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Imagine a new “Big Three” in Golden State consisting of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and … Ben Simmons. Wait, what? As news broke that the Philadelphia 76ers were committed to making another title run with Simmons in the starting five, another one put the 6-foot-11 point guard in a Warriors uniform.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith caused a stir on Friday during an appearance on “First Take” where he called the notion of the Sixers not trying to trade Simmons a “damn lie.” The plugged-in reporter — Smith spent 16 years in the Philly media — cited sources saying that “calls have already been made” between the Sixers and Warriors. Simmons is very much on the trading block, but only for the right offer.
Philadelphia is trying to claim that Philadelphia is not interested in moving Ben Simmons, let me tell y’all something, that’s a damn lie. That’s a damn lie. It’s just that they’re not interested in getting trash back for him. You make a solid bona fide offer, the Philadelphia 76ers are going to consider it. I believe the Golden State Warriors are going to make a push for Ben Simmons.
I’m not saying it’s going to happen but calls have already been made. Things are percolating and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if something like that ended up going down. This notion that, ain’t no way that Philadelphia is moving him … hell yeah, they’ll move him if it’s the right offer. They won’t move him for garbage. They won’t move him for something that’s not a good offer but I’m telling you, I know a lot of people in Philly as you both know — let them get the right offer, Ben’s gone.
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Tobias Harris Promises Philly ‘Championship’
Simmons was part of a “Big Three” this year in Philly, along with Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris. The trio has expressed frustration about coming up short yet again in the postseason and failing to win the franchise’s first championship since 1983. Embiid apologized profusely after Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, with Harris quickly following his lead.
Harris set career-highs in playoff points per game (21.8), field-goal percentage (.488), and three-point percentage (.372). He’s still motivated to be better.
“Philadelphia, I know you deserve better,” Harris wrote on Instagram. “We will be better and we will bring this city what it deserves. A Championship.”
Sixers President Addresses Offseason Moves
Sixers president Daryl Morey knows he has to infuse more talent into the roster this offseason, specifically when it comes to bench guys and role players. They have big decisions looming on Dwight Howard, Furkan Korkmaz, Danny Green, and then hope to hit big on the 28th pick in the draft.
Morey told reporters he thought he did a “good job” but not a great one in assessing last year’s moves. Expect the Sixers to be active in 2022.
“We have to see what’s out there. We can’t overreact to anything that just happened but we also can’t underreact,” More said. “I know that sounds like GM speak because it is but it’s also true. We have to make the decisions that are best, that are available, over this offseason with free agency, trade, and the draft.
“And if we go in with we know we have to do X, I know that doesn’t work. You can’t go in and say we need exactly this. If you do that, you’ll fail. Because you need a whole set of options and then pick the one that optimizes your championship odds. I thought we did a good job, not a great job, last year and we need to do a great job this offseason.”
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