Daryl Morey has zero interest in Ben Simmons-Russell Westbrook swap
But we forget sometimes that executives are ultra-competitive in their professions as well, and it’s safe to say Morey has no interest in executing a bad deal because of pressure ever again. As an aside, sources say that’s also the reason the Sixers have zero interest in the prospect of swapping Simmons for Westbrook now and alleviating the Lakers’ fit concerns with their superstar trio.
Source: Sam Amick @ The Athletic
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Wednesday’s @LockedOnLakers podcast! We discuss Frank Vogel’s comments about Russell Westbrook’s role and make predictions for the second half of the season. #FirstListen @LockedOnNetwork @LockedOnNBAPods
Subscribe. Rate. Enjoy. Thx.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fra… – 11:41 AM
Sam Amick @sam_amick
A Ben Simmons analysis and updated breakdown of every team that’s known to be in the running (per @Shams Charania), at @TheAthletic…
* Sacramento, Atlanta, Minnesota, Indiana, Portland
* The Sixers outlook
(assist from @ Jon Krawczynski)
theathletic.com/3066096/2022/0… – 11:22 AM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
NEW @TheCrossover Pod w/@Howard Beck: Early returns on Klay, Tatum/Brown in Boston, a potential shakeup in Atlanta, latest intel on Ben Simmons, more. Links: bit.ly/2w1G5e2 – 9:00 AM
Kane Pitman @KanePitman
For @ESPNAusNZ: For all the negative Ben Simmons commentary out there, I asked Matisse Thybulle to break down what it’s like on the floor without the all-world defensive talent.
PODCAST 🎙️: https://t.co/Kq9wXSRYsy
FEATURE 📝: https://t.co/VKpZUrNw22 pic.twitter.com/BxanKYWKr5 – 11:49 PM
Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
Tuesday Newsletter Extravaganza that details the Revenge of the G Leaguers: marcstein.substack.com/p/revenge-of-t…
Monday column with my Ben Simmons latest: marcstein.substack.com/p/more-on-the-… – 10:57 PM
Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBA
New pod with @Chris Vernon on Klay’s return, the hot Raptors, latest on Ben Simmons and much more: open.spotify.com/episode/08Mf3T… – 5:40 PM
Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Carmelo on if LeBron talked to him about playing with Russell Westbrook before the trade was made: “No, we never had that. We never had that conversation.” – 5:31 PM
Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Frank Vogel thinks Russell Westbrook has “really made some progress” with LeBron James playing more of a center role. – 5:01 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Russell Westbrook had minor cold-like symptoms this morning, and as a result, did not practice.
He tested negative for COVID-19, and is set to meet the team at the airport ahead of today’s flight to Sacramento. – 4:58 PM
Dave McMenamin @mcten
Russell Westbrook missed Tuesday’s practice because of minor cold-like symptoms, according to a Lakers spokesman. Westbrook tested negative for COVID-19 and will meet the team at the airport for their flight to Sacramento. – 4:57 PM
Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
The Tuesday Newsletter Extravaganza will be out soon … and here is Monday’s column with my Ben Simmons Latest in the interim: marcstein.substack.com/p/more-on-the-… – 4:37 PM
The Ringer @ringernba
🏀 Real contenders in the West
🏀 Fred VanVleet: All-Star
🏀 The Ben Simmons trade machine
#TheMismatch with @Chris Vernon and @Kevin O’Connor: open.spotify.com/episode/08Mf3T… – 4:05 PM
Bob Garcia @bgarciaivsports
Russell Westbrook might have just delivered an unwise subtle shot at LeBron James.
#Lakers #Lakeshow #NBA
sportscasting.com/russell-westbr… – 1:50 PM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
Mailbag! Klay’s return, the Tatum/Brown pairing in Boston, latest with Ben Simmons, Becky Hammon’s chances for a San Antonio return, more. si.com/nba/2022/01/11… – 12:40 PM
Jake Fischer @JakeLFischer
We’re back on @thehalftimeapp today from 4-5ET, talking Klay’s return, the latest on Ben Simmons, Myles Turner, Boston’s wings, and trade possibilities for the 2019 draft class.
Download to join us here: thehalftime.app/audio/A-c94aa6… – 12:01 PM
Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Domantas Sabonis last night:
✅ 11 PTS
✅ 23 REB
✅ 10 AST
It’s the second time Sabonis has recorded at least 10p/20r/10a in a game this season.
The only other players to record two such games in a season since the ABA-NBA merger are DeMarcus Cousins and Russell Westbrook. pic.twitter.com/li9vVRlaJf – 9:11 AM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
For the sickos who like to watch, Monday’s @LockedOnLakers podcast, YouTube version. Among the talking points, Russell Westbrook’s recent moodiness after games, and what it could mean moving forward. @LockedOnNetwork @LockedOnNBAPods
youtu.be/HxtHDI5qXWE?t=… – 8:21 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
L.A.’s most-used starting lineup this season is already the current group of Westbrook, Bradley, Monk, Johnson (on 2nd 10-day deal) and LeBron, at 59 minutes.
To compare, Utah’s starters have played an NBA-high 446 minutes together; Phoenix, 396; and GSW (sans Klay) 347. – 7:29 PM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
The #Sixers will be without starting guards Tyrese Maxey (COVID) and Seth Curry (left ankle) and backup point guard (Shake Milton) tonight vs. the #Rockets Ben Simmons (personal reasons), Paul Reed (COVID), Jaden Springer (non-COVID illness) are also out. – 7:11 PM
Eric Pincus @EricPincus
Latest @BleacherReport NBA Rumors Binge: A Desperate Ben Simmons Suitor + How Lakers Can Keep Monk – let’s steer into the skid, details on what would hard cap the Lakers included in the article… bleacherreport.com/articles/29523… – 5:15 PM
Bob Garcia @bgarciaivsports
As Russell Westbrook struggles to find his way with the #Lakers, could he be on the move before the Feb. 10 trade deadline?
#NBA #LakeShow
sportscasting.com/could-lakers-t… – 4:02 PM
Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
The Hawks have popped up in connection to Ben Simmons multiple times over the last week, so I took a look at their fit as a potential Sixers trade partner phillyvoice.com/sixers-nba-tra… – 2:38 PM
Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
📅 On this day in 2019, the @Oklahoma City Thunder‘s Russell Westbrook tied the NBA record for most assists by a player with a triple double:
✅ 24 PTS
✅ 13 REB
✅ 24 AST
Westbrook shares the record with Isiah Thomas (Feb. 7, 1985), Rajon Rondo (Oct. 29, 2010), and himself (May 3, 2021). pic.twitter.com/e0JUiRtM3j – 2:01 PM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Monday’s @LockedOnLakers podcast! We discuss the Lakers getting rolled by the Grizzlies, what to make of the previous four-game win streak, Westbrook’s postgame mood, and more. #FirstListen @LockedOnNetwork @LockedOnNBAPods
Subscribe. Rate. Enjoy. Thx.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leb… – 12:09 PM
Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
The NBA Trade Deadline is exactly one month away. So let’s start the new week like we ended last week: With more reporting and analysis of the Ben Simmons situation in Philadelphia.
Monday column: marcstein.substack.com/p/more-on-the-… – 11:28 AM
Jon Hamm @JonMHamm
I’m generally pretty skeptical of any trade rumors that get reported, but I trust absolutely zero Ben Simmons rumors. – 11:09 AM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Russell Westbrook had at least one turnover in 407 straight games. That streak ended Tuesday.
He did it again tonight. He’s now had zero turnovers in two of his past three games.
He’s shot 9-of-31 from the field in those two games.
I don’t know what the hell this means either. – 11:53 PM
David Hardisty @clutchfans
LeBron James and James Harden are two of the highest hoops IQ players in the game. I will never understand how both of them independently decided to play GM and trade for Russell Westbrook. – 11:29 PM
Brad Turner @BA_Turner
Lakers starting backcourt of Russell Westbrook and Avery Bradley are a combined 4-for-21 from the field here in third quarter. – 11:08 PM
Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
the 22-14-14 Triple-double for Luka was the first (20-14-14) TD this season. It is the 5th of Luka’s career. Only Oscar (28), Westbrook (13), Wilt (10), and Magic (6) have more such games in their career. – 11:07 PM
Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Russell Westbrook shot 51% from the field between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
He’s shot 38.3% since Christmas.
The timeline meme is really getting tested lately, though obviously these are small and arbitrary samples. – 10:48 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Monk’s 1 for 8, Bradley 1 for 8, Westbrook 1 for 7 as LAL’s starters outside of LeBron (9 for 13) just can’t find a shot that will go down.
Memphis, meanwhile, has been very efficient, at 55.6% as a team and 64.3% from 3.
Grizz lead 62-50. – 10:31 PM
Matthew Tynan @Matthew_Tynan
Honestly surreal it’s been 941 days since Klay last played. Russell Westbrook has played for three different teams during that span lol – 8:42 PM
Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
“If I’m a Philadelphia fan, I’d be pissed.”
@TheNBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts tells @Rick Kamla and @adaniels33 she would like the Sixers to do more to resolve the Ben Simmons situation. pic.twitter.com/x3bN1avBL3 – 7:25 PM
Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler
#Texans Eric Murray just ran into the intended receiver McRath, negating the Lonnie Johnson interception. Not real strong awareness. Tannehill to Westbrook-Ikhine on the next play, Titans up 3 touchdowns. – 2:27 PM
Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler
Really nice 3rd down throw from Tannehill to Westbrook-Ikhine, he hauls it in and avoids Eric Murray’s hit – Murray ends up hitting Kirksey who was in coverage. #Titans #Texans – 1:28 PM
More on this storyline
The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported this week that the Lakers have had internal discussions about possibly trading Russell Westbrook, but according to my sources around the NBA, the appetite for that player making $44 million this season and $47 million the next is very low. -via Los Angeles Times / January 7, 2022
All of which explains why sources say the Lakers showed some covert interest in discussing a possible Westbrook trade with rival executives earlier this season. A deal appears extremely unlikely before the Feb. 15 trade deadline, if only because his deal that was once seen by so many as untradeable is such a massive obstacle. But inside the Lakers, it seems, there is some recognition that this hasn’t gone as (James and Davis had) planned -via The Athletic / January 5, 2022
Jake Fischer: The only outgoing call I confirmed was to Philadelphia for Ben Simmons… When I got the information that they called about Ben, the conversation pretty much was, “We’re interested in Ben. How would we get there?” The obvious solution is Russell Westbrook. He’s not a player on that Sixers list that they have. -via HoopsHype / December 15, 2021
