Sixers: What would Ben Simmons-Warriors trade look like?
This is — again — somewhat complicated. Unless the Sixers and Warriors are both into swapping Ben Simmons and Klay Thompson straight up, which the Sixers would do in a heartbeat and the Warriors would not, it will take three teams and some creative thinking. As a blanket statement before we start, Andrew Wiggins is forbidden from joining the Sixers. It cannot happen. “He was Joel’s college teammate!” — I don’t care!
Ben Simmons-to-Warriors framework #1 — Sixers hijack the lottery
Sixers receive…
- Kemba Walker
- #7 pick
- #14 pick
Warriors receive…
- Ben Simmons
Thunder receive…
- Andrew Wiggins
- #28 pick
This is about a simple and straight-forward as a Sixers-Warriors trade can get. OKC gets in, takes on the Andrew Wiggins contract, and is given (another) first-round pick for their troubles. The Sixers take on Kemba Walker and his Celtics revenge tour, while Ben Simmons explores the glorious hillsides of San Francisco.
Dane Moore, who covers the Minnesota Timberwolves under the Blue Wire Podcasts network, recently reported that it would take “two first-round picks” to acquire Ben Simmons if Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards were not in the deal. We can extrapolate that to a broader NBA context, and say it would require multiple picks to acquire Ben Simmons in the absence of an elite young talent. In this version of a deal, the Sixers get two picks — two prime lottery picks.
That may very well be the peak of Simmons’ value, which is not at an all-time high right now, and if that’s what Daryl Morey believes to be the case, then maybe Simmons is out the door. The Sixers could also look to flip one or both of those picks for another win-now contributor.
In this writer’s personal opinion, however, that feels like a dangerous undersell when you consider that Kemba Walker was just salary dumped along with a first-round pick for Al Horford, who the Sixers salary-dumped last offseason along with a first-round pick. If Walker and mid-to-late lottery picks is all Simmons nets, it may be smarter to keep Simmons and try to recoup value. It would ultimately depend, as well, on how Morey and the front office view the prospects available in this year’s lottery.