Fringe players Sixers should target in Ben Simmons trade: Devin Vassell
Devin Vassell was a lottery pick in 2020, and for good reason. He was buried in San Antonio’s rotation as a rookie, but the 21-year-old from Florida State still has a lot of promise. If the Sixers end up taking Derrick White plus pieces from San Antonio, Vassell should rank high on Morey’s list of targets.
At 6-foot-5, Vassell’s NBA prospects were built on his defensive potential. He has a 6-foot-10 wingspan, with room to grow into his frame and add muscle over time. The Sixers will need to replace Ben Simmons’ perimeter defense by committee — especially on the wing, where Simmons’ size and versatility will be greatly missed. A player like Vassell can held fill the void.
There is also plenty of reason to invest in Vassell’s offensive real estate. He averaged 5.5 points in 17.0 minutes per game last season, but hit a respectable 34.7 percent of his 3s and 84.3 percent of his free throws, which bodes well for long-term growth as a shooter. He has the touch, and at Florida State, showed flashes of pull-up, off-the-dribble scoring.
There’s not a ready-made role for Vassell in Philadelphia, but he’s a lottery prospect with lottery upside. The Sixers probably won’t get equal day-one value for Simmons. With that being the case, it’s wise to shift focus to future assets who can develop over time and, ideally, be packaged into another trade down the line, perhaps for a Damian Lillard or a Bradley Beal.