The Sixers currently have all 17 roster spots filled. Normally, at this point in the offseason, that would mean we have a good idea of what the team will look like next season. Not in this case, however, as Ben Simmons still looms large over the franchise. The All-Star point guard clearly wants to leave, but Philadelphia has rebuffed low-ball offers around the association.
If the Sixers do bring Simmons into the regular season, it will feel temporary. There’s no real future for Simmons in Philadelphia. The fanbase wants him gone, his coach and teammates threw him under the bus, and there’s a definite, unbreakable ceiling on the Sixers’ success with Simmons as the No. 2 player.
In a recent episode of The House That Hinkie Built podcast, host Jackson Frank and his guest, Mark Schindler of Indy Cornrows, brought up a fascinating concept: that of a “consolidation trade.”
New episode of The House That Hinkie Built is live!
— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) August 9, 2021
I was joined by @MSchindlerNBA to get his thoughts on the Sixers’ free agency moves, how they go about maximizing Joel Embiid’s prime and more. https://t.co/zecFPk1hcX
What is a consolidation trade, and could that end up being the Sixers’ best option in the Ben Simmons sweepstakes?
The idea of a “consolidation trade,” to paraphrase the excellent discourse from the podcast, is that a team with an overabundance of trade assets — young, useful players and draft picks — may look to consolidate those assets into a high-end talent, such as Simmons. Schindler specifically mentions Atlanta and Memphis as two teams who would fit the bill.
If the Sixers decide there is no bringing Simmons back next season, and a Damian Lillard trade doesn’t materialize soon, there’s a good chance Simmons is dealt for something unexpected. Rather than a star-for-star swap, the Sixers could decide to take back multiple useful players and draft picks, then aim to inundate Portland with picks and prospects if a Lillard trade request does come further down the line.
While the idea of not getting a bonafide star back for Simmons is a bit unsettling, the tea leaves much be read. Every trade rumor — Sacramento, Minnesota, Golden State, etc. — revolves around the idea of pairing Simmons with another star, not swapping stars. The Kings want Simmons and De’Aaron Fox together. The Timberwolves want Simmons and D’Angelo Russell in the backcourt.
There’s a fair chance the Sixers cannot get another star of comparable value to Simmons without giving up other assets. If that is true, and the Simmons relationship is too far gone to bring him back on opening night, then a consolidation trade could be the end result.
Let’s look at some potential frameworks.