Ben Simmons is a 3-time All-Star who is an outstanding defender and facilitator. He is able to reliably guard most players and can switch between interior and perimeter defense with ease. Despite all the positives that Simmons brings on the court after the Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated in the second round, there were a lot of trade rumors surrounding the young star due to his struggle in the scoring department.
While it is true that Ben Simmons struggled against the Atlanta Hawks after they chose to intentionally foul him to force him to the line, he is still a player that brings a lot to the table. Simmons’ combination of size, ballhandling, and playmaking is difficult to find in this league, and there is no doubt that if he fixes his free throw woes, he could still be an extremely valuable star in this league.
There have been many teams that have been rumored as potential destinations for Ben Simmons. One of those teams is the Toronto Raptors. According to Marc Stein, the Raptors have been interested in finding a way to get him on the team.
"Toronto is another team I’ve heard express some interest in trying to find a way to get Ben Simmons."
– @TheSteinLine
(Via Chad Ford’s NBA Big Board) pic.twitter.com/m46kpbvC8a
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 24, 2021
It would be interesting to see what the Toronto Raptors would have to give up for Ben Simmons. A recent report suggested that the Golden State Warriors wouldn’t be able to get Ben Simmons due to the 76ers wanting an “All-Star level player” as part of any package. The Toronto Raptors would potentially be able to send out Pascal Siakam in a trade for Ben Simmons if they want to fulfill the conditions set out by the 76ers, though there has been no indication that they’re willing to do that.
Ben Simmons is still a player that could thrive in a new environment. The Toronto Raptors development staff is one of the best in the league, and perhaps they could help Ben Simmons improve his game. While it is unclear if Ben Simmons wants to end up in Toronto, there are certainly ways it could be a good situation for him.
