Teams out on Ben Simmons as potential trade target

Teams were reluctant to make strong offers to Philadelphia for Ben Simmons before the deadline, and now there’s even more confusion about his condition. I spoke with a trusted source from a non-playoff team that was previously attracted to Simmons who told me they’re out on him. “We’re at the point we’d want to see him play first,” said the source. The Nets might feel the same before making a move. Sure, Simmons has major flaws. But he’s only 25, signed to a reasonable contract with three years remaining, and the last time we saw him he was one of the league’s best defenders.