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thegeekyzoologist · 3 years

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My opinion on Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous (SPOILERS)

Like many people interested in the Jurassic franchise, I binge-watched that show back in september and here are my thoughts. First of all, I precise that I had no expectations for the series as the combo Jurassic World + kid show didn’t attracted me at all, and the trailers have done nothing but confirm my fears.

Let’s start by the positive: - Amidst the cringefest that the first episodes were, the scenes with Darius back home stand out from the rest by their quality as they are centred more on drama and character development and not on clumsy comedy like the scenes on Nublar. The idea of getting an access to Jurassic World and Camp Cretaceous as a reward for beating that virtual reality game reminded me the recruitment of Eli Wallace by the SGC at the very beginning of Stargate Universe. - Starting from the beginning of the season’s second half, the series gets better and a little more mature in its unfolding and writing, up to the point where it doesn’t seem targeted for young children but rather young teens. Some dumb scenes remain however (like the one of the geneticist Eddie, abandoned in the lab with the sole company of his birthday cake). - There is a few action and suspenseful scenes that aren’t bad in the second half with, among other things, a hide-and-seek game with the Indominus amidst the containers, a part in the tunnels that can remind some people of Telltale’s game, a monorail attack by the pteranodons which should have deserved a live-action treatment, and a climax in a storage area where the protagonists have to use their wits in order to defeat the carnotaur and escape from the underground network. On the matter of the carnotaur, one can note a nice paleontological reference with its difficulty to turn when it is chasing prey. - Of all of the characters, Roxie is the most realistic, responsible and reasonable one (and the only tolerable one in the first episodes). And let’s bring now the negative aspects: - On the matter of the original soundtrack, I don’t remember any of the original themes sadly. As I had the same problem when I viewed The Witcher though (I didn’t liked its first season but I rather well appreciated its soundtrack following a separated listening), I will wait for the release of the soundtrack before criticizing it further. - The first episodes are a total farce with a succession of all kinds of nonsenses with the bunch of stereotypical buffoons that the kids are that are involved in stupid acts by the night of their first day, acts that fall under Reversed Darwinism (the survival of the most idiotic like Grant would say in Jurassic Park 3) and that gave me the desire to give some slaps and send those Kennys to a firing squad (for the crimes of property destruction and, above all, endangering dinosaurs and employees); the infringements during the activities of hygiene and security rules that are applied in many theme parks and laboratories around the world (with the kids wandering around in the lab and touching to everything in a total dissidence; running down a zipline and brushing past brachiosaurs...); the counsellor Dave which talks to Wu like if he was an old pal of his while Wu is one of the highest corporate executive around and someone famous and respected in-universe; Wu being depicted with the subtlety of a fat beer-drunk sea lion (with his mannerisms and attitude worthy of a James Bond villain, we know right away that he is bad); cartoony action scenes (I mean bloody hell. Look at that Parasaurolophus that jumps off the jeep’s roof like he was a fookin’ kangaroo while the jeep itself wasn’t miraculously crushed under the hadrosaur’s weight); the employees and the park’s security being shitty (one enter so easily in the underground network that Biosyn could organise rave parties there right under InGen’s nose; Darius and Kenji being left with no supervision in the middle of the jungle while they are supposed to shovel shit as a punishment); the dinosaurs that passes too as incompetent for failing to kill the kids while such situations in real-life or in the first films would have unforgiving or barely forgiving but only at a certain cost. - Despite the ordeals they are going through, the kids seems to be never traumatised or at least shaken like the Murphys, Kelly Malcolm or Maisie were respectively in JP, TLW and FK since here, they seems to be in shock for a moment or two before starting again to squabble or quipping once they are away from danger. - At the end of the monorail attack scene, I thought that the writers had the balls to kill off Ben and I would have tipped my hat to this narrative decision and give more credit to this kid show if we didn’t had the reveal at the end that he was still alive. At the end, we just got another Billy Brennan situation. - Bumby is useless in this season, aside from encouraging toy sales and being the show’s cute caution and still, it’s relative as her closeups along with Brooklynn’s rapy face in episode 2 have scared me more than the predators’ attacks in the season’s second half. And her growth rate is so fucked up as she hatch in episode 2 before reappearing in episode 5 I think which is supposed to be set two days later, where she is already the size of a bulldog. And the scene where she cries while the kids are being kicked off the lab (for understandable reasons) is so ridiculous... - Aside from in the action and suspenseful scenes mentioned above in the positive aspects, the use and depicting of dinosaurs is either anecdotal, either WTF with the Sinoceratops being almost as gentle as a lamb (try to do with a hippo or a rhino what the Kennys did with the sino, I wouldn’t mind some funny antics...). I’m not a fan of the bioluminescent Parasaurolophus and their scene either. It seems like they wanted to copy the Na’vi River Journey’s attraction from Animal Kingdom in Orlando, with semi-aquatic parasaurs worthy of some outdated depictions from the last century. - Visually speaking, the universe and the artistic direction are poor. The jungle has the same look everywhere on the island (with trees of average height being relatively spaced from one another while the ground is covered with grass) and its scenery never seem foreboding or ominous while Isla Nublar and Isla Sorna were, in some way, entire characters in the films that sometimes aroused an eerie sense of mystery and danger, at east in the original trilogy and Fallen Kingdom. The park itself is quite empty too, even before the evacuation. There is only scene with a large amount of people and the latter seems to all share the same model and the same animation in addition of being blurred (probably as a camouflage for the lack of budget) and we don’t believe in this world as nothing grand comes out of the visited locations (aside from maybe the eponymous Camp Cretaceous) and that everything seems so bland, with even the employees being of the same corpulence, age group and behaviour except for a few exceptions. - Finally, let’s discuss about the coherence with the Jurassic World film, of which this show is supposed be a canon interquel. Even though if there is several nods to some of the latter’s events (Masrani’s helicopter is seen a couple of times; the Kennys take the ACU’s van; they walk past Zach and Gray’s destroyed gyrosphere and the killed ankylosaur’s body...) as well as other materials of the franchise, including JP3 and Masrani Global website, like if the show wanted to tell us “Hey look! I did my homework!” in order to please the fans. It’s one thing to make references to the rest of the saga and it’s easy actually, but it’s another to use them for something else than just fan-service. Despite all this, Camp Cretaceous has its share of inconsistencies with Jurassic World. I won’t list them all since it wouldn’t be that interesting but among other things, we have the mention of fences falling apart across the entire island while nothing like this happened in JW (it seems they mixed up the JP and JW incidents) or at least not on this scale; the kids visit a lab somewhere north of the park whose existence seems a bit off as the Innovation Center’s lab can do everything that lab does, in addition of housing Wu’s secret lab; the surroundings of the mosasaur lagoon which seems empty by the end of the afternoon while chronologically speaking, the scene is supposed to happen just after the pterosaurs attack (and thus the area should be crawling with employees that are looking for eventual late visitors, or the still running security cameras could have spotted the kids) and why did those foolish Kennys didn’t thought of going to the nearby hotels right after the ordeal with the mosasaur instead of hanging around in the bleachers up until sunset, hotels where a large number of visitors are supposed to be found up until quite late in the night according to the Jurassic World film? Anyway, Camp Cretaceous might have got a kick up the backside halfway through and the quality of the episodes did increased little by little but the whole season stays nevertheless mediocre and the viewing of the series is honestly quite dispensable, especially if you were disappointed by the Jurassic World films. Some will probably tell me that I’m being too hard with a kids show but actually, the fact that it is targeted for kids is no excuse for some flaws like a lack of ambition in the artistic direction, the shitty humour or the wtf scenes. Whether a work is for adults, for all audiences, or for kids, the creative investment and the work quality should stay the same.

#jurassic #jurassicworld #jurassic park #jurassic world camp cretaceous #camp cretaceous

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junker-town · 3 years

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9 Ben Simmons trade packages that might actually make sense for both sides

If the 76ers are really going to trade Ben Simmons soon, we have nine trade packages both sides should consider.

Ben Simmons’ days in Philadelphia have felt numbered ever since his woeful offensive performance contributed to the 76ers’ surprising second round loss to the Atlanta Hawks in 2021 NBA Playoffs. It was painful to watch Simmons at times during the series as he consistently bricked free throws and refused to attempt almost any fourth quarter shot — even a wide open dunk. As the Hawks finished off Philly in six games, head coach Doc Rivers and superstar teammate Joel Embiid essentially threw Simmons under the bus in the final postgame press conference.

The NBA waited for Simmons to be traded all summer, but it never happened. 76ers GM Daryl Morey reportedly asked for the moon for the 25-year-old All-Star, and no team was willing to meet his demands. It was easy to speculate that Morey wanted to hold on to Simmons as long as possible to see if a superstar guard like Damian Lillard would eventually hit the trade market.

Simmons has now taken matters into his own hands. He wants to be traded to a new team, and he’s threatening to hold out of training camp until it happens. With Simmons’ trade request hanging over the start of the season, we came up with nine possible deals and asked the corresponding SB Nation NBA communities how they felt about the proposed trade. These were the parameters for the deals:

I came up with each potential trade. They had to work on ESPN’s trade machine

The SB Nation communities gave their feedback on each deal. Sometimes that meant a thumbs up, sometimes it meant a thumbs down, sometimes it meant a counteroffer.

Every trade includes draft compensation of some kind. Since that’s where most of the negotiation on these deals will take place, we chose to keep it vague rather than come up with specific pick protections.

At the bottom of this story, Paul Hudrick from our 76ers community Liberty Ballers ranked his favorite proposed trade packages.

This was a fun exercise when we did it with James Harden a year ago, but the polarizing nature of Simmons’ game made this an even bigger challenge. As we learned, it isn’t easy to find a deal that satisfies the 76ers’ win-now desires while also making sense for the other side.

Here are nine deals we thought could make sense.

Pacers

Framework of the deal: Malcolm Brogdon and T.J. Warren + a pick for Simmons.

Why it might work: The Pacers finished ninth in the Eastern Conference last year, and their big addition of the offseason was head coach Rick Carlisle. This team is positioned to “win-now” with most of the rotation in its prime, but their ceiling isn’t all that high. Simmons is the type of player a franchise like the Pacers would be unlikely to land in free agency. It could be worth it to cash in a few pieces for a 25-year-old All-Star who is under contract long term, and then figure out the rest of the roster around him later. While the Pacers get a new foundational star, the 76ers get a starting point guard who can shoot and a wing bucket-getter who can immediately help Embiid in the playoffs.

What Indy Cornrows says:

This is so tough because A.) I love what this does for Philadelphia B.) Ben Simmons is the most talented player in the deal, the youngest, and on a long term contract; all things that would behoove the Pacers’ braintrust to make this trade. While I normally am talent over everything, the fit is just so wonky with a frontcourt of Sabonis/Turner/Simmons. If there were a subsequent deal with one of the bigs to bring in more perimeter talent, I think it makes sense, but the team can already struggle in halfcourt or late clock scoring situations. On top of that, Brogdon and Warren are both sub All-Star talents who the Pacers have no real replacement for. Again, it’s wonky, but worth thinking about.

As dynamic and good of a player as Ben is, he isn’t an elite driver at the moment (11.4 drives per 75) and Malcolm Brogdon is (15.2 drives per 75). We don’t talk about the rim finishing. But, in all seriousness, the Pacers would really struggle without Malcolm’s consistent ability to get to the rim. Getting there causes the defense to tilt even if you’re not finishing at an elite rate, so you’re banking a great deal on Ben and Caris LeVert getting to the cup with more consistency.

Simmons and Sabonis operate from similar spaces as high or mid post playmakers using their height and court vision to pick apart a defense. What does that look like with two players who aren’t being respected past the free throw line? Playmaking is probably the most important offensive skill in the league, you can never have enough, but the fit is certainly odd.

I would ultimately be in on this for Indiana, but admit that the team would probably not feel similarly. They view themselves as a win now team, and I think it would require a one step back two steps forward approach trying to restructure a younger team around Simmons after trading two of the three best perimeter options in the organization, while knowing more moves are happening in conjunction here.

If I could, I would counter with something involving the same players, but adding in Tyrese Maxey and a conglomeration of Pacers picks to make that trade worthwhile for the Sixers. Maxey would provide another building block towards a younger team with a brighter future and the Sixers would acquire more draft capital for subsequent moves to tweak the roster. It’s not perfect and I wouldn’t want to part with Maxey if I’m Daryl Morey, but I would certainly try and make it happen. — Mark Schindler

Spurs

Framework of the deal: Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Devin Vassell + a pick for Simmons.

Why it might work: The Spurs finished No. 10 in the Western Conference last year, and lost their best player in free agency when DeMar DeRozan went to the Bulls. San Antonio has collected some solid young pieces in recent years, but no true star. Simmons would immediately become the face of the franchise, and his long-term deal would give the Spurs a few years to try to add talent around him. In return, Philly would get a dynamic offensive guard in White, an awesome defensive wing with shooting ability in Vassell, and a capable point guard in Murray.

What Pounding the Rock says:

Parting with their presumptive starting backcourt, in addition to the promising Vassell, is a hard pill to swallow for a team that’s invested so much in their development. But the Spurs have entered asset acquisition mode this summer for a reason: the roster as constructed probably doesn’t top out as a world-beater. Simmons doesn’t get them all the way there, but he should raise their ceiling and complement many of the remaining pieces’ strengths and weaknesses. — Bruno Passos

Cavaliers

Framework of the deal: Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro, and Ricky Rubio + a pick for Simmons.

Why it might work: The Cavs have been collecting top-five lottery picks ever since LeBron James bounced to LA, but the team is still far away from contention. Evan Mobley could be the face of the franchise moving forward, but it’s hard to tell exactly how good Cleveland’s other young players are. Like the Pacers, Simmons is the type of player the Cavs likely would never get in free agency. A team with Mobley and Simmons could have incredible defensive potential. The Cavs would have a log jam in the front court, but Simmons is under contract long enough for the team to reshape the rest of the roster around him in coming years. The 76ers would get an exciting young point guard in Garland who could be set for a breakout third year. Okoro is an awesome young wing defender who needs to improve offensively, and Rubio could help Philly at point guard right now.

What Fear the Sword says:

Maybe the Cavs do this as a talent play because Ben Simmons is no doubt better than anyone the Cavs currently have. But this is also a tricky deal because Garland is their best young creator and would fit well with Simmons. Okoro, meanwhile, is a standout defender just starting and they got Rubio. Simmons is also a tricky fit with a Evan Mobley-Jarrett Allen frontcourt. In reality, I think the Cavs probably do this because it’s a talent play and they have to take those. But I don’t really know why the 76ers would do this?

I also think the Cavs would want to try and move off of Kevin Love in any trade they make here, but that wouldn’t seem to fit with what the 76ers would want to do here. Simmons to Cleveland might just be too complicated to do unless a third team gets involved. — Chris Manning

Trail Blazers

Framework of the deal: C.J. McCollum and Robert Covington + a pick for Simmons and Thybulle.

Why it might work: The Sixers might dream of trading Simmons for Lillard, but it’s possible his backcourt mate is the best they can do right now. The 30-year-old McCollum would give the team a new lead guard in the backcourt who can score from all three levels and pairs well with Embiid. Covington is already a fan favorite for starting his career in Philly. Losing Thybulle in this might be a tough for the Sixers, but seems necessary for the contracts to match. From Portland’s perspective, an all-in move for Simmons could keep Lillard around long-term and give the Blazers the defensive stopper they’ve been missing.

What Blazer’s Edge says:

For the trade in question, the BE staff would accept that trade. Our only counter would be to make this trade less noisy. Let’s remove all the additional pieces and make this a straight CJ-for-Ben swap.

Simmons might not love the idea of Portland, but Klutch would unite one of their marquee players when one of their top coaching clients. With Larry Nance Jr. and Simmons in the fold, the Blazers’ defense would finally have the tools to compete with true contenders. — Steven Dewald

Grizzlies

Framework of the deal: Steven Adams, Dillon Brooks, and DeAnthony Melton + Jazz and Lakers 2022 first round picks for Simmons.

Why it might work: The Grizzlies have a great young foundation led by Ja Morant, but the team still has a long way to go before they reach contender status even after sneaking into the playoffs last year. Acquiring a blue chip talent like Simmons while keeping Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and a solid young complementary shooter in Desmond Bane would be a major boon. For the Sixers, Brooks could be an immediate starter on the wing, Melton is one of the more underrated players in the league, and Adams would be an elite backup center. The picks could come in handy for a future trade, too.

What Grizzly Bear Blues says:

If the Grizzlies could acquire a player that’s 25 years old and has been a 3-time All-Star, without giving up Ja Morant or Jaren Jackson Jr., they should pull the trigger - even for the oft-criticized Ben Simmons. Grizzlies followers would be reluctant to give up Dillon Brooks, but Simmons would serve as a defensive and playmaking upgrade. Brooks, Kyle Anderson, and De’Anthony Melton sound like a good framework for the deal, and guys like Brandon Clarke or Desmond Bane could replace one of the guys in this deal. The rest will likely revolve around draft compensation, primarily the first-round picks from the Lakers and the Jazz in 2022 and maybe one of their own.

The allure of Ben Simmons is transforming him into a super-charged Draymond Green. What better duo for him to do that with than the electric Ja Morant and the sweet-shooting Jaren Jackson Jr.? — Parker Fleming

Timberwolves

Framework of the deal: D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jaden McDaniels + a pick for Simmons, Tybulle, and Isaiah Joe.

Why it might work: Minnesota reportedly has heavy interest in Simmons, and there are some pathways to a deal. This package would give the Sixers a starting guard in Russell, a high volume shooter in Beasley, and high-upside, young defensive forward in McDaniels. Russell may be a negative team value on his current deal, but Philly could also flip him down the line. For the Wolves, Simmons’ elite defense is a perfect match next to Karl-Anthony Towns in the front court. This trade might come down to what Philly thinks of McDaniels after a promising rookie year.

What Canis Hoopus says:

As a Wolves fan/writer, I wouldn’t do this trade. DLo and Beasly are the two best perimeter shooters on the team and Jaden McDaniels looks like the steal of the 2020 draft. I also don’t think the Sixers are interested in Russell. I think the Wolves big plan is to win with Simmons AND Russell together so I’ll propose this. The Timberwolves trade Malik Beasley, Jaden McDaniels, Taurean Prince, 2022 FRP, and 2024 FRP for Ben Simmons and Isaiah Joe.

The Wolves keep Russell, meanwhile the Sixers get extra pieces they can include in a trade once another star becomes available like Dame or Beal. Prince also cannot be traded until September 27th but teams could agree in principle. — Cooper Carlson

Raptors

Framework of the deal: Goran Dragic, OG Anunoby, Chris Boucher, and Malachi Flynn for Simmons, Thybulle, and Isaiah Joe.

Why it might work: The Raptors are embarking on a new era without Kyle Lowry, and it sure feels like they want a full team of big, athletic forwards with multi-dimensional skill sets. Simmons would fit. While a 1-for-1 swap with Pascal Siakam is possible, Raptors HQ chose to talk about this deal centered around OG Anunoby instead. Anunoby is a tremendous young wing who would be a plug-and-play starter for the 76ers. Boucher is a stretch big off the bench, Flynn is a promising young point guard, and Dragic could play a role right now in the last year of his deal. For the Raptors, a core of Simmons, Siakam, VanVleet, and Scottie Barnes could be the start of something big.

What Raptors HQ says:

This is definitely one of the more creative Raptors-76ers trade ideas that I’ve seen! Here, you’re moving two players who clearly want to be moved in Ben Simmons and Goran Dragic, and that’s a good starting point. The 76ers also need a point guard, and I think Dragic would quickly become a fan-favourite in Philly, assuming he hasn’t lost a step.

Beyond that? Well, OG Anunoby becomes the real sticky point here. Yes, I realize that Anunoby is more highly valued by Raptors fans, including me, than he is anywhere else. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t deserved. For an example of that, look no further than… Matisse Thybulle, who made all-defence last year over the more deserving Anunoby last season!

Still — if we remove the Klutch factor here (Anunoby is a Klutch client) — if you had to move OG to get Simmons, getting Thybulle in return to fill OG’s spot is not a bad thing. Imagine fielding a lineup of Simmons, Thybulle, Pascal Siakam, Scottie Barnes and Precious Achiuwa? I bet Masai Ujiri, Bobby Webster and Nick Nurse would give that one some serious thought. — Josh Kern

Kings

Framework of the deal: Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield for Simmons.

Why it might work: The Kings are already reportedly out on this deal, and it makes sense. Haliburton was awesome as a rookie. He might be the most appealing piece in any of the packages we mention in this article. Still, there’s a case for why the Kings should consider this. Simmons is a young All-Star signed long-term. Trading for arguably the best defensive player in the game is a great way to address what was the league’s worst defense last year. The Kings also have a promising rookie guard in Davion Mitchell who could take Haliburton’s place in the lineup. It’s totally fair if the Kings and their fans don’t like this deal, but it’s at least worth considering.

What Sactown Royalty says:

This is a highly-risky move for the Kings that I would not want to see come to fruition.

Tyrese Haliburton is an essential piece of the young core Sacramento is trying to build around alongside De’Aaron Fox. The Kings would essentially be trading Haliburton, who finished third in Rookie of the Year voting last season, and Buddy Hield, the best 3-point shooter in the league, in return for good defense.

The way this is set up, Kings undoubtedly lose the deal. Instead, I would offer Buddy Hield and Marvin Bagley III and a future pick in return for Ben Simmons. The relationship between Bagley and Kings brass isn’t quite as hostile as Simmons and the Sixers, but it’s no secret they both want out of their respective markets. Philly would acquire a young wing who wants a fresh start while Sacramento would do the same. — Marina Drab

Warriors

Framework of the deal: Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman, Moses Moody + a pick for Simmons.

Why it might work: The Warriors are trying to augment their aging championship core with young, unproven talent taken at the top of the draft. It sounds like a good plan in theory, but Golden State also can’t afford to waste time while Stephen Curry is still playing at an MVP level. Trading young pieces for Simmons would be a major boost in the short-term for Golden State, and immediately improve their chances at coming out of the West this year. For the Sixers, Wiggins could contribute on the wing right away, while Moody and Wiseman are nice long-term pieces. This deal may not give the Sixers the immediate talent infusion they’re looking to add, but the young pieces could be flipped in another deal down the road.

What Golden State of Mind says:

The main concern with Simmons on the Warriors seems to be whether the team can make a non-shooter work next to Draymond Green. But the Warriors have built elite offenses in the past with frontcourts of Green and Kevon Looney, Green and JaVale McGee, Green and Zaza Pachulia, and so on and so forth. The Warriors would have to eschew having a traditional center for it to work, but Simmons is bigger than many traditional centers (including Looney). With Simmons and Green, the Warriors would have a frontcourt starring two of last year’s Defensive Player of the Year finalists, and two of the top 12 assists per game leaders, who would be passing the ball to Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. You have to be mighty high on Wiggins to think this does anything but dramatically increase the team’s title odds in the next few years, and that’s before mentioning how perfect of a fit Thybulle is on the Warriors. Maximizing a title window around a 33-year old Curry is more important than hoping that two draft lottery tickets in Wiseman and Moody pan out. It’s an easy yes for me, though it’s worth noting that Golden State’s front office is reportedly split on Simmons, so it may not be an easy yes for them. — Brady Klopfer

Liberty Ballers ranks the Ben Simmons trade packages

Paul Hudrick from our 76ers community Liberty Ballers stopped by with his thoughts on his favorite potential deals.

1. San Antonio - Murray, White, Vassell + a pick

The reason I like this deal better than most is the addition of Murray. Say what you want about Simmons, but he was the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year and is arguably the most versatile defender in the league. Getting a player like Murray that already has an All-Defensive Team nod would help mitigate the loss of Simmons on that end. At 25, you could talk yourself into Murray’s potential offensive upside — despite him not being a perfect fit playing next to Embiid — while also seeing a big role in helping the Sixers win now.

White would immediately become the Sixers’ sixth man and would be a damn good one. The Sixers’ bench has talent and potential but is awfully young. At 27, White adds maturity and experience. I love Vassell, but he is a tough fit here with wings like Matisse Thybulle, Furkan Korkmaz and Isaiah Joe that fit a similar mold. You can never have enough good, young wings, but I might prefer another pick or someone like Keldon Johnson, who offers more perimeter shot-creation potential, something the Sixers desperately need. — Paul Hudrick

2. Indiana - Brogdon, Warren + a pick

You could argue this deal makes more sense with the Sixers looking to maximize Embiid’s prime. Brogdon gives the Sixers a traditional point guard that can help space the floor even more for Embiid while also providing solid defense. I love the idea of Warren — especially the bubble version that destroyed the Sixers — as either the team’s starting three or a flamethrower off the bench. Both players offer more perimeter creation than what’s on the current roster.

The reason I like the Spurs deal better is trepidation over the health of both Indiana players. Brogdon, who isn’t the most explosive player to begin with, has missed time with various injuries over the last three seasons. Warren missed all but four games last season after having foot surgery. Both players are 28 and have proven NBA track records — which aligns with what the Sixers want — but their injury histories would make me want more draft compensation. — Paul Hudrick

3. Sacramento - Hield, Haliburton

Adding more shooting in Hield makes a ton of sense. The more shooting around Embiid the better. My only concern is that I’d imagine Hield would come here with the expectation to start. That would mean one of Danny Green or Seth Curry — who were both excellent last season — would have to move to the bench, something I’m not sure Doc Rivers wants to do.

While Haliburton doesn’t necessarily fit the mold of a win-now acquisition, that’d be a strong return. Haliburton replaces Simmons as a big playmaker but with the ability to shoot. Would he be ready for the moment in the postseason? I think it’s 100 percent worth finding out … if Sacramento is willing to move him. — Paul Hudrick

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junker-town · 5 years

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The 5 most fireable NFL coaches this week

Giants head coach Pat Shurmur is on the hot seat after a loss to the Jets.

Jason Garrett joins the crowd — and we’ve got a new No. 1.

Week 10 of the 2019 season was a great one for underdogs — and a big lift for the hot seat coaches in dire need of wins.

The Jets dispatched the Giants to throw some ice on Adam Gase’s hot seat. The Browns messed around for three quarters but still found a way to beat the Bills. Mike Vrabel kept his team alive in the AFC playoff race with a comeback win over reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.

That led to some changes in the fireable coach rankings. While victory was enough to keep Gase, Kitchens, and Falcons coach Dan Quinn from the top spot, it couldn’t spare them from the top five this week. And while other sideline generals like Anthony Lynn (Chargers), Doug Marrone (Jaguars), and Matt Patricia (Lions) merited debate about their futures, they’re all still relatively safe compared to their foundering peers.

Who made the list as the NFL barrels into the tail end of its season? Here are the league’s most fireable coaches after Week 10. Let’s start with a guy who probably won’t get the ax this winter (but, if we’re going by results, probably should).

5. Adam Gase, Jets

The good news: Gase’s Jets got a win. The better news: Gase appears to be getting a second year in New York no matter how badly he blows it in 2019.

At #NYJets: Owner Christopher Johnson told reporters today that Adam Gase will not be fired now or after season. Called Gase "good man, good coach." Likes dynamic w/Joe Douglas. Told team Wednesday that Gase is safe. Johnson said reaction from players was positive.

— Kimberly Jones (@KimJonesSports) November 13, 2019

The bad news: Gase’s second win in green and white came against the 2-8 Giants, and his team blew a 14-0 lead before making a comeback to claim superiority in the Battle of Who Couldn’t Care Less. His progress in New York all hinges on his ability to improve an offense that’s only ranked higher than 23rd in the NFL in points scored once since 2012. He got a season-high 34 points in Week 10, which is good! Only three of his touchdowns came from the offensive side of the ball, however, pushing that unit’s output to 11 in nine games this fall. That’s bad!

New York actually gained fewer yards in Sunday’s win (294) than it had in the previous week’s loss to the Dolphins. Six different quarterbacks (out of a possible 22) out-gained the Jets in Week 10, including Daniel Jones. There were positives from the game — New York failed to turn the ball over for the first time all year and an often toothless pass rush notched a season-high six sacks. Still, this team is far from fixed.

Gase has a little extra leeway since this is his first season with the Jets, and beating the Giants kept him from the top spot on this list. He’ll face Washington and Cincinnati in two of the next three weeks, however. A loss against either could make owner Christopher Johnson rethink his edict that his rookie head coach will see a year two.

4. Jason Garrett, Cowboys

Garrett makes his debut on this list as the only man currently leading a team with a winning record. While his Cowboys are 5-4 and would have a reserved spot in the playoffs if the season ended today, he’s failed to generate any significant progress over the last four years. His 2019 team looks every bit a paper tiger; only one of its five wins has come against a team with more than two victories.

Dallas’ flaws were on full display in a Sunday night clash against the Vikings — a team that’s been this season’s dividing line between contenders and pretenders. The defense allowed Kirk Cousins and Dalvin Cook to do just enough to keep Minnesota in front. Dak Prescott threw for 397 yards and three touchdowns, but was often overruled by coaching decisions that opted to establish a ground game that never found its rhythm:

On 1st down the #Cowboys: Passed 14 times for 108 yards (8.3 YPA). Ran 16 times for 39 yards (2.44 YPC).

— John Owning (@JohnOwning) November 11, 2019

Dallas continues to be haunted by the lingering feeling the team could have done more. Some bad playcalling and worse execution in the red zone meant two fourth-quarter drives stalled inside the Vikings’ 15-yard line, leading to three total points. Garrett refused to go for it on fourth-and-reasonable from both the Minnesota 40- and 39-yard lines. He gave up a massive chunk of yardage before a last-ditch drive in order to save a few seconds of game clock by telling Tavon Austin to fair catch an extremely returnable punt:

Jason Garrett explained what happened on the Tavon Austin fair catch against Minnesota. It's... hard to believe. (via @dallascowboys) https://t.co/1qos0U7Lad pic.twitter.com/dPKNA79zgp

— Blogging The Boys (@BloggingTheBoys) November 12, 2019

That continuing theme is what threatens to oust Garrett despite another year at the top of his division. The 10th-year head coach has one of the league’s most talented — and top-heavy — rosters. He’s got a blossoming young quarterback, an All-Pro tailback who remains one of the league’s most dangerous runners, and a defense led by players that range from high-priced veterans (DeMarcus Lawrence, Robert Quinn) to emerging young stars (Byron Jones, Leighton Vander Esch).

Despite all that, he’s one game over .500 and in danger of falling from the playoff race entirely if he can’t win the NFC East.

3. Freddie Kitchens, Browns

Kitchens threw a wrench into the gears of the Bills’ postseason machine with a potent defensive effort that kept Buffalo from completing a single pass in the red zone. Granted, Josh Allen’s budding crapulence played as much of a role in that as Cleveland did, but it was still an encouraging step forward for a team in desperate need of some momentum.

That said, this was still a rough performance for the Browns’ hamstrung offense. They ran 12 plays from within the Buffalo 5-yard line Sunday. Including penalties, those dozen snaps gained a net -7 yards and scored three points. Even if Kitchens wasn’t happy with the result, he’s going to stick to the line of thought that got him there.

“I thought those guys did a good job of overcoming that,” Kitchens told the press when asked about how frustrating the Bills’ litany of goal-line stops had been. “If we get down there again, I’m running it again ... I need to call better plays when we get down [to the goal line], but I’m telling you now we’re running the ball when we get down there.”

Kitchens’ problem isn’t just unimaginative playcalling. He’s also oscillated between wasting timeouts and burning yardage to save them. His freewheeling style has led to plot holes in his playbook. He shifts philosophies mid-game with no real rhyme or reason behind his choices. This is all a very Browns way to do things, and his 3-6 record bears that out.

Still, he got a win that could knock a potential playoff team out of the postseason. That buys him some time.

2. Dan Quinn, Falcons

The Falcons, at 2-7, are still screwed. BUT! They found a way to drag an arch-rival into the muck with them while potentially derailing the Saints’ bid for a postseason bye.

Atlanta was a two-touchdown underdog when it traveled to New Orleans, then strode out of Louisiana with a dominant 26-9 win. The Falcons held the NFC South leaders to just three conversions on 15 third- or fourth-down attempts, effectively stymying the Saints and giving fans back in Georgia a small taste of what could have been in a lost season.

Quinn still has time to rally the troops and give owner Arthur Blank a reason to keep him employed. Toppling New Orleans was a good start, but it’s likely he’s dug himself too deep a hole to climb out of after winning just one of his first eight games.

1. Pat Shurmur, Giants

Shurmur not only lost Sunday — he lost to another member of this list. New York couldn’t find the extra gear to put away Gase and a struggling Jets team. That may be the final ignominy in a Giants career filled with them. Shurmur’s team has now lost six straight games. Half of those defeats came against teams with losing records.

Team owner John Mara has remained tight-lipped on any upcoming organizational changes, but he may not have to say much to make his displeasure clear.

saw john mara very briefly after the game. mad doesn't even begin to describe the look on his face https://t.co/Y3yVGezh5o

— charles (ronald) mcdonald (@FourVerts) November 11, 2019

The Giants’ history suggests it will retain protocol and wait until the end of the season to install a new coach — the only midseason coach firing the franchise has done in the past three decades came in the middle of Ben McAdoo’s 2017 hatchet job. That means Shurmur’s got six games left to prove he can provide a tangible reason for optimism in New York.

His best bet is to continue to develop Daniel Jones. Jones was potent through the air in Week 10, becoming just the third player since 2000 to throw four touchdown passes in multiple games as a rookie. He was also a big negative in the pocket, as his three fumbles pushed his total to 10 in the last four games. I ranked them — they’re all bad!

That task is going to be even more difficult considering how banged up the Giants’ playmaking corps are. Evan Engram and Sterling Shepard are both working through maladies that have cost them multiple games this fall. Saquon Barkley’s nagging injuries limited him to the least efficient game of his career last week (13 carries, 1 rushing yard, and a handful of missed assignments on blitz pickups). It’s possible Shurmur’s future hangs on the efficacy of Golden Tate (good!), Darius Slayton (manageable?), and Wayne Gallman (oh boy) through the final two months of the season.

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