Sixers Ben Simmons trade #3: Blockbuster deal
Lillard appears to be the superstar that might be available for trade this offseason. Whether it actually materializes remains to be seen, but it’s pretty clear what it would take from the Sixers end. It’s been somewhat talked about to death at this point. Simmons, Thybulle, Tyrese Maxey + picks. Yada yada.
However, I do think the blockbuster trade concept around Simmons is what gives me pause when we talk about his trade value. The perceived take is that it’s at an all-time low, but the Lillard trade concept is…almost exactly the same as the Harden package that was discussed.
Houston Rockets are also requesting Philadelphia 76ers defensive specialist Matisse Thybulle in a trade package for James Harden, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 13, 2021
Of course now the narrative on social media is that the Sixers should’ve done “Simmons for Harden” despite that never being the actual trade (on top of that, the contentious relationship between Tillman Fertitta and Morey complicating things). If the Sixers can still theoretically acquire a top-10 player with the same package they offered in January, Simmons’ value isn’t as low as people think.
My takeaway from all of this is that Simmons’ value wasn’t as high as people thought it was during the Harden sweepstakes, but simultaneously, it’s not as low as people believe it is now. Simmons is still a three-time All-Star at 25 who can potentially still develop a shot if he wants to put the work in. Even if he doesn’t develop a shot, some teams may be interested in converting his position with his defensive prowess.