Getty Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons is defended by James Wiseman and Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.
We may have reached the dog days of the NBA calendar in terms of actual news, but the Philadelphia 76ers continue to grab headlines thanks to the Ben Simmons situation. With each passing day, a slew of new Simmons-centric trades are floated by fans and pundits alike and Thursday was no different.
Appearing on Fox Sports 1’s First Things First program, Chris Broussard became the latest NBA insider to pitch a Simmons trade. However, to say that his proposed deal would be a tough sell for Sixers president Daryl Morey is probably a massive understatement.
The trade, as put forth by Broussard, would look something like this:
- Golden State Warriors receive Ben Simmons
- Philadelphia 76ers receive Draymond Green and James Wiseman
Broussard Breaks Down the Deal
In or Out on Ben Simmons working in Golden State?
“The Warriors are going to be good next season if they added Richard Simmons! … But Ben Simmons is a younger, better version of Draymond Green. If I’m the Warriors I want to put Draymond in the trade.” — @Chris_Broussard
Although a lot of talent would be on the move in that trade, it clearly makes more sense for one team than the other. Specifically, the Warriors, who Broussard was definitely focused on in pitching and breaking down the hypothetical deal.
“Look, the Warriors are going to be good next season if they added Richard Simmons!” he said. “But, overall, I’m out on this. Because I think Ben is a younger, better version of Draymond Green. And what I would do If I’m the Warriors — I want to put Draymond in the trade.”
Broussard continued:
“So I’ll send them Draymond, and I hate to give up the young kid, but James Wiseman for Ben Simmons. And now I have Ben Simmons play the role that Draymond has been playing. The playmaker, the great defender; he can be in the dunker spot on offense when he’s not moving the ball.”
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Why It Doesn’t Make Sense (at All) for Philly
Now, from a purely financial standpoint, that deal would work with those three players alone. And Broussard’s not wrong in his assessment of what Simmons could do with the Warriors as a small-ball big man. As ever, though, it takes two to tango and while Green and Wiseman have big-time value, this deal wouldn’t make sense for Philly.
Wiseman is a stone-cold five-man, while Green has made hay as a four/five after being miscast as a wing player earlier in his career. So with an MVP-type player in Joel Embiid manning the middle, Tobias Harris playing next to him in the frontcourt and Andre Drummond coming off the bench, that particular duo would just create a major logjam down low.
There’s a reason why Damian Lillard has been rumored to be Morey’s top target throughout this process. What the Sixers need is a high-level floor general to steer the ship offensively, push the pace, stretch the floor a little and call his own number in crunch time when the opportunities to do so are there.
In other words, either a confident Simmons with a respectable jump shot or a suitable replacement.
What they don’t need is a gaggle of seven-footers and no pace or spacing offensively (and no quarterback to throw them the ball). An uber-talented, former No. 2 overall pick who would struggle to see the floor because he’s playing behind a top-five NBA player in his prime probably isn’t going to fly, either.
It’s also worth noting that the Sixers and Warriors have reportedly failed once already in attempting to put together a Simmons deal. So, unless something changes drastically, Broussard’s hypothetical trade will likely remain just that.
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