The Brooklyn Nets were eliminated in the first round by the Boston Celtics without ever getting to see what newly acquired star Ben Simmons looked like playing alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
With so much uncertainly surrounding the Nets, there’s no telling who will be on the roster between now and next season. According to a report, Durant hasn’t spoken to the Nets since the season ended and now they are unlikely to offer Irving a long-term extension.
For Ben Simmons, this type of turmoil appears to be what he was trying to avoid by asking for a trade out of Philadelphia, so he might not even be a lock to be on the team next season.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley believes the Atlanta Hawks have Simmons named as their “dream target” this offseason and that they’d love to pair him up with blossoming star Trae Young.
Simmons to Atlanta?
GettyBen Simmons and Kevin Durant.
Perhaps fittingly, the last NBA game Simmons played in came against the Hawks. Trae Young recently defended Simmons passing up a shot over him, so maybe that’s him paving a way for Simmons to join him in Atlanta.
Buckley argues the Hawks are still searching for a true co-star to pair next to Young. Acquiring Simmons in a trade could push the Hawks into the next tier and possibly make them title contenders.
“Few rosters more clearly cry for a consolidation deal than Atlanta’s,” he wrote. “While the Hawks have put a number of solid-or-better players around Trae Young, they’re still awaiting the arrival of a true co-star—and someone who can perk up their 26th-ranked defense. Put Ben Simmons on this roster (and on the floor), and he might have the best chance of checking both boxes.”
Simmons, despite not appearing in a game for over a year, still has fans around the league, and The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner says some of those are within the Hawks organization. While that could end up meaning nothing in the long run, it’s still an interesting thing to think about.
How Could a Trade Work?
GettyBrooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons.
Giving up James Harden in a trade for Ben Simmons likely means the Nets hold high praise for Simmons, but that doesn’t mean he’s untouchable.
Given his $35 million salary for the next year, any trade involving him would need to get a high-priced player in return. For the Hawks that would mean taking back John Collins, a player who could actually fit in nicely with the Nets thanks to his athleticism.
The Nets big men from last year include Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond and LaMarcus Aldridge, none of which are known for athletic prowess at this stage in their careers.
Collins has a $23.5 million deal for the next season, so there would need to be some additional pieces thrown in to make this work, but that’s a solid start if anything was to be considered.
A trade of this magnitude is unlikely to happen, but everyone knows how crazy an NBA offseason can be.
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Nets Big 3 Member Labeled Offseason ‘Dream Target’ of East Rival