Sixers: 5 most likely Ben Simmons trade destinations

Most likely Ben Simmons trade destinations — 1. Golden State Warriors

The Warriors are reportedly reluctant to pair Ben Simmons with Draymond Green, and thus are considered unlikely to acquire the 25-year-old. Yeah, okay. The Warriors can feign disinterest all they want, but when it times come to pull the trigger, few teams have a greater reason to want Simmons than Golden State.

Stephen Curry is 33 years old. He is one of the greatest offensive players of all time, and it is Golden State’s duty to put forth the most competitive roster possible. The fit is funky and off-beat, but Simmons getting to work with Curry and Klay Thompson is not hard to imagine. He and Green are two all-universe defenders who complement each other perfectly on that side of the ball, and the Warriors have played non-shooters on the floor with Draymond in the past — often to great effect.

The Warriors’ title odds go up drastically by swapping Andrew Wiggins and young pieces for Simmons. It may harm your long-term outlook, depending on your opinion of Jonathan Kuminga and James Wiseman, but who cares. The Warriors go at Steph goes, and he’s ready to win a championship this season. As a third or fourth offensive option focused on defense and connecting dots as a passer, Simmons should thrive.

Golden State has enough bullets in the chamber for one star acquisition. Pascal Siakam is a name that has been thrown around, and frankly, I’d probably take Siakam over Simmons in their situation. That said, if the Raptors cling tight to Siakam, the next man up in Simmons. He’s a top-35 NBA player, a perennial All-Star, and gives Golden State the second and third-place finishers in last season’s Defensive Player of the Year voting.

It is this writer’s opinion that Golden State should do everything short of abject lunacy to acquire Simmons. I’m not 100 percent sure I trust Bob Myers and the Warriors’ front office to make that particular commitment, but the Warriors have made big swings in the past. This is no different, really.