Now a week into the 2021-22 NBA season, the Philadelphia 76ers have been playing without Ben Simmons and it appears as if they will be doing so for the foreseeable future.

After holding out during the preseason due to wanting to be traded, Simmons originally had shown up to the team’s facility to take part in practice and it looked like he was going to be ready for the start of the season, but then more issues occurred with the 76ers. 

Ben Simmons was kicked out of practice on October 19 and suspended one game by Philadelphia for not following the coaching staff’s instructions pertaining to certain drills and him showing no willingness to help his team. Then, the All-Star came back and claimed that he has been dealing with a “back injury,” only to say that he is not in the right mental space to be able to rejoin the team yet. 

There appears to be no end in sight for this drama within the 76ers’ organization and now, the question that still remains is whether or not Ben Simmons will be traded at all this season.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Top Way-Too-Early Breakout Performers Of 2021-22 Season

According to multiple league sources and based on how the Sixers have handled this issue up to this point, it is not looking like the 76ers are willing to budge on this situation unless they get the trade value they have been searching for the last several months. 

Daryl Morey and Philadelphia’s front-office have remained adamant on the fact that they want an All-Star-level player in return for Simmons so they can remain a championship contender in the Eastern Conference, but no team has been willing to offer them this kind of value. As a result, this issue could very well go on for a while and possibly even up to the trade deadline. 

One of the teams that is rumored to be interested in Ben Simmons is the Cleveland Cavaliers, but would they be willing to give up some of their best talents to acquire Simmons and all the drama that comes with him? Let’s take a look at a trade package put together by Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz that sends Simmons to Cleveland.