Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: Ben Simmons

Philadelphia 76ers Receive: No. 1 Pick, Jarrett Culver, Josh Okogie

The Philadelphia 76ers would need to believe a lot in a particular prospect in the 2020 NBA Draft to justify a trade involving Ben Simmons. It wouldn’t work otherwise, but regardless, it’s a fascinating outcome to think about.

There is an advantage to the 76ers moving Simmons for a player on a rookie contract to open up flexibility. Philadelphia is set to owe him roughly $30.6 million next season while the No. 1 pick will earn $8.1 million during the first year of their deal.

The impact of having a stretch-five for a half-court offense has become quite clear— it can take supercharge a unit with playmaking talent. Pairing up Karl-Anthony Towns and Simmons would be a fascinating combination to see for a multitude of reasons.

There would be a lot of value in having Simmons to cover up some of Towns’ defensive shortcomings by playing the four spot. Having all of that extra speed and impact would go a long way to improving the Timberwolves’ overall unit.