Sixers: Is the Ben Simmons era over?

On June 23, 2016, fans of the Philadelphia 76ers were ecstatic because the franchise had just selected Ben Simmons with the first overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft. Ben Simmons attended LSU and averaged 19 points per game as well as four assists and nearly nine rebounds per game. Simmons was meant to be part of ‘’ The Process,” joining Joel Embiid and trying to bring an NBA title to the Sixers.

Unfortunately, that’s not how things played out. The 6-foot-10 point guard is now on the verge of leaving Philadelphia because of how horrid his playoff performance was in the second round of the 2021 NBA playoffs. So now everyone is left asking themselves the question: is Ben Simmons getting traded? Is Philadelphia going to run it back? Is “The Process” over?

Ben Simmons’ trade value

Before we start I think It’s important to note that Ben Simmons is still a valued player in the league;’s eyes. I mean, he did come in second in Defensive Player of the Year voting and is still an incredible playmaker. With that being said, teams across the league could really use Ben Simmons, such as Portland and Golden State and even Minnesota. But, again the question is will the 76ers part ways with Ben Simmons?

Why the Sixers may (or may not) trade Ben Simmons

Listen, Ben Simmons is such a unique player and Philadelphia knows that. Yes, he did not preform well in the playoffs, but what he brings on the defensive end is something that can’t be ignored. I’m not defending him by any means — what he did In the playoffs was horrible — but at the end of the day, he’s a 6-foot-10 point guard who can handle, pass, and defend at a high level.

The 76ers have a tough situation because they either have to trade Simmons this offseason, or they have to keep Simmons and hope he can boost his trade value and maybe trade him before the deadline. But then you risk his value getting worse, so it’s definitely a gamble for the 76ers, but hey, they have one of the best executives in the NBA today.

Which teams will engage the Sixers in Ben Simmons talks?

As of now there have been some buzz around the league that the Golden State Warriors could be prepared to make a push for Simmons, and I don’t blame them. Imagine Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson being the Splash Brothers, with Ben Simmons and Draymond Green on the defensive end. That team would be instant title contenders in my opinion.

The other team that has been rumored for the Ben Simmons sweepstakes are the Portland Trail Blazers. The Trail Blazers could either trade straight up for Simmons offering CJ McCollum, or if Damian Lillard does want to leave Portland, the Sixers could give them a pretty good package if they wanted too.

We’ll see what happens with Ben Simmons, but as of now he is a Sixer. But hey, who knows with Morey as executive for the 76ers anything could happen.