Ben Simmons Trades to Fix the 76ers

All was well in Philadelphia. They beat out the Brooklyn Nets to get the first seed in the East, Joel Embiid was the runner-up for MVP, Ben Simmons was an all-star, and three players made an all-defense team. Now, all they had to do was take down the Wizards and Hawks to make the Eastern Conference Finals. Long story short, the 76ers season had one of the most embarrassing collapses in recent history, and their season ended in disappointment once again. It’s become clear that the Sixers can’t just continue to run it back each year and expect different results. Although very talented, Ben Simmons has not shown any growth since his rookie season, and the Sixers can’t keep waiting for him to improve. Joel Embiid is a superstar, and he’s ready to win now. It’s time to explore Ben Simmons trades if they want to capitalize on Embiid’s prime.

Gregg Popovich gets his Wish

According to former Spur Bruce Bowen, Gregg Popovich would be willing to trade anyone on the roster for Ben Simmons. Popovich has spoken highly of Simmons despite his lack of a jumper. The night before the Spurs and Sixers played this season, Popovich said, “But all of his physical skills, basketball skills, the way he understands the game, as unselfish as he is – he’s so elite already.”

Although the 76ers would not be able to get a star in return if they traded with the Spurs, DeMar DeRozan is still an excellent player, and San Antonio has some talented young players. DeRozan could replace the ball-handling and playmaking ability that Simmons brings to the table while also being a better and more reliable scorer. Keldon Johnson is a good defender and shooter with the potential to become a great player. In the meantime, he would still contribute to the team and be one of their better role players.

The Bulls and 76ers Trade All-Stars

Zach LaVine is one of the best young scorers in the NBA and probably won’t be traded unless he requests to be. However, if he does request a trade, a Simmons for LaVine trade would make a lot of sense. Although Simmons is flawed, he still has an impressive list of accolades for someone his age, and he has the potential to be someone the Bulls can build around. LaVine would give the 76ers their first legit second scoring option since Jimmy Butler. LaVine would also fit with Embiid better than Simmons did due to his elite three-point shooting and ability to create his own shot. Having LaVine on the team would give Embiid more space to operate with the ball and would make it tougher for defenses to double Embiid in the post.

76ers Package Ben Simmons in Trade for Beal

Bradley Beal is most likely the best player the Sixers realistically have a chance at acquiring for Ben Simmons. Beal was fantastic this season. He averaged 31.3 points per game on the Wizards, trailing only Steph Curry. A duo of Beal and Embiid would make the 76ers a contender immediately. The package of Ben Simmons and two first-round picks is a high price to pay. But, the Sixers need to be looking to contend right now with Joel Embiid in his prime. The Wizards, who have been treading on mediocrity for years, would likely be willing to part with Beal for the right price to start a rebuild, making this a win-win trade.

76ers Bring in McCollum and Powell in Three-Team Trade

This trade is less realistic than the others, but it sure is fun to think about. All three of these teams haven’t had much playoff success recently and will likely want a mix-up this off-season. So why not do it all in one trade? The 76ers would be loaded with shooters and scorers around Embiid with this trade. The Mavericks get rid of Porzingis, who was disappointing in his short stint with the Mavs, and bring in Simmons. Simmons would have to adjust to more of an off-ball role due to Luka being the ball-handler, but his defense would be incredibly valuable to Dallas. The Trailblazers could keep Damian Lillard another year to see how he plays with Porzingis as the second option, or just go full rebuild with the picks they acquired in this trade.

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