Ben Simmons wants the 76ers to trade him, but waiting might make sense
The point of no return appears to have come in Philadelphia.
At this point, it doesn't look like a matter of if the Philadelphia 76ers will trade Ben Simmons, it looks like a matter of when.
With reports that Simmons will not report to training camp in hopes of forcing a deal, it appears as if the final days of the Simmons era in Philadelphia are approaching, with the three-time All-Star already being linked to other teams.
But after a disappointing end to his season, in which he averaged just 9.9 points in the Sixers' second-round loss to the Atlanta Hawks, there are questions over how much other teams would value Simmons at this point.
And if other teams don't value Simmons, they might not be willing to give the 76ers what they feel is a fair return. For example, the Sacramento Kings have been mentioned as a possible destination for Simmons, but the Kings have reportedly expressed a reluctance to part with De'Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton in a potential trade.
Though Simmons is already a three-time All-Star with a Rookie of the Year award to his name, he might have to show improvement in his game before the Sixers can get equal value back anytime soon.
His offensive limitations – particularly his lack of a reliable jump shot – have been the reason he has failed to reach his ceiling as a player to this point, and as Chris Broussard explained on "First Things First," it could be a major red flag for teams looking to trade for him.
"Ben was horrible in that playoff series against the Hawks. Ben has not added a jump shot, even to take the jump shot," said Broussard. "And so it scares me if I'm an opposing team. If I'm an opposing team I'm looking at it and saying it's been four years and he still hasn't gotten to the point that he'll even take jump shots."
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If this is the case, the best course of action for both sides could be Simmons opening the season with the Sixers and working to rehabilitate his image and boost his trade value.
But is that even possible after an ugly end to the season that included Simmons being publicly questioned by both head coach Doc Rivers and star Joel Embiid?
Embiid also sent out a series of tweets on Wednesday morning that appeared to be subliminal shots at Simmons.
These reasons are why Nick Wright is skeptical that the relationship is salvageable. And the more Embiid pours gas on the flame, the more difficult it gets for the Sixers to facilitate a deal.
"Joel Embiid is two Twitter thumbs away from further decreasing your leverage," said Wright. "Joel's chances of winning a title are going to be drastically impacted by what they get back for Ben Simmons. So don't decrease your team's leverage while they are trying to trade Ben Simmons."
Simmons wants out, but is getting out of Philadelphia a possibility in the immediate future with his trade value in question? That remains to be seen. And with the best player on the team publicly calling him out, returning might not be possible either.
But Embiid's tweeting aside, Wright doesn't think Simmons' trade value will prove an impediment if the sides take their time to act, and he also thinks the unhappy All-Star can use the actions of James Harden, who forced a trade out of Houston, as a guide.
"Even if Ben Simmons isn't playing, or isn't playing well, I think the smart people in the league know how good he is," Wright said. "We know what he can't do, but we also know what he can do. We know that he creates more 3-pointers than any player in the league. We know he's one of the three best defenders in the league. We know what he does well. So I don't think that even if he doesn't play, his value is going to plummet."
If that's the case, the drama around Simmons and the 76ers could take some time to play out, making the road to Simmons' ultimate fate all the more intriguing.
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