With free agency all but over (someone sign Lauri Markkanen and Dennis Schroder please), let us dive into some trade rumors and fake trades, and there is no better player to do that with then Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers. There have been rumors ever since Philadelphia was eliminated from the playoffs in the second round by the Atlanta Hawks. So I have come up with 3 trades that would relocate Simmons to new teams.
Trade 1: Ben Simmons to the Portland Trail Blazers
Trail Blazers: Ben Simmons
76ers: C.J. McCollum, 2025 (top 5 protected) 1st round pick
Why Portland does it: The Blazers were the 29th defensive team in the NBA last year, Simmons made all defensive first team and is a top 3 defensive player in the NBA. They are awful on that end of the court and have been for years, so Simmons will help that cause. With Norman Powell resigning Portland does not need McCollum as badly as they have over the past few years, so losing him will not hurt that badly. With the need for Simmons and McCollum being expandable, this is a deal Portland should pursue.
Why Philly does it: Ben Simmons simply can’t shoot, C.J. is a knockdown shooter. You would like McCollum to become a better playmaker but any package for Simmons is not going to be perfect. They have a need at guard who can score and McCollum would immediately fill that role. They also get a lightly protected 1st round pick that is in the future when who knows where the Trail Blazers will be.
Trade 2: Ben Simmons to the Minnesota Timberwolves
Timberwolves: Ben Simmons, Anthony Tolliver, Isaiah Joe
76ers: D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley
Why Minnesota does it: Again, the defense. Minnesota was 28th in the NBA in defense (notice a trend) and need to be better if they want to make the playoffs, or even the play-in, at some point in the near future. Simmons is a really good defensive player, he will also allow the Timberwolves to become better in transition. The Timberwolves would need to find a guard, which can be a challenge this late in the offseason so that could dissuade them from making this trade but overall it would really help Minnesota. Tolliver and Joe are salary fillers.
Why Philly does it: D’Angelo Russell would immediately come in and be the Sixers starting point guard, a job that, at times, looks like he should not have but Simmons looks like that a lot of the time as well so it is not a big deal. Both Russell and Beasley have shown the ability to flat out score the basketball and that is what it looked like Philadelphia needed a lot of the time last season, which Simmons could not give them. In this trade they get 2 of those guys who allow the Sixers to jump right back into the favorites of the Eastern Conference.
Trade 3: Ben Simmons to the Sacramento Kings in 3 team trade
Kings: Ben Simmons via the Sixers
76ers: Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, 2025 Kings (top 5 protected) first round pick all via the Kings, 2025 Hawks (top 55 protected) 2nd round pick via the Thunder
Thunder: Marvin Bagley III via the Kings
Why Sacramento does it: Take a guess. The Kings were the worst defensive team in the entire NBA last season. They want to compete for the play-in tournament so they will need to improve drastically, enter Ben Simmons, who certainly helps that. Losing Heild and Bagley also will help that as well, though losing their offense will hurt the team. Yes, Haliburton is a loss as he looks like he can become really good but they can survive that as they already have De’Aaron Fox and newly drafted rookie Davion Mitchell.
Why Philadelphia does it: Heild is a 41% 3 point shooter for his career and when your best player is a big man who likes to play in the low post, surrounding him with shooting never hurts. Meanwhile Haliburton, is a player who looks like he can become a very good NBA starting point guard, a position the Sixers desperately need to upgrade. They also get to create a traded player exception that is about $11 million (which means they can acquire any player who makes under that dollar amount and not have to send out a matching salary) and acquire a future lightly protected first round pick from a team who has not been good since the early 2000s.
Why Oklahoma City does it: The Thunder get to acquire a young talent big man in Marvin Bagley for what is the NBA equivalent of nothing in the form of a top 55 protected 2nd round pick which can help their rebuild.
Ben Simmons is still a very good basketball player, as I said he is a top 3 defensive player in the league and can help any number of teams but it is just time for the Sixers to move on. My favorite fit is Sacramento as they desperately need defense and Simmons can also run the transition offense with one of the fastest dudes in the NBA, De’Aaron Fox. However, as I said, all 3 teams would be good fits. It will be fun to see if/when Simmons gets traded what the return package is.
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