Ben Simmons has been linked with a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers for a while. It would make sense for him to seek a new destination where he can have a fresh start, and potentially develop into the superstar people thought he would become. It is clear that Ben Simmons is still an All-Star caliber player who would likely still interest many teams within the league.
Zach Lowe of ESPN has recently reported that there have been 3 teams that have been interested in a trade for Ben Simmons. The teams listed in the article are the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, and Minnesota Timberwolves. However, talks between those teams and the 76ers haven’t progressed very far, as the 76ers want to use Ben Simmons in a trade to acquire Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers.
Several teams—including the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves—have discussed Simmons with varying degrees of interest, sources said, but one reason talks haven’t gone far is that the Sixers likely view Simmons as their path to Damian Lillard.
It makes sense that the 76ers would want to hold out from trading Simmons too hastily just in case Damian Lillard becomes available. However, there is no guarantee that Lillard will be traded, and it could be prudent to accept a trade package from another team before the start of next season, as Ben Simmons reportedly does not want to be a Sixer and is willing to skip training camp.
It is easy to see how Ben Simmons could be beneficial to teams around the league due to his DPOY caliber defense and solid offensive game in transition. Ben Simmons is only 25, and it is quite possible that he could still improve. Perhaps we’ll see a Ben Simmons trade in the near future, but as of now, the 76ers are holding on to him.
