Ben Simmons has earned a lot of criticism recently after his poor performances in the 2021 NBA playoffs. The Australian player has been under fire for a couple of years now due to his shooting woes.
Instead of improving, he has actually decreased his level. Nobody knows what really happened to the man who consistently shot jumpers during his rookie season. NBA fans have been ruthless with him, even putting him on the CBA’s Shanghai Sharks roster after his terrible second-round series vs. the Atlanta Hawks.
Much was made of this situation and recent rumors suggest Simmons could be living his last days as a Sixer. He could get some attention in the trade market, and there’s one team already mentioned as a possible destination, the Portland Trail Blazers.
Moreover, according to former San Antonio Spur Bruce Bowen, Gregg Popovich would be willing to trade anybody on his roster to get the 24-year-old point guard to the AT&T Center.
“I know Pop very well and I assure you they would trade anyone on the Spurs roster for Ben Simmons,” he said on ESPN Radio San Antonio AM 1250 (via Basketball Network).
Popovich has always been a fan of Simmons. When the player was criticized for his shooting struggles, he defended him, saying he is elite and nobody should care if he shoots or not.
That should tell you how high the 5x NBA champion coach is on Simmons. Maybe he is the right person to unlock Ben’s real potential and take him to the next level. Still, it remains to be seen if the Spurs pull the trigger on this move or stick with the guards they have on the roster.
Time will tell if Pop gets his wish granted and coaches Simmons or if the Texans stick with the guards they have on the roster.
