USA Today via Reuters
Jan 25, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons (25) shoots in the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Jan 25, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons (25) shoots in the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
The NBA off-season is in full swing right now. From the Lakers reportedly trying to add some quality players to other teams trying to get a higher pick, the off-season has been action packed so far. But the biggest rage this off-season has been the trade talks involving Ben Simmons.
Simmons who had one of the worst post-season runs in recent history. Playing against the Atlanta Hawks, the Australian couldn’t assert his dominance on the court and was a liability especially in the closing stages of the game.
USA Today via Reuters
Jun 20, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons (25) dribbles the ball against Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela (15) during the first quarter of game seven of the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Ever since his horror show against the Hawks, trade rumors have been pretty rampant surrounding the 24-year-old but so far both the parties have been quiet about the whole situation.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Ben Simmons’ departure from 76ers imminent
While the rumor mill has been at it for a while now, both Simmons and the 76ers have been pretty mum about the whole debacle so far. But it seems like an open secret that the 76ers are on the verge of departing with their superstar point guard.
NBA insider Jason Dumas recently confirmed the same. In a recent report, Dumas mentioned that Philly are on the verge of trading Simmons and want to do by the end of tonight’s NBA draft 2021.
Source: The Sixers hope to trade Ben Simmons tonight. The asking price remains the same. The relationship seems to be over. It’s not a matter of if anymore, but when.
— Jason Dumas (@JDumasReports) July 29, 2021
While Simmons’ draft stock is at an all-time low, the 76ers are still determined to trade away their premier point guard. Despite the Australian’s draft stock taking a hit, Daryl Morey certainly knows how impactful the 24-year-old can be.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Yesterday, NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski even clarified that Philly are expecting a deal similar to the one Rockets had for James Harden. Centered around an All-Star and multiple draft picks, a rebuilding team might be the perfect destination for the All-Star guard.
The latest on the Ben Simmons trade talks heading into Thursday’s NBA Draft on ESPN and ABC pic.twitter.com/n5XoD14JWB
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 29, 2021
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Simmons might have had a down year in the 2020-21 season, but the system built by Doc Rivers certainly didn’t help the 24-year-old. In a system built around Joel Embiid, Simmons truly couldn’t thrive last season.
But the Australian certainly has all the tools to become an All-Star once again. A single post-season run certainly doesn’t determine a player’s quality, so don’t be surprised if Simmons has a rapid increase in his output with another team. Which team do you think will have a swing at the 2-time All-Star?
