The Golden State Warriors are once again being pegged as a “preferred” destination for unhappy Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons — though whether the Warriors prefer to trade for Simmons remains in question.
Sky Sports analyst Mo Mooncey reported on Wednesday that Simmons has his eye on Golden State if he ends up being traded, though he admitted that even Simmons saw this as a remote possibility.
“Per a source in Simmons camp: his preferred teams in the West are Dallas & GSW,” Mooncey tweeted. “He realises GSW is highly unlikely and thinks Philly’s asking price is too steep. Fears the 76ers may not trade him at all.”
The report comes as Simmons and his camp have reported pressed the Sixers on pushing for a trade.
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Simmons Looks to Make Move
After months with no movement and Simmons yet to rejoin teammates on the Sixers, there appears to be a growing sense of urgency from Simmons’ camp. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday that his agent is hoping to push Philadelphia toward a trade, though there is still no movement on any kind of deal.
“ESPN Sources: Agent for Ben Simmons – Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul – met with Sixers’ Daryl Morey and Elton Brand to discuss status of stalemate today,” Wojnarowski tweeted. “Stances unchanged: Simmons no closer to playing this season – and Sixers determined to bring back a significant player in trade.”
The Sixers are looking to package Tobias Harris with Ben Simmons in trade talks, per @MarcJSpears
(h/t @RealGM)
With the February 10 trade deadline approaching, it could also grow more difficult for the Sixers to move Simmons. Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that Simmons would still need at least a few weeks of conditioning to get ready for on-court work, making it an even more difficult sell for a contending team that would need to give up a “significant player” in order to land Simmons.
Warriors Likely Staying Put
In his tweet, Mooncey stressed that Simmons’ preferences may not have any actual bearing on where he ends up, and it has long been reported that he would like to be traded to a California team. The odds of that team being the Warriors appear to be small, especially after Golden State owner Joe Lacob has given clear indications that the team is not planning any big moves.
Lacob said in an interview with The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami late last year that Golden State has assembled a roster with the intent of contending for years to come. That means holding onto key young players like Jonathan Kuminga and James Wiseman, who would likely be needed to land a player like Simmons.
The message has been sent that Ben Simmons would be ready to play after a few weeks of intensified conditioning and court action, @sam_amick writes.
But plenty of questions remain about who he will be as a player in the future.
The latest on Simmons: t.co/32xY7TiHD0
“First of all, this is the only path,” Lacob said. “There is no other path. I don’t really understand what people are talking about. We have the highest payroll in the history of the NBA by a longshot. So we are all-in. But I believe, we believe — our coaching staff and our basketball operations staff — the great teams have a combination of types of talent. You want to be able to play different ways. You want to have young players that are developing and you want to have the great ones that are already there.”
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Warriors ‘Preferred’ Destination for Ben Simmons in Trade: Insider