Sixers rumors: Ben Simmons trade discussions have opened up

To quote the Joker: “And. Here. We. Go.” According to Shams Charania of The Athletic ($), the Sixers have “opened up” trade conversations around 24-year-old Ben Simmons. The threshold, as of now, is at least another All-Star caliber player.

As expected, Daryl Morey has set a high bar for teams interested in acquiring Simmons. He’s a former All-NBA and two-time All-Defensive player, with three All-Star games and a Rookie of the Year award on his resume. He’s also under contract through 2025, which means he will spend the prime of his career with whichever team lands him.

That naturally will yield a “robust” market, as Shams put it, with numerous teams in the running. Just about any team looking to take the next step toward contention would be wise to target Simmons, who can both anchor a defense and kickstart an offense.

The Sixers seem willing to trade Ben Simmons, and teams are interested. Is it a matter of when, not if?

Some have speculated that Philadelphia will act with patience while the Damian Lillard tension marinates in Portland. If he demands a trade from the Blazers, any Sixers offer would be built around the appeal of Simmons as a franchise building block.

If the Sixers move quicker, or are presented with an offer too good to pass up, then Morey may scrap patience altogether. He clearly wants to improve this roster around Joel Embiid right now, and there’s no guarantee Simmons would be enough to tempt Portland in a Lillard trade.

All the logical candidates have been touched on and speculated about. Zach LaVine in Chicago, Malcolm Brogdon in Indiana, CJ McCollum in Portland. All are names to watch. Then, there are the teams with rumored interest — both Minnesota and Golden State have been tangibly linked to Simmons, despite somewhat underwhelming trade packages on the surface.

Another small tidbit from Shams’ report: Simmons has entered this offseason with “renewed determination” to better his game. Whether he ends up elsewhere, or stays in Philly, it will be fascinating to see if hitting rock bottom in the second round is enough to bring about real change.