Tag / trade deadline

by Alex Fischbein

Ben Simmons Returns Again! | TAF303

On episode 303 of The Atlantic Files, Ben Simmons finally returns to the court again after more issues with his back, Joel Embiid misses another game against Nikola Jokic in Denver, the Los Angeles Lakers are getting extreme favoritism from the refs, and the Golden State Warriors look at potential trade targets to get themselves back into title contention.

Ben Simmons has finally returned from his back issues and played his first game since November. He is on a minutes restriction but he still almost posted a triple-double against the Utah Jazz. How long will he remain on the court for the rest of the season and will his back issues keep him off of the court for most of his career?

Joel Embiid put on a masterclass in the first of two matchups against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. He was set to play in the rematch that took place in Denver but then was surprisingly downgraded to questionable and eventually was sidelined. He hasn’t played in Denver since 2019, so now fans think he’s scared and ducking Jokic. What happened to the regular season not meaning anything?

A stat has been found that proves the Los Angeles Lakers shoot the most free throws out of any team in the NBA. Not only that, but they have the biggest difference in total free throw attempts compared to their opponents. Something seems a bit fishy here, but the Lakers aren’t even turning it into wins. So, should we all be mad about it?

Finally, the Golden State Warriors are trying to salvage something out of this season after they found themselves in 12th place in the West after half of the season has gone by. The question is who they should be trading away and if it’s worth trading for what’s out there right now. We dive into some options they have and whether or not they should even mortgage their future before the trade deadline.

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:45 WWE Royal Rumble thoughts
00:15:09 Ben Simmons first game back against Utah Jazz
00:29:46 Golden State Warriors trade targets before the deadline
00:40:59 Is Joel Embiid ducking Nikola Jokic
00:46:25 Lakers getting way more Free Throws
00:54:21 Outro and final thoughts

James Harden, Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, trade
by Alex Fischbein

James Harden for Ben Simmons happened | The Atlantic Files Ep214

On this week’s episode of the Atlantic Files, we talk about the trade deadline deals for all teams, but especially the huge trade that sent James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and picks. The NBA trade deadline was a whirlwind for sure! As a side note, we live streamed this episode to YouTube for anyone who prefers their podcasts in the video realm.

Everyone knows the big news that we had to address right off the bat. James Harden, as well as Paul Millsap, are on the way to Philadelphia to give Joel Embiid and company the help that they so desperately needed to become true title contenders. Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two first-round picks are on the way to Brooklyn in return. This deal seems to work out very well for both sides as it addresses weaknesses on both sides.

The big debate now is whether or not James Harden can return to true Harden form and help co-lead a team on a deep playoff run. He’s bounced around a lot lately and has shown some big signs of regression. Can he turn it back on?

On the other side, Ben Simmons now has to show how mentally tough he truly can be. If he can’t get over the mental hump, then Brooklyn might have done all of this for nothing. If he does return to his best form though, the Nets could be a very scary team for years to come.

Moving past the big trade, there were a lot of smaller trades that did change the face and future of a lot of teams. Domas Sabonis went to Sacramento in return for Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield. The Pacers rebuild is in full effect and they got themselves an amazing starting piece in Haliburton. Could this push the Kings to the playoffs though? A duo of De’Aaron Fox and Sabonis looks quite great on paper.

The Boston Celtics also made a series of little moves to eventually make the move that brings Derrick White to Boston. They cleared some money, they brought back Daniel Theis, but White is the big name for them this time around. Finally, a guy that can both score and plays defense as a third option and can also be a nice sixth man if need be.

We talk about these trades and much more on the latest episode!

Timecodes:
0:00 – Intro
0:49 – James Harden for Ben Simmons trade reactions
33:59 – Domantas Sabonis traded to Sacramento for Tyrese Haliburton
43:29 – Milwaukee Bucks land Serge Ibaka
48:59 – Boston Celtics trade for Derrick White
50:38 – Goran Dragic traded for Thad Young
51:39 – New Orleans Pelicans trade for CJ McCollum
56:34 – Montrezzl Harrell heads to Charlotte
57:24 – Dallas Mavericks trade Kristaps Porzingis for Spencer Dinwiddie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAmo2t_gnD4