Ben Simmons has yet to take the court in a Brooklyn Nets uniform for an official game. With his playing status perpetually uncertain, should the Nets look to part ways with Simmons before he ever suits up for the organization.
Bleacher Report proposed one trade every NBA team should consider as the official calendar ticks over to a new year following the 2022 NBA Finals. Their idea for the Nets is a doozy – sending Ben Simmons to Detroit for a package including a 22-point-per-game scorer and a former NBA champion.
The trade has Simmons going to the Pistons in exchange for Jerami Grant, Cory Joseph and Kelly Olynyk.
Via Bleacher Report:
“Grant is a multi-positional defender who could mix and match assignments with Kevin Durant as the team’s starting forwards. He’s averaged 20.9 points and shot 35.3 percent from three over the last two years in Detroit and would be a good third option behind Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Olynyk is a floor-spacing big who’s knocked down 36.5 percent of his career threes and gives Brooklyn some frontcourt depth with Nic Claxton, LaMarcus Aldridge and Blake Griffin all hitting free agency.
…. With Killian Hayes simply not looking like a starting NBA point guard yet, the thought of pairing the 6’11” Simmons with 6’6″ Cade Cunningham would give the Pistons a huge backcourt, one capable of zipping passes all over the court while also playing lockdown defense.”
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