The Golden State Warriors aren’t done doing business, especially with the NBA draft around the corner. The Dubs have the second overall pick in the upcoming draft night but it’s not 100% secure that they will use it when the time arrives. Some reports have suggested the Warriors could trade that No. 2 pick to land an established star to team up with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
NBC Sports NBA insider Tom Haberstroh appears to have found a good candidate to join the Warriors this offseason in Ben Simmons. The Philadelphia 76ers point guard hasn’t been the best fit with Joel Embiid and a lot of people around the NBA believe his time with the Sixers should end this offseason. Knowing that Daryl Morey is the new president of basketball operations of the team and that he’s not scared of blowing rosters up, this possibility doesn’t look that unlikely for the Warriors.
This trade would send Simmons and Al Horford to the Bay. They can use their $17.2M trade exception to land both of them, send Wiggins to Philadelphia, the No. 2 pick and one or two more players to the 76ers.
“I think he is the perfect fit next to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson,” Haberstroh argued. “People might say ‘Hey, he kind of fills the same role as Draymond Green, why would you go for a guy that kind of duplicates what he does?’
“Well, Ben Simmons is much younger than Draymond Green. I think if you’re going to try to acquire someone with the No. 2 pick, and package it with next year’s pick they received from the Minnesota Timberwolves, I think you have to shoot for a player that is going to be someone that kind of transitions to that next phase of this Warriors team, after Stephen Curry, after Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.”
Haberstroh believes Simmons can bring a lot of valuable things to this team, the kind of things that made them win a championship before Kevin Durant signed with them. That’s what Simmons brings to the table and that’s why Golden State should try to land him.
“He’d be like Andre Iguodala,” Haberstroh noted. “You can throw him against a lot of different players and win a Finals MVP in the right situation.”
If they move the pieces properly, the Warriors have a good chance to land Simmons, who wouldn’t have any problem sharing touches with Curry, Klay and Draymond. It remains to be seen when the trade market will start but some teams appear to have their plans drawn to pursue the players they want to add in the offseason.
