The Philadelphia 76ers entered the 2018-19 NBA season with the goal of contending for the NBA championship title. The arrival of Jimmy Butler in Philadephia to team up with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid made most people believe that the Sixers are ready to replace the Cleveland Cavaliers as the new ruler of the Eastern Conference. However, the Sixers’ two young stars, Simmons and Embiid, were noticeably having a hard time adjusting with their roles since they acquired Butler.
Jimmy Butler undeniably made the Sixers a better team on both ends of the floor, but since they engaged in a blockbuster deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, one of Philadelphia’s main weaknesses was exposed, which is floor spacing. Aside from their three-point percentage that currently ranks 23rd in the league, per NBA.com, one of the Sixers’ starters, Ben Simmons, isn’t a threat at all from beyond the arc.
In a recent appearance on the Open Floor podcast, Ben Golliver of Washington Post believes that Ben Simmons became an odd fit in Philadelphia since Jimmy Butler joined the Sixers. If he were the one to decide, Golliver suggested that the Sixers should “seriously explore trading” Simmons in the next offseason.
“I think that they can still be a second-round playoff team with this group, but I’m not sure if the best team built around Joel Embiid, if you’ve also got Jimmy Butler locked in—and look, they have to re-sign him or else that trade was an absolute mess—I tend to agree that Simmons isn’t a part of this group moving forward,” Golliver said, as transcribed by Sports Illustrated. “And I would seriously explore trading Simmons next summer because he’ll still be on the rookie contract because teams would view him as being capable of being a No. 1 option.”
Kendall Jenner & Ben Simmons ‘Having Fun,’ But No Immediate Plans To Make Relationship More ‘Serious’ https://t.co/YJafzQsHlW
— Kil (@Kil889) December 29, 2018
Once the Sixers make Ben Simmons officially available on the trading block, several NBA teams will surely immediately call their front office and give their best offer to acquire the former No. 1 overall pick. Simmons may no longer be a good fit in Philadelphia, but most NBA teams in the league still see him as a player who could be the face of the franchise. By trading Simmons, the Sixers have a strong chance of acquiring the likes of Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Hornets, Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards, and even Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans.
As of now, the Sixers haven’t shown a strong indication that they will consider parting ways with Ben Simmons. Expect more rumors to circulate before the February NBA trade deadline.