The Feb. 10 trade deadline is quickly approaching and the Philadelphia 76ers have to decide what they want to do with disgruntled star Ben Simmons. They do seem content with just waiting it out and seeing if they can grab James Harden in the offseason, but anything can happen before the deadline.
There is understandably a lot of interest around the league for Simmons. Despite what has been going on off the floor and the fact that he still has a shooting weakness, he is still a difference-maker out on the floor due to everything else he can do.
Per Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Detroit Pistons made an offer to the Sixers for Simmons centered on Jerami Grant, but Philadelphia turned it down as it did not match their asking price for him:
The situation in Philadelphia hasn’t changed since July: Daryl Morey’s front office has thus far rebuffed any Simmons offer that hasn’t included an All-Star-caliber partner for Joel Embiid who’s on the Sixers’ wish list.
The Pistons’ package of Grant, Saddiq Bey, Kelly Olynyk and a first-round pick, for example, was not met with much enthusiasm by Philadelphia brass, league sources told B/R. But when that deal construct began to circle around rival NBA front offices this fall, it also alerted teams to Grant’s surprising availability.
Grant has been pretty solid in Detroit, but it would be an awkward fit with Tobias Harris playing the same position. Bey and Olynyk would serve roles on this team around Joel Embiid, but the Sixers have remained steadfast on their asking price for Simmons and a guy like Grant will not change their mind on him.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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