Sixers: 3 possible Ben Simmons trades to Cavaliers

Sixers’ 3 possible Ben Simmons trades to Cavaliers: The under-appreciated youngster

Sixers also receive: 2023 first-round pick (top-5 protected), 2025 first-round pick (top-5 protected), 2027 first-round pick (top-3 protected)

The Sixers have reached the point where draft capital could outweigh the benefits of a “star” swap, as frankly, the Sixers are unlikely to get a star comparable to Simmons in talent and impact. If CJ McCollum becomes available, you consider it. But beyond that, there aren’t many players on Simmons’ level who will be made available in trade talks. Picks leave the door open for a future star trade.

That being said, this is a pretty reasonable trade for Philadelphia to consider. It doesn’t feel like much on the surface, but three first-round picks is a lot. Isaac Okoro is also the real deal. He looks primed to deliver on his status as a top-5 pick, and is too frequently overshadowed in the broader conversation around Cleveland’s young core.

Okoro is already an elite perimeter defender. If the Sixers are going to trade Simmons, he will leave a significant gap in the perimeter defense. Okoro can help fill it, and he’s much closer to being a starting-caliber wing than Matisse Thybulle, the Sixers’ other elite defensive prospect.

While Okoro isn’t a good 3-point shooter yet (29.0 percent), he averaged 3.2 attempts per game last season and shot 72.6 percent at the free throw line, so the shot isn’t dead in the water. He has room to improve and the mechanics project well. That, combined with his functionality as a secondary ball-handler and facilitator, makes him an intriguing long-term play on both sides of the ball.

The Sixers can expect Okoro to contribute at a high level right away, and potentially start as soon as next season. If this is the kind of deal Philadelphia considers, it is not with immediate title contention in mind, however. It is with a future trade in mind. Even if Okoro isn’t quite ready to start, the Sixers can bear a few extra losses if it positions them better for a big trade and a resurgence in the playoffs.