agree with that.  That's that betrayal-of-fans' shit I've been talking about.  Niggas is paying the price of admission, so give them a good show, even if you are garbage.  I'm not saying that the current roster isn't entertaining, but it wouldn't hurt for this team to field, you know, a player with like name recognition.

I feel sorry for a vet of Khris Middleton's caliber being stuck on this squad, but that's the kinda shit that sometimes happens when you demand to be overpaid into perpetuity.  The good news though is that is #1 Khris is making over $30mil even though his team sucks, and #2 he'll probably be brought out, which will create a real interesting scenario in terms of what team he lands on.  Maybe, if Giannis sticks around, he can even end up back on the Bukcs.

4.  BROOKLYN NETS (13-35)

The Nets suck, but at least expectations were low entering this season, so it's not like anyone is surprised or disappointed.  What doubly sucks is Porter Jr. not even making the All-Star team.  People like to say 'anyone can score 20 points playing for a garbage team'.  Meanwhile, the overwhelming majority of players on these types of squads never achieve that average, which, you know, is one of the reasons why such squads suck to begin with.

5.  UTAH JAZZ (15-35)

It's been a long time since I've heard anything, good or bad, about the Jazz, and the sad thing is that the braintrust probably wants it that way.  Last season they tanked in an attempt to land Cooper Flagg, and now you see why you're never supposed to tank no matter what, because a losing culture can persist just like a winning one.

6.  MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (18-29)

The Grizzlies are another interesting case of a geniunely bad team, i.e. one who, as far as we know, entered this season at least expecting to make the Playoffs.  This Ja Morant situation as metastasized into a shitstorm, i.e the team's star player who, depsite not being what he used to, they need him in order to win yet are forced to move on for personal reasons. Everyone involved is tired of losing type shit.

I blame it on the braintrust, because the squad they had a few years back - with the likes of Dillon Brooks and Tyus Jones and Xavier Tillman and what's his name and even the more recently-bounced Desmond Bane - like those dudes seemed like they really, you know, loved each other type shit.  That's the kinda chemistery that money can't buy, and, even if dudes never did reach the promised land, the braintrust should have tried a lot harder not to allow that kind of dynamic to be broken up.  You can't have a core of like American whiteboys and Europeans and expect shit to get crunk on the sideline.

So now, who knows when this team will become relevant again.  No disrepect to the likes of Zach Edey, Santi Aldama or even Jackson Jr., but no fan is going to break their neck to watch this team play.  And that, dear reader, is the power of a Morant.

7.  MILWAUKEE BUCKS (18-29)

The person I feel most sorry for in this sitatuion is actually Myles Turner.  Remember that he spent a deadass decade with the Pacers, more or less stabbed the franchise in the back to play with Giannis, and now is more or less forced to play without Giannis.  And man, do the Bucks suck without him.

Giannis is arguably the best player in the NBA (depending on the construction of your team), who's style could mesh with any roster.  Every team these days prefer the fast, semi-organized style, and it's like Giannis was built for these times.  And sorry if I can't spell his last name type shit.

The point being made, going back to the acquisition of Turner, is that if Milwaukee does give dude up, you know, we don't want to hear no rebuild type shit.  Giannis is a generational talent, so wheover they get back in return, unless he's traded for draft picks, needs to make an immediate impact.  Meanwhile, the prevailing word on the streets is that he will in fact be traded for draft picks.  So once again, it's a sad day in the career of Myles Turner, as far as the potential of him finally winning a ring is concerned.  And that's why sometimes, you know what I'm saying?  Stick to the rivers and lakes that you're used to.

8.  INDIANA PACERS (13-36)

The thing about the Pacers, yes, record-wise these dudes suck ass and arguably deserve to top the Power Stinkings.  But last season, when they made the deadass Finals, their core consisted of Siakim, Turner and Haliburton.  Tyrese is hurt, and Myles bounced as a free agent.  And the point being made is that would you expect any team, after losing two of their three best players yet getting nothing in return, to actually stay competitive?

That answer is definitely no, if you're the 2025-26 Indiana Pacers.  So now it's like, when is it going to be safe to start calling these dudes flukes again?  That playoff run from last season was truly some fairytale shit, never-ever to happen again anytime soon. 

9.  DALLAS MAVERICKS (19-30)

You know a team is lucky (in the Adam Silver-sense of the word) when they suck but still are one of the most must-watch in the league.  And the reason we must watch, dear reader, is because of Cooper Flagg, who finally though not delayedly(?), is coming into his own.  And you have to admit that for a whiteboy, he's relatively entertaining.

But dude won't be a rookie forever, and eventually, to maintain this type of popularity, you have to start winning.  Just as Morant or Williamson.  I know dudes still sell a shitload of jersey, but you know what I mean.

It seems like Dallas' braintrust (as well as the media) finally got incepted, slowly but surely accepting what I've been saying all along, that dude shouldn't be forced to play out of position.  Now, they're even saying that they should rebuilt around him, and why not?

This curent iteration isn't going to win shit, and better to start now before Flagg turns into a Giannis or a diva who demands victory.  I'm also looking forward to Kyrie coming back, but it's very much possible that his style won't mesh with Cooper's.  This is going ot be interesting, because what other team is even willing to pay top dollar for the likes of Davis or Irving these days?

10.  PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS (23-27)

I haven't really been following the Blazers, as it's rare these days I read beyond the headlines, and, you know, they seldom make headlines.  Most recenlty, what I heard is that they've been performing unexpectedly well.  But oh shit, I just checked the standings, and they're on a five-game losing streak.  So I guess it's like back-to-earth in Portlant.

One bit of good news is that they've sent someone, Deni Avidja, to the All-Star Game, like the first Blazer to acheive that accolade since the days of Dame.  And at the very least, it looks like Portland will make the Play-Ins - young, hungry but not quite OKC-ish.

11.  ATLANTA HAWKS (24-27)

Age factors aside, this current iteration of the Hawks being able to get rid of Young and replacing him with McCollum sounds like good business to me.  The only downside is that maybe Trae had more of a lockerroom presence, you know, like morale type shit.  'Hey guys, y'all play better without me, but still, go out there and kick ass'.  But by this point, he was no longer needed on the court, and McCollum is by far one of the better 2-guards in the league.

Whether or not that'll expeditiously translate into winning is another matter.  Team sports can be a funny beast, and sometimes,when dudes are like unexpectedly winning, you need to just leave shit alone rather than making changes.  'Our star player was hurt, but now he's healthy, yet the team is winning without him'.  Then leave his ass on the bench.  Like you see what happened in OKC.

'We just acquired a borderline allstar and need to get him into the mix immediately'.  No you don't, not if niggas is winning.  But that said, I'm totally expecting (or hoping) that this team will mesh post-Trae, and CJ, finally being (on a quality team) in the Eastern Conference, will represent.

12.  CHICAGO BULLS (24-26)

The Bulls started the season as one of the hottest teams in the league, have since come back down to earth big time, and now seem to be sorta balancing out between those two opposites.  I agree that they're one of the squads who should be mnost aggressive in seeking an upgrade, but outside of maybe Josh "the Snub" Giddey and another-maybe Vucevic, like who else does on this roster does other squads really want anyway?  Coby White has made a name for himself, and so has Buzelis, who's but a youngster.  But who's going to trade a top-level superstar for those guys?  Chicago would more realistically be in the Morant (as opposed to Giannis) sweepstakes, though you obviously wouldn't want to force Giddey out of the point.

13.  ORLANDO MAGIC (25-23)

I'm still holding to my contention that the Desmond Bane trade was overrated (by pundits).  Remeber when niggas was like 'oh, the Magic are contenders now. They got Desmond Bane!'  LMAO.  Fuk was you talking about?

Currenlty, they don't appear to be any better than they were the last couple of seasons - perhaps even worse.  And as I've been saying for years, dudes need to focus more on the post, though I guess now, theoretically they're just one player away.  But knowing this braintrust, they'll probably go after a six-foot G rather than the C they need.  And speaking of which, it'd be interesting if Morant could make his way over to reunite with Desmond, though without Orlando losing any of their big three in return.

14.  MIAMI HEAT (27-24)

Even though it's hard at times, I still believe in the Heat and am glad to see that they've established a winning record.  This team has a balanced roster, coupled with an exceptional brainstrust and winning culture, so sky's the limit.  

15.  LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (23-25)

Let me repeat that Kawhi Leonard is one of the best players in NBA history.  He'll make the Hall of Fame and all that kinda shit, but the reason Kawhi is not recognized for how great he truly is is due to personality and familial issues.

That said, don't sleep on the Clippers.  Since the onset of the season they got rid of some dead weight (no offense to anyone), which they could afford since the roster was overstacked to begin with.

I'm also happy to hear that John Collins, one of the most undervalued players in the league, has apparently found his fit next to Leonard and the Beard.  Speaking of which, I honestly thought that Harden would be washed up by now.  But I guess it's more like, you know, he's one of those chucks who just needs the right supporting cast.

If I Could Send One Player to Any Team (Southeast Division)

ATLANTA HAWKS (40-42) - BOL BOL

The Hawks have actually had one of the better braintrusts over the past few years, thoughyou wouldn't know it by their performance.  That team they sent to the ECF some seasons ago was poised to become the Thunder of the East but was derailed by internal conflict or whatever.  And even as far as trading Doncic for Trae, yes, Luka is a better all-around player, but Young may be preferable given certain types of roster construction.

On that latter note, for awhile I've been saying that Atlanta needs to build a team of lengthy, athletic, speedy players around Trae, and it appears that they've finally been incepted.  I've also been saying for some time that Porzingis is one of the best players in teh league, an all-time great even, if not for those damn injuries.  He recently announced that health-wise, he's feeling a lot better than he did last season.  But given his injury history, you can't take Kristaps' presence for granted.

So, I have to once again go with Bol Bol, a player who seemingly fits into the mold the ATL is constructing of versatile ballers who are quick enough to keep up with Young.  Part of me doesn't quite understand why Bol hasn't gotten more love in his career, considering that he's sort of a phenom.

I can also envision Kuminga on this roster.  But now, Jonathan is experiencing the downside of being a young, exceptional yet disgruntled player, i.e. being worth tens of millions, but the teams you may want to go to not being in a position to afford you.

CHARLOTTE HORNETS (19-63) - MO BAMBA

30 teams is a lot, i.e. it being almost impossible to follow them all, and the Hornets are one of the organizations that tends to get lost in the sauce.  And speaking of injured greats, on paper they have arguably the best young G core in the NBA.  But the star of show, LaMelo Ball, is a walking injury report, though at least now they've acquired ample backup at the point.

None of the true bigs on Charlotte's roster appear to be overly-impressive, so I'm about to go with another seemingly-forgotten one, Mo Bamba.  Again, I can't follow the entire NBA and even then wouldn't be privy to what goes on behind the scenes.  But his is a career trajectory that baffles me, i.e. why he hasn't afforded more minutes, though I would presume it has something to do with offensive limitations.  But being surrounded by guys like Ball, Sexton, Miller and Bridges, it isn't likely that any C the Hornets employ is going to be called upon to do a lot of shooting anyway.  So Bamba would be strictly a defensive addition, a player of the likes this team obviously needs.

MIAMI HEAT (37-45) - RUSSELL WESTBROOK

The Heat are going to be one of the top teams in the East next season - remember you heard it here first.  They have arguably the most-balanced roster in the conference, besides a winning, overachieving culture.  I wouldn't be totally surprised if they take the EC altogether, though that probably isn't likely given the regularity of injuries these days, coupled with their roster not being terribly deep.

I'm going with Russell Westbrook for a couple of reasons.  First of all, he can play any G position.  Second, he's one of the few PGs who can match, nay, surpass the defensive intensity of Davion Mitchell.  And these days, being able to defend the perimeter is even more important (against most teams) than locking down the post.

The ScapeGOAT is the most-polarizing NBA star of the early 21st century.  No one can deny his talent, and he remains more athletic, in his mid-to-late 30s, then 90% of the guys in the league.  I thought the structure of Denver would benefit him, and it did in a way, but in crunchtime they went with Christian Braun over Westbrook, one of the dumbest and most-insulting playoffs decisions I've ever seen.  Well, Miami also has that kind of structure that can capitalize on Russell's gifts without letting him go Hulk and destroy everything in his path.

ORLANDO MAGIC (41-41) - JONATHAN KUMINGA

The Magic remind me of the Mavericks from a couple of years back.  Their braintrust is so obsessed with perimeter players that they neglect their post needs.  I get it that players like Banchero and Wagner are, in actuality, pretty damn tall.  But they play like Gs, and Orlando's post presence of the Paolo era, from what I've observed, is virtually nonexistent.

I'm tempted to once again bigup Mo Bamba, but he actually had the best season of his career with the Magic a few years back, and they still let him go, so obviously he isn't the one.  Al Horford is another tempting prospect but may be too slow to keep up with Franz and the boys.  There's also Bol, who likewise had his best season with the Magic, but they decided not to retain his services.  Again, little to no respect for actual bigs.  And as for Jonathan Isaac, he's like the black Kristaps Porzingis(?).

So I'm gonna shift more to the fantasy side and go with Jonathan Kuminga.  He wouldn't be a perfect fit, as he's also been trained, despite being dumb tall, to play more like a G.  But he's more athletic than any of Orlando's current players and though not particularly a post player knows how to crash the board.  In hindsight, the Magic prolly should have made a play on DeAndre Ayton during the brief window he was available.

WASHINGTON WIZARDS (18-64) - JOSH GIDDEY

The Wizards suck so bad that despite representing the nation's capital, they're more or less irrelevant.  But at least now, it appears they have sort of a plan or structure.  There's other young teams out there that could really benefit from the presence of a player like Khris Middleton or C.J. McCollum.  So what Washington really needs right now is one of their young prospects to emerge as a star, and then everything should start falling into place.

I'm going with Josh Giddey because besides being an (restricted) free agent, he more or less averages a triple-double.  And whereas I have absolutely no idea who the starting PG on Washington is supposed to be (McCollum?), I would venture to say that this is a team that could use a pass-first general who can also score and rebound.  C.J. may end up running the point, but all things considered he'd probably better serve at the 2.

If this season also proves to be an utter disappointment, I think the Wizards should just give up on the youth movement.  The powers-that-be don't favor them in the draft, and their braintrust isn't particularly known for finding diamonds in the rough.  They'd probably be better off having McCollum + Middleton (+ Giddey?) serve as their foundation rather than any of these younger dudes.  But again, some of the youth have to shine so that at the very least they can be used as trade chips, probably being better served in terms of development with other organizations anyway.

Reflections on Dame

Dame recently made some comments concerning his situation with the Blazers that now has me sorta advocating the idea of him bouncing.  Those statements were very ambiguous - one may even say a bit confusing.  But reading in between the lines and based on what has been going on between him and Portland for the past couple of years, I take it that what he's saying is that the Blazers aren't really interested in winning a championship anytime soon, while he, as an aging superstar, is.  And while before I made fun of a person whining about not winning a championship while making $40mil a year - you know, being paid like a champion but then complaining because you aren't officially one - I can now appreciate how such may bother Lillard, as he's already accomplished just about everything else in his profession.

The Blazers more or less made it clear they're not chasing a championship by drafting Scoot "Shadamn" Henderson.  I was recently peeping a documentary with Scoot in it and instantly took a liking to him.  He's literally like a boy in a man's body.  But I also believe that he may be a tad overrated.  And for the most part I don't particularly believe in banking on a player's athleticism, since it can be the most fickle of all their attributes.

But anyway, Scoot came into this year's draft more popular than a lot of players already in the NBA and as one of those types of prospects that many people believe really will be great, maybe even greater than Dame.  That means that the Blazers could have traded him for a quality veteran or two, one that's more prepared to help Lillard chase a championship this season.  But instead, drafting Henderson feels more like they are already looking to the future, post-Lillard, even though, you know what I'm saying?  Who knows what a backcourt of a Hall of Fame vet alongside a young stud may look like.

Portland's braintrust is pretty good, perhaps you can even say above-average, but they're not like uber-smart.  For instance, I still can't figure out why exactly they traded CJ McCollum.  I also have yet to surmise why the Blazers are so doggedly loyal to Jusuf Nurkić.  Nurkic is an above-average center, but he never particularly messed well with Dame (or Dame + McCollum).  So I was thinking if anything, he would have been the one who Portland traded, like a long, long time ago.

I started writing this post a couple of days ago, and since then Nurkic's name has come up in trade talks.  But as a further illustration of the notion that the Blazers don't really know WTF they're doing, as theorized they're looking to get rid of Jusuf after Lillard leaves.  Why not before?  If they're thinking about trading him for DeAndre Ayton, then why not make the trade now, whereas then at least the world, including Lillard, can entertain the prospect of a Dame + Scoot + Ayton lineup?  If Henderson really is all he's cracked up to be, then with the right type of role players, that looks like a contender right there or at least a viable attempt on the part of Portland to contend without beating a dead horse.  I'm now starting to think that Lillard himself has probably told the Blazers that he wouldn't want to play for them without Jusuf also being on the roster, which is why they have kept the latter around for this long.

The thing I'm really upset about though is that if Dame leaves and Shadamn doesn't prove to be the phenom many people are predicting him as, then why even watch the Blazers this coming season?  The NBA shouldn't devolve into a league where the only compelling teams are a handful of contenders.  You have, say, 10-20 players in the NBA who are must see, and then you have them all concentrated on like 5-6 teams.  That's what will likely happen if Lillard goes to the Heat.  Miami will even more interesting than they were last season, while Portland will be relying on an unproven rookie to sell tickets.  And you know, in all due respect, it ain't like dude is a Shaq and shit.

CONCLUSION

Dame's recent comments makes it sound like the Blazers have betrayed his trust, his feelings are hurt, and there won't be any kiss-and-makeup anytime soon.  Now that Bradley Beal has bounced on the Wizards, Lillard is the longest-tenured superstar in terms of being stuck on what is apparently a non-contending team.  I personally do not believe he's really that upset with the Blazers but just don't want to hear that BS like he ain't loyal.  And all things considered, he has earned the right to demand to go wherever he wants.  Oh well.  If Dame does get his wish and the Blazers don't make any powermoves ASAP in the name of trying to convince him to stay, then there probably won't be much reason to watch them play next season.  The one good thing about keeping Nurkic around is that now, European centers have perhaps a higher trade value than ever.

Shoutout to Damian Lillard

Unfortunately, Damian Lillard has now entered the ranks of the perpetually-injured.

I'll admit that a few years back, I was kinda turned off by Damian Lillard after he threw a sissyfit due to not (initially) being selected for the 2015 All-Star Game.  But in the years that followed, no one in their right mind would deny that Dame is one of the top scorers in the NBA.  And relatedly, the Portland Trailblazers have remained one of the most competitive teams throughout the latter part of the 2010s, even after LaMarcus Aldridge, in what some would deem his own sissy move, bounced on the team in 2015.  And it's like no Western Conference squad would actually want to go up against Dame and CJ McCollum in the Playoffs, regardless of what the Portland may be.  And the Trailblazers did go to the Western Conference Finals in 2019, albeit getting swept by the Warriors.

And that last fact is important to keep in mind because, even if the Blazers can prove to be a threat on any given night, they have never actually been contenders since the days of Clyde Drexler.  The 'what if' in this situation is what if LaMarcus Aldridge had stuck around long enough to witness CJ McCollum blossom into a borderline All-Star?   But considering that CJ didn't start averaging 20-ish points until LaMarcus left, it can be theorized that Aldridge's presence was stifling him.

Yes, as LaMarcus himself has attested to, it would have been quite spectacular to witness him, Dame and an All-Star level McCollum all on the same squad.  But even now it's not like the Blazers, currently with a 14 and 23 record, have a garbage roster.  As implied earlier, the braintrust of this organization has done an excellent job in terms of keeping them competitive.  But the bottom line is that they're just not good enough to reach the promised land.  And even if Aldridge had stuck around til McCollum blossomed, they still may not have been good enough.

And that is the main reason why I am compelled to write this ode to Damian Lillard.  He is unanimously one of the most-popular and entertaining-to-watch players in the NBA.  However unlike others who fall into that category, he has never demanded a trade or, to my knowledge, threatened to leave the Blazers.  And yes, the same can be said for Steph Curry.  But the difference between the two is that Steph is on a team which has consistently contended throughout the last few years.

CONCLUSION

And the second reason I wanted to write this post is because I more or less believe that Damian Lillard's career is over.  He may come back from his current spell of injuries and score a gazillion points here and there - that's not really anything as far as he's concerned.  But it is obvious that Dame's heyday is behind him.  And true to his word he stayed faithful to the Blazers throughout, bucking the trend of superteaming that his superstar contemporaries are following.

So as it currently stands, the idea of Damian Lillard leading a team to a championship is unrealistic.  Him even playing a prominent role on a squad that goes on to win a championship may be unrealistic for now considering his high salary, i.e. the healthy players an actual contending team would need to give up in order to accommodate Dame.  Well, I just remembered that Ben Simmons is still on the market.  And if the Blazers accepted a Simmons for Lillard trade now, as was being rumored for awhile, theoretically Dame can win a championship with the Sixers since they're already borderline contenders without him.

But I digress.  And in his day and age, being a superstar like Damian Lillard who sticks with a team that never even really got that close to making the Finals throughout his nearly decade-long tenure is a level of commitment that deserves to be applauded.  And these days it's rare to come across star athletes who display admirable internal attributes, like continued loyalty to a mediocre team.

Reflections on Simmons

I feel that the NBA is a lesser league as this entire season it has been devoid of four of its biggest stars - Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving, Zion Williamson and Ben Simmons - not to mention Klay Thompson also.  Earlier, I felt that Simmons should either get over his emotions, be a professional and suit up or, somewhat akin to Kyrie, quit the NBA altogether.  But unlike the other players mentioned above, as time progresses Simmons' absence is actually becoming more intriguing.

The greatest factor in this equation is the fact that the 76ers have thus far proven respectfully-competitive even without him.  Back when Simmons was actually playing, I personally considered both Tyrese Maxey and Shake Milton as PGs reminiscent of Terry Rozier when he was in Boston, i.e. clearly deserving more playing/starting time but being limited due to an established All-Star preceding them on the roster.  And this current season that belief has proven correct, especially as far as Maxey is concerned.  No, the Sixers are not better without Ben.  But the fact that they have remained competitive regardless means that any trade they make is going to upgrade their current roster, hopefully even putting them into contention status.

And that's where the current Simmons' debacle really becomes interesting.  The earlier trade scenarios that were being reported were not overly inspiring.  Recently other sites have come to realize, as I did months ago, that Ben Simmons for CJ McCollum would be a fair trade.  But again, that was months ago.  Since then Dame, the ultimate NBA chuckwagon, seems to have geared down a level or two.  Also, let's just say that CJ himself hasn't responded particularly well when his name finally did come up in Simmons' trade rumors.  But now Indiana has also entered the mix, and it's like oh my goodness.

According to reports, the Pacers have put three quality players on the trade block.  Honestly I don't know much about Caris LaVert besides the fact that, when healthy, he has more or less overachieved  in the NBA.  And as for Myles Turner, I'm currently envisioning him, by some miracle of basketball fate, ending up in Charlotte and instantly thrusting the team into contention status.  But Domantas Sabonis on the Sixers?

Despite being overachievers themselves, without Simmons in the picture, Philadelphia's guard rotation does leave something to be desired.  So ideally, any trade involving Ben would return a high-level guard(s).  But imagine a frontcourt of Tobias Harris (SF), Joel Embiid (C) and Domantas Sabonis (PF).  With a lineup like that, even if little guys like Maxey, Curry and Milton are holding down the backcourt, it doesn't even matter.  That frontline, under my estimation, would even be more formidable than the current iteration of Lebron-AD.

CONCLUSION

So basically things breakdown like this.  Since Ben Simmons hasn't actually played this season and the Sixers are good without him, then it's like anything they get in return from a trade is basically a free upgrade.  So if they are actually able to land even one player that places them back into championship contention, then it's pull the trigger. 

Up until now, no such player was actually made available.  But if Indiana would actually be down for trading Sabonis for Simmons, I don't see, based on my limited knowledge, why Philly wouldn't agree to do so.