24-year-old Ben Simons is widely regarded as one of the best young players in the game. In his third season as a pro, he averaged 16.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8 assists per game on 58% shooting.
Unfortunately, it hasn’t led to much success for the Sixers, who have failed to make a Finals appearance since the premier of their star duo back in 2017.
With much uncertainty regarding the future of the team, and who might be sent packing, Simmons has emerged in numerous trade talks around the league, with the latest hinting at a potential deal with the Boston Celtics.
(via Mark Nilon of Fansided’s Hardwood Houdini)
“For the Boston Celtics, the meat of the deal revolves around Simmons and Turner coming to Beantown. While the idea of bringing on the Indiana big man is nothing new, having the Philly All-Star guard coming along with him certainly is. Along with the duo comes Doug McDermott and Jeremy Lamb from the Pacers. For the 76ers, we see them losing an All-Star and gaining two in Walker and Victor Oladipo to pair alongside centerpiece Joel Embiid. Philadelphia will also be receiving Daniel Theis from Boston and Indiana’s 2020 second-round pick.”
Alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Ben Simmons’ arrival would cement the Celtics as serious title contenders. Likely to serve as the main ball-handler and playmaker for the club, his play would help elevate the performance of his teammates on both ends of the floor. Myles Turner would add much-needed depth in the frontcourt.
For the Sixers, pairing Embiid with Walker and Oladipo should be an ideal fit that allows the star big man to work inside and free up open looks for his teammates. The only question would be about Embiid’s durability, which has been a major area of concern throughout his career.
Lastly, in Indiana, a return of Gordon Hayward, Shake Milton, Matisse Thybulle, Romeo Langford, Al Horford, and two first-round picks would likely signal the start of a rebuild for the franchise, which seems like an inevitability for them at this point.
All-in-all, it’s a fair trade that works for all three parties. But, right now, there’s just no way of knowing what will happen in the weeks and months to come.
