Let’s all take a moment to congratulate the … Cleveland Cavaliers! They are the NBA team du jour when it comes to trade rumors with the Sixers for erstwhile guard Ben Simmons.
The origins of the rumors go to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski this weekend stating that not only have the Cavs been among the teams to previously talk with the Sixers about Simmons, but they could be one to watch again going forward.
I’m sure people missed this but Woj said that the #Cavs are a team to watch on becoming re-engaged on the Ben Simmons trade front as we’re roughly a little over a month away from the trade deadline.
Wojnarowski also highlighted a trio of teams that have been floated before among those with real interest in a Simmons deal: Indiana, Sacramento and Minnesota. But the Cavaliers’ hot start—they are 19-13—and surplus of young assets has them in the thick of Simmons speculation, according to Wojnarowski:
Here’s an interesting team to watch—the Cleveland Cavaliers, who before they went on this really incredible start to the season had been engaged with Philly on Simmons. They’ve got some really intriguing assets, either in a straight deal with Philly or in a three- or four-team deal.
This is a team in Cleveland that is just a game out of third place. Philly is a team right now in that bunched-up East that could be out of the play-in with a couple of losses, the way it is bunched up. Expect Philly to start talking more with teams as we get closer to that February 10 deadline. It will be interesting to see if Cleveland re-engages.
Could a Sixers-Cavaliers Trade Make Sense?
The Cavaliers do have solid assets, but none that would qualify as the kind of star-caliber player Philadelphia is seeking in exchange for Simmons. Point guard Collin Sexton has value around the league, though that value has ebbed as he is heading into restricted free agency and will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.
#Cavs Collin Sexton can’t help himself. With a torn meniscus in his left knee, he limped onto the court following tonight’s game and took some short set shots.
If a deal is to be built around Sexton, it would likely be a multi-team deal that sends Sexton elsewhere, since Sexton is not enough of an upgrade to supplant second-year guard Tyrese Maxey in the future. He was averaging just 16.1 points in 11 games before going out with surgery, though he averaged 24.3 points last season and is a career 37.8% 3-point shooter.
A straight deal between Cleveland and Philadelphia would have to include Darius Garland coming back to the Sixers, as he is the most valuable player on the Cavs roster outside of rookie big guy Evan Mobley, who is mostly considered untouchable in a trade. But Garland is 22 and averaging 19.4 points and 7.3 assists, meaning the Cavs are unlikely to part with him.
Cleveland does, though, have all its draft picks going forward, plus a net of five additional second-round picks that could be used in any deal. If the Cavs were willing to include Sexton, other players, plus picks to send elsewhere, with Simmons landing in Cleveland, the Sixers could be in position to add a veteran star for a team looking to dive into a rebuild—like Sacramento or Indiana, or, potentially, New Orleans and Portland.
Simmons Situation not Close to a Resolution
Whichever way the Simmons deal shakes out, don’t expect a resolution soon. The spike in COVID-19 cases around the NBA has left the league reeling and front-offices focusing on adding hardship exemption players.
“All the COVID issues in the league has cooled a lot of the trade talk around the league,” Woj said. “But as players start to get back, teams get their rosters back, Ben Simmons and Philadelphia, I think you’ll see the Sixers start to re-engage teams, certainly he is no closer to agreeing to come back to play with the Sixers this season and they don’t have any real traction on a trade yet.”
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Woj Updates Sixers-Simmons Trade Rumors Adding ‘Interesting’ East Rival