The expectations were high coming in. The New York Knicks were coming off a season where they finished fourth in the Eastern Conference. Despite an early round exit from the NBA playoffs, the front office was aggressive and made some improvements. Over a quarter of the way through the season, the additions have not worked and the Knicks have fallen behind.
New York is currently out of the postseason race in the East. Kemba Walker has been taken out of the rotation and Even Fournier is as inconsistent as ever. This means Julius Randle is being looked upon to be the star on the team, which he is not. The Knicks are desperate for more improvements.
What does this mean? Trade rumors are beginning — and they should be.
It is clear what the dynamic of the NBA is. Teams need to load up o stars in order to win championships. The Knicks do not have any. They have a solid core with Randle and RJ Barrett but New York needs that next level star that can take them to the next level. When looking at available names, there are some good fits but Ben Simmons is not one of them.
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The drama in Philadelphia has died down a bit as the season has started. The Sixers are focused on making the postseason once again and contending for a title. In the mix, Daryl Morey has said that the team will not settle on a trade and the Sixers want productive players in return. While the New York Knicks would be able to offer some, a deal would not be worth it.
Philadelphia has asked for massive returns for Simmons. This means the Knicks would have to give up a potential package of Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, draft picks, and maybe another player or two — such as Alec Burks or Quenton Grimes. New York is not in a position where it will be able to part ways with pieces for the future.
While Ben Simmons was once viewed as a big name, his value has gone down significantly because of his inability to put the ball in the basket. A point guard needs to act as the leader on the court.
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Simmons is an elite defender but his jump shot has not improved and he shies away from open looks. The Knicks need scorers. This was on display during their round one loss to the Atlanta Hawks and is still true today.
The overall fit on the floor is a bad one and off the court, it is even worse. Ben Simmons comes with drama and a lot of baggage. He has made the situation difficult in Philadelphia and there are constant storylines about his ability to shoot the ball. The Knicks do not need headaches from outside sources while they are trying to build a winner. In New York, all news is intensified and put under a microscope.
This did not even mention the fact that Simmons is owed a ton of money.
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Overall, there are not many reasons why acquiring Simmons would be good for the Knicks. They would have to give up a lot, take on baggage, and fit him into a system that needs scorers. The plan is 0-for-3 right there and the list could go on and on.
At the end of the day yes, the New York Knicks need stars in the rotation if they want to compete in the Eastern Conference. This does not mean that they should reach and try to fit a square peg into a round hole. Ben Simmons is not the answer and a trade would just set the franchise back even more.
