Why This Trade Makes Sense For The Los Angeles Lakers
Ben Simmons needs a change of scenery and it has been widely reported that he would prefer to end up playing on the west coast. If that is the case, the Lakers would make a ton of sense for him. He also has been reportedly interested in playing in Los Angeles, which adds up to this trade making sense in that respect.
On the court, Simmons would be a great addition for the Lakers. He would provide elite defense and a slasher who could play off of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Simmons has always had the ball in his hands with the 76ers, but he definitely does not need it to be successful.
The only question would be, is Simmons willing to play that role? No one truly knows why he is so unhappy in Philadelphia, outside of the fans criticizing him so harshly. Perhaps he wants a bigger role to prove that he is an elite superstar.
Either way, this trade could be the move that powers the Lakers back to being legitimate NBA Finals contenders. Russell Westbrook simply does not fit with this group of talent. Also, Los Angeles needs to try to bring in more young talent to help out their aging roster.
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If the Lakers were to pull this deal off, their defense would take a big step forward, they would add a unique offensive skill-set alongside their two superstars, and they would add youth and athleticism. All of those things would be worth a shot for L.A.
