Sixers: Figuring out 3-team Ben Simmons trade with Knicks

The Sixers have reportedly engaged with several teams on the Ben Simmons trade front. A surprising inclusion on that list, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, are the New York Knicks, who currently place 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 12-15 record.

To take matters further, one NBA source suggested to SNY’s Ian Begley that a Simmons-to-New York trade would have to involve multiple teams. The Knicks don’t have the coveted “top 25 player” Daryl Morey is pursuing, but a wealth of draft assets and young talent could still give them an avenue to acquiring the Sixers’ beleaguered All-Star.

"“To acquire Simmons in a multi-team deal, the Knicks would have to part with significant young talent and draft compensation.Last offseason, some Knicks decision-makers believed that they’d have to include RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, and Immanuel Quickley in a package to acquire a top player in his prime.”"

So, with that in mind, let’s figure out how exactly New York could acquire Simmons ahead of the Feb. 10 trade deadline.

The Knicks are interested in Sixers All-Star Ben Simmons — what would a trade look like?

The noise around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is worth monitoring, even if he’s likely to spend the next five years in OKC. If there is any doubt in the Thunder front office, a fruitful package of young talent and draft compensation could do the trick. There’s no doubt SGA is on the Sixers’ list of ideal targets.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s open market value is comparable to Simmons, if not above it in the estimation of most NBA followers. The Knicks, meanwhile, could use real foundational change. The Julius Randle-Ben Simmons pairing is funky, but workable. Especially if Randle slides down to the five. Simmons is a defender above all else, and Tom Thibodeau loves defense.

For OKC, R.J. Barrett and Immanuel Quickley are both nicely suited to Josh Giddey and the rest of OKC’s young core. Derrick Rose can be flipped for a third first-round pick, or he can stick around as a veteran leader. Either way, OKC’s war chest would outstrip any team in basketball, giving them unlimited draft swings and the capital to swing a major trade when the time is right.

This is generally the kind of framework New York and Philadelphia would need to hammer out. The Knicks’ young talent and draft compensation would have to be parlayed into an All-Star somewhere else, as the Sixers’ have no interest in rebuilding.