The Philadelphia 76ers are fresh off of their disappointing second-round playoff series loss to the Atlanta Hawks and the rumors are running wild about troubled star Ben Simmons. During the series, he struggled mightily with the mental side of his game and became very hesitant and quite frankly bad for the 76ers. That has led to rumblings that the 76ers could look to move him this offseason with the Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, and Washington Wizards topping the list of potential trade destinations.
SportsLine came out and revealed the odds for potential trade destinations for Simmons this offseason. Those three teams topped the list, although some other landing spots were also mentioned.
- Trail Blazers +250
- Spurs +300
- Wizards +400
- Bulls +400
- Warriors +500
- Thunder +600
- Cavaliers +700
- Jazz +800
- Rockets +1000
Looking at that list of teams, the Trail Blazers, Spurs, and Wizards definitely make the most sense, although the Golden State Warriors could be a perfect fit for him as well.
During the 2020-21 NBA season with the 76ers, Ben Simmons ended up averaging 14.3 points per game to go along with 7.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1.6 steals. He shot 55.7 percent from the floor overall. In the playoffs, however, he struggled in a big way, averaging just 11.9 points, 8.8 assists, and 7.9 rebounds, but only shot 34.2 percent from the free-throw line.
At just 24 years of age, Simmons will need to jumpstart his career wherever he goes. A trade with the Trail Blazers could include Damian Lillard or CJ McCollum, while the Spurs have plenty of young, talented guards to move. The Wizards have some young pieces as well in Rui Hachimura and could form a “Big Three” of Ben Simmons, Russell Westbrook, and Bradley Beal.
It will be interesting to watch what ends up happening with the 76ers and Simmons this offseason. He seems likely to be moved, but if he isn’t, the fans are going to let him have it next year. Philadelphia fans were already extremely mad at Simmons for his performance against the Hawks.
Expect to hear a ton of rumors about Ben Simmons this offseason. The 76ers are going to be open for business and the Trail Blazers, Spurs, and Wizards are all teams to keep an eye on.
