The Philadelphia 76ers may have Ben Simmons back with the team after he ended his holdout, but that does not mean he is all in over being back. The disgruntled star still wants to be traded and find a new NBA home.
With the Sixers beginning the season Wednesday, Simmons may have to begin the season with the team, but Philadelphia is still working to find a trade. The challenge is finding the right value for one of the game’s brightest stars amid the drama off the floor.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have maintained their interest in Simmons since the beginning of the saga. In a new trade suggestion from Bleacher Report, the Timberwolves acquire Simmons in exchange for D’Angelo Russell, Jaden McDaniels, a 2022 first-round pick (top-three protected), a 2023 first-round pick swap and a 2024 first-round pick.
B/R on the deal for Philadelphia:
The Wolves shouldn’t give up hope, either, that the trade market never breaks Philadelphia’s way, Simmons still demands a way out and this becomes the best offer on the table. All three things could happen and this is hardly an insulting offer. Russell is a 25-year-old with an All-Star selection under his belt, and McDaniels is a 21-year-old with a wealth of physical tools and a high two-way ceiling.
Still, Simmons is a different caliber of player, which is why the Wolves should push so hard to get him. He’s such an extraordinary stopper that he could improve Minnesota’s dreadful defense a good deal on his own, and his vision would weaponize the many scoring threats on this roster.
This would not be a terrible move for Philadelphia. Russell would give the Sixers needed perimeter scoring and a guy who has ice-water plumbing in crunch time. McDaniels can provide good production on both ends. Would this be enough to entice the Sixers to move Simmons? That is the million-dollar question.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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