3 underrated targets in Ben Simmons trade: OG Anunoby
Once upon a time, many considered Toronto a leading candidate to trade for Ben Simmons. That talk has died down of late, but the Raptors’ interest should not be ignored. As push comes to shove and the Sixers are forced to compromise, any number of teams could emerge to land the 6-foot-10 All-Star. If the Blazers hang tight to Lillard, it’s anybody’s ball game.
The most popular name connected to Toronto is Pascal Siakam, who has been involved in his own share of trade rumors this summer. It makes sense to connect the two. The Raptors have a glut of forwards, and Siakam’s tense relationship with coach Nick Nurse could sour as the team moves away from contention. Fred VanVleet is another name that has come up in connection to Simmons.
Perhaps the most interesting player in Toronto, however, is OG Anunoby. The 24-year-old signed a big extension last season and is on a similar timeline (at least age-wise) as Simmons. Should Toronto truly value Simmons’ star power, it’s not unreasonable for a package to be built around Anunoby and picks.
For the Sixers, Anunoby would help approximate Simmons’ sweeping defensive value, providing much of the same versatility from either forward spot. In 33.3 minutes per game last season, Anunoby averaged a career-high 1.5 steals. He can guard all over the floor, with keen awareness, opportune hands, and a white-hot motor.
Offensively, Anunoby does not fill the playmaking void left by Simmons. He does, however, shoot the 3 at a high level, hitting 39.8 percent of his 6.1 attempts per game last season. He has shown flashes of scoring off the dribble too, using his strength to overpower smaller defenders en route to the basket. With an increased role, Anunoby could emerge as a legitimate 18-20 point scorer.
That offensive upside and the defensive value, which is right on par with Simmons, makes him a pretty appealing alternative. He doesn’t have the cachet of some hypothesized trade candidates, but I would prefer Anunoby by a country mile over names like D’Angelo Russell or Buddy Hield. If the Raptors want Simmons and believe strongly in No. 4 pick Scottie Barnes, it could make sense to build a package around Anunoby.