Despite Ben Simmons returning to the Philadelphia 76ers, that shouldn’t and won’t stop fans from speculating potential trade packages. As of now, the two biggest names that are likely candidates for Simmons at this point are Malcolm Brogdon and CJ McCollum.
Are these two players the type of ones that the Sixers would want to do a straight-up swap for Simmons? No, they are very good players, but neither has made an All-Star game despite playing at that level in the past. However, either could be the headliner in a bigger potential deal where the 76ers get more back than just that one player. The question is which player would you want to headline a deal for Simmons more.
Who should the Sixers want more in a Simmons trade, McCollum or Brogdon?
To be clear, I won’t be looking about the additional pieces in a potential trade, but just the headline players themselves.
McCollum
Let’s with McCollum, who is the older of the two guards. For the past six seasons, McCollum has averaged at least 20-points and usually averages between 21 or 23 points per game. He’s a three-level scorer and an underrated playmaker. He’s never been a full-time point guard been has shown to be an elite player when he’s the main option on the court.
McCollum is 30-years-old and outside of last season, he’s been relatively healthy for his career. I’ve made the case in the past that he can be an All-Star if he was in the Eastern Conference. His fit with Joel Embiid on offense would be seamless, but the issue is that he’s a liability on defense. That being written, he can be a solid number two scoring option to Embiid.
Last season, McCollum averaged 23.1 points and 4.7 assists, while shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 40.2 percent from the 3-point line.
Brogdon
Despite stealing the 2016 Rookie of the Year award from Embiid, Brogdon has developed into a very good player. Unlike McCollum, Brogdon is a top-10 defender at the guard position in the NBA. He’s also developed into a three-level scorer. The 28-year-old guard is also a part of the 50-40-90 club and he had a career year last season.
He’s more of a natural point guard and two inches taller than McCollum as well. That being written, he’s not nearly as a dynamic scorer that McCollum has proven to be throughout his career. Outside of last season, Brogdon hasn’t averaged more than 16.5 points in any other season. Brogdon can’t be a second scoring option on a contender, but he can be a great third option.
Last season, Brogdon averaged 21.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.9 assists, while making 45.3 percent from the floor and 38.9 percent from downtown.
Should the Sixers go for the bonafide scorer or go for a player who provides more two-way value? Hopefully, the 76ers can get a player better than either, but if they can’t it’s a tough choice for the franchise to make between the two guards.