According to Adrian Wojnarowski, trade talks involving the Sixers‘ Ben Simmons are gaining traction over the past few days. Could a move be on the horizon?
There are a few interesting factors in Woj’s tweet. First and foremost, there are more interested parties than there had been previously. Plenty of teams have been connected to Simmons: the Blazers, Pacers, Spurs, and Timberwolves, to name a few. Wojnarowski was not specific in the number of interested parties, but it seems that number has at least gone up. For the Sixers, the more interested teams, the better.
What is also interesting is that there are more conversations focusing on both two and three-way trades. A three-team deal is not the easiest thing to accomplish in the NBA, but Daryl Morey has made more than his fair share, and depending on the third team, a three-team deal could make more sense than the traditional two-team deal. Just who that third team is, time will tell, but the teams to watch are the OKC Thunder, Indiana Pacers, and the New Orleans Pelicans.
Finally, what is interesting is the package the Sixers are looking to acquire for Simmons. There have been plenty of rumors suggesting what the Sixers are hoping to receive in a deal for Ben Simmons. Most recently, Sam Amick of The Athletic suggested that the Sixers were searching for a top 30ish player in the NBA. According to Woj, that number is pretty close to accurate. Who could the Sixers be targeting? Bradley Beal, who has not yet agreed to an extension with the Wizards? Or perhaps they view young Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a top 25 (or potential top 25) player?
Other names to watch are Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, and Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox.
Wojnarowski also reported that this increased interest seems to center on this upcoming Wednesday, December 15th, when many of the past offseason’s free agents become trade eligible. Now, this is no guarantee that a trade will happen soon or even this season, but hopefully, Joel Embiid will have himself a new running mate sooner rather than later.
