Ben Simmons has not yet touched the floor this season, and it seems as though he is still holding out for a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers. This saga has gone one for quite some time, but it seems as though an end to the situation could be coming in a few weeks.
Though Daryl Morey has previously claimed that the 76ers could keep holding onto Ben Simmons for the whole four years of his contract, it was recently revealed by John Hollinger of The Athletic that the “consensus opinion” in the league is that Ben Simmons will be traded at the deadline. It seems as though the Philadelphia 76ers do not want to waste a year of Joel Embiid’s prime.
Obviously, Ben Simmons is the top name on the trade market and will be until he finally (please) gets moved. He also could be an important dam-breaker for other deals, as at least a couple of teams may be keeping their powder dry until they know Simmons is off the table.
Despite the Sixers’ bluster to the contrary, the consensus opinion around the league remains that Philadelphia is more likely to act at the trade deadline than carry this all the way through ’til next summer, so as to avoid punting on a year of Joel Embiid’s prime. The counterargument is that the Sixers, as presently constituted, have been unimpressive enough that it might not hurt much to wait.
It remains to be seen where Ben Simmons will end up getting traded. The Philadelphia 76ers likely want a win-now player for Ben Simmons. One report suggested that they want a Damian Lillard or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander level player in return for the Simmons.
Parting ways with one another will be helpful for both Ben Simmons and the 76ers franchise. Hopefully, we see this situation resolved soon, and it would be wonderful for fans to see Ben Simmons suit up once again, as he is definitely an extremely gifted player.
