The ongoing saga about the future of Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons doesn’t seem ever to end, and the latest reports suggest that the Australian could be heading for either to the Golden State Warriors or the Portland Trail Blazers.
Simmons bore the brunt of the 76ers poor play-off showing last season, though to be fair, he was something of a scapegoat. The 25-year-old has impressed over the course of his four years at the Wells Fargo Center and is clearly a much sought-after talent during the close season.
If either Golden State or Portland wins the race to sign Simmons, then it will certainly improve their respective odds of NBA success in the coming campaign, and you can see more on the fluctuations on this NBA game odds page. Steph Curry’s Golden State is currently well placed to go all the way (+1000) to win the NBA Championship, whereas Portland (who crashed out in the first round of the play-offs to Denver last year) sits at a lofty (+6000).
Simmons has set his sights on moving anywhere that isn’t Philadelphia, and he will likely get his wish. There is no shortage of interested parties with the likes of the Sacramento Kings, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Minnesota Timberwolves among a list of five NBA teams fighting out for the 76ers defensive player.
Some of Simmon’s teammates have attempted to dissuade the player from leaving, but by all accounts, he isn’t about to change his mind, and this has been confirmed by a source who spoke with The Athletic.
“Multiple sources said Simmons didn‚Äôt want his teammates, some of whom he considers friends, to make the Philadelphia-to-Los Angeles commute out of courtesy because he won‚Äôt change his mind on wanting a trade.”
The report goes on to state that the 76ers haven’t received an offer they’d consider accepting, which suggests that there is a deal out there that would be taken if offered.
A move to the Denver Nuggets is, however, not one that’s likely to gain any traction, especially given that talk of a switch with Jamal Murray were ridiculed by Nuggets executive who was quoted as saying, “Not sure if that’s more insulting to Jamal or us, to be honest.”
The Philadelphia 76ers have seen their last three seasons end with defeat in the Eastern Conference semifinals, and they may well feel that a change is necessary in order to move deeper into the play-off picture.
However, arguably losing Simmons won’t be much of a help in that department; after all, the Melbourne-born player averaged 14 points per game, with seven rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 2.2 steals/blocks per game. In other words, he’s a player that offers a great deal to any side looking to pick him up.
We are moving nearer to the start of the new season, which tips off on October 19th, and as such, this deal needs to be resolved sooner rather than later.
