Sixers: Possible Ben Simmons trade with Pacers No. 3
Sixers also receive: 2024 first-round pick (Spurs, top-5 protected), 2026 first-round pick (Pacers, lottery-protected), 2026 first-round pick swap (Spurs)
There’s a good chance any Simmons trade will require three teams, which adds another layer of complexity to already-difficult negotiations. Simmons is a unique player that requires a very specific team context to maximize his skill set. It’s fair to wonder if he and Sabonis would overlap too severely on offense.
This is a solution to that issue. The Pacers move on from Sabonis, who the Sixers surely don’t want. Enter San Antonio, a team that clearly has interest in acquiring All-Star talent (see: Ben Simmons rumors). Sabonis is the perfect Gregg Popovich star, and the Spurs are itching for a more sturdy presence in the frontcourt.
In the end, Philadelphia gets the aforementioned T.J. Warren, as well as Derrick White, San Antonio’s best guard and a player who can adequately replicate Simmons’ value on defense. Both Warren and White have past injury concerns, for Philadelphia, this trade addresses two needs: the need for a perimeter shot-maker in Warren, and the need for a defensive-minded playmaker in White.
Both White and Warren would start for Philadelphia, ideally. The Sixers could try to squeeze Caris LeVert into the deal instead of Warren, and the draft compensation gets tricky with so many moving pieces. That said, the Sixers are (again) giving up the best player, who lands in Indiana. The Spurs land the second-best player, Sabonis. Both teams would therefore owe some level of extra compensation to Philadelphia, the only team not getting an All-Star in return.
This is probably the best outcome for the Pacers, who have already been dealing with a frontcourt logjam before Simmons’ arrival. This allows them to commit to Myles Turner as a rim protector while pairing him with arguably the best perimeter defender the game has to offer.