After a tumultuous 2020/21 season with the Philadelphia 76ers, Ben Simmons has been linked with a move away from Philly. The Australian point guard didn’t live the best moments there, especially during the playoff.
His shooting woes hurt him and his team, getting eliminated by the Atlanta Hawks in the second round of the postseason. Now Simmons might be living his last days in the city of brotherly love. The team is reportedly engaging in trade talks, trying to get something big in return.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Sixers started talking with other franchises to see what they can get for the Aussie.
The 76ers have opened up trade conversations surrounding Simmons and have engaged with teams, sources told The Athletic. Those sources also say that teams that have engaged with the 76ers about Simmons have been met with a high price threshold for the three-time All-Star.
“(The 76ers) want an All-Star-caliber player in return,” one source with knowledge of the ongoing talks said.
Make no mistake: Interest across the league in Simmons remains robust. He’s turning just 25 this month, was an All-NBA team member in 2019-20, is a two-time All-Defensive first-team member and a Rookie of the Year award winner. Simmons is under contract through 2025, making him the type of superstar talent that rarely becomes available at an attainable price at this juncture of his career.
This is an interesting option for the Sixers, Simmons, and whichever team decides to make a move for the playmaker. People around the league still believe he can be a significant contributor on a championship team, as long as he fixes his shooting struggles.
The 2021 NBA offseason can bring a lot of surprises for fans. We might not have a star-studded free agency, but the trade market can change many things around the association if certain players are exchanged. Simmons, of course, is one of them.
