Philadelphia 76ers point guard Ben Simmons is one of the players who are expected to be moved before the 2022 NBA trade deadline. Despite strong efforts from the Sixers to convince him to stay, the former No. 1 pick looked determined to leave the City of Brotherly Love. As of now, the Sixers are active on the trade market, finding their disgruntled superstar a new home.
In any potential deal involving Simmons, the Sixers are hoping to acquire a young All-Star who would complement the face of the franchise, Joel Embiid, on the court.
Ben Simmons To Memphis Grizzlies
One of the dark-horse trade destinations for Simmons is the Memphis Grizzlies. In a recent article, Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report suggested a three-way blockbuster trade idea that would enable the Grizzlies to pair Ja Morant with Simmons before the 2022 NBA trade deadline,
In the proposed trade scenario, the Grizzlies would get Simmons and a 2025 second-round pick, the Sixers would receive Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dillon Brooks, while the Thunder would land Tyrese Maxey, Steven Adams, Ziaire Williams, a 2022 first-round pick, a 2024 first-round pick, and a 2026 first-round pick.
Grizzlies Form 'Next-Gen Big Three' With Ben Simmons
As of now, the Grizzlies haven’t shown a strong indication that they are planning to trade for Simmons. However, Hughes believes that the proposed three-way deal is worth exploring for the Grizzlies as it would allow them to create the "next-gen Big Three" with Simmons, Morant, and Jaren Jackson Jr.
"Simmons would provide defensive punch for a Grizzlies D that has ranked near the bottom of the league all season—and still does, despite holding the Thunder to 79 points during Thursday’s historic thrashing," Hughes wrote. "Ja Morant would run the show, pairing with Jaren Jackson Jr. (who’ll space the floor better than any center with whom Simmons has ever played), while Simmons guards across the positional spectrum, sneaks in a few minutes as a small-ball 5 and enjoys the relative anonymity of a mostly overlooked NBA market."
Ben Simmons Boosts Grizzlies On Both Ends
Simmons would undeniably be an incredible addition to the Grizzlies. He may have gone through plenty of ups and downs in the past years, but he remains a solid two-way contributor on the court. His potential arrival in Memphis is expected to ease the loads on Morant’s shoulders on the offensive end and improve the Grizzliers’ performance on the defensive end.
Simmons would give the Grizzlies a very reliable scorer behind Morant, a great playmaker, a decent rebounder, and an elite defender. Last season, he averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1.6 steals while shooting 55.7 percent from the field, per ESPN.
Does The Trade Make Sense For Sixers & Thunder?
The proposed three-way trade would also make sense for the Sixers. Though it would also cost them a young and promising talent in Maxey, the suggested deal would allow them to pair Embiid with another All-Star in Gilgeous-Alexander. The successful acquisition of SGA would ease the departure of Simmons.
Gilgeous-Alexander may not be an elite defender, but he’s a very reliable scorer and a decent playmaker. With his ability to space the floor, he would nicely fit alongside Embiid on the court.
Meanwhile, the hypothetical three-way blockbuster would only be worth exploring for the Thunder if they don’t think that Gilgeous-Alexander is the player that would lead them back to title contention in the post-Russell Westbrook era. In exchange for SGA, the Thunder would be acquiring two talented prospects that they could develop in Maxey and Williams and add three more future first-round picks to their collection of draft assets.
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