The Philadelphia 76ers have opened up trade discussions involving Ben Simmons, according to Shams Charania. They ideally want an All-Star caliber player in return. Members of the Sixers organization publicly committed to helping Simmons develop his shooting this offseason with the hope of keeping him long-term. It appears the Sixers will keep all their options open in pursuit of a new All-Star caliber player.
Simmons’ trade value is complicated. It certainly took a hit after the playoffs, and his lack of shooting and aggressiveness may have scared off interested teams. At the same time, he is still an All-Star and one of the league’s best defenders. There should still be many teams interested in him, but Philadelphia won’t just trade him just to trade him. They should still get strong offers for him.
What really complicates a Simmons trade for the Sixers is the type of return they’re seeking. They have a star in Joel Embiid and a great supporting cast of shooters around him, so any trade they make has to put them in a better position to win the championship. They may want a star back to pair with Embiid, but it’s possible the market for Simmons is a combination of good young players and several draft picks. Getting the ideal type of return they want could be harder than it looks.