Ben Simmons has outgrown his welcome with the Philadelphia 76ers. Well, it was more like he never really grew enough. The point forward never really developed into the kind of second star that the Sixers needed alongside All-NBA center Joel Embiid. On its surface, the Golden State Warriors don't seem to need him either based on Dubs GM Bob Myers' latest comments.
Myers spoke candidly about what the Warriors' game plan is for their two lottery picks – their own No. 14 overall pick and the Minnesota Timberwolves' No. 7. Asked what the chances were of seeing both picks parlay into players who make the Warriors roster next season, Myers answered.
Via NBC Sports' Kendra Andrews:
“It depends,” Warriors general manager Bob Myers said after the lottery. “If that's the best thing to do, that's what we'll do.”
“But it depends. Some guys are older that can help you more and there are young guys, young guys that can help you. But then you weigh it against what you can do with those picks and I have no idea right now what we can do with 14 or seven or them together, and I'm sure we'll find out and make the best decision we can.”
“We’re not trying to develop players at the risk of losing,” Myers said later. “We’re not going to develop and have it cost us games. That’s not the plan.”
While Myers left the door open for actually keeping the picks, stating that some players are more NBA-ready than others, reading between the lines makes it feel like they're definitely looking to trade either one or even both. After all, there's no merit to outright stating your intention to trade them this early, so the Warriors' GM kept his cards close to the vest. And with James Wiseman already on the roster, you run the risk of filling up rotation spots with inexperienced talent while still having a core that's raring to compete for a title. But that's what makes a Ben Simmons to the Warriors trade absolutely perfect.
Why Ben Simmons Trade To Warriors Makes Too Much Sense
Pushing for a Ben Simmons trade to Golden State seems counter-productive to what Bob Myers claims is the Warriors' decision-making mantra.
“We’re not trying to develop players at the risk of losing.”
Ben Simmons, as we've all seen, still has a ton of developing to do. But that very fact has driven down his trade value immensely. Just last season, Ben Simmons was the centerpiece of a brewing James Harden trade, which would have pushed through if Daryl Morey was willing to part with a few more Sixers assets.
But with Big Ben's latest fallout, it's possible that two late lottery picks, or maybe even just the seventh pick by itself, plus Andrew Wiggins' contract can be a viable offer made for the Sixers star. While there's no direct indication of that just yet, the fact that it's plausible now just goes to show how steep Ben Simmons' trade value has dropped.
The best part is that the Warriors might just be the perfect incubator for Ben Simmons to develop without having to risk losing games. One of the inherent struggles that Simmons had on the Sixers was in creating offense in the half-court. Sure, he's a lethal fastbreak scorer and dangerous with a full head of steam. But the man just can't be your primary ball-handler when running set play because everyone knows he's more likely to pass than he is a threat to score.
With the 76ers' best player and offensive weapon being Joel Embiid, a hulking giant who operates in the post, their offense doesn't have the perimeter threat necessary to make their inside-out game work. Ben Simmons clearly isn't that guy. But on the Warriors, the offensive mantra shifts completely. Stephen Curry is option one, two, and three to touch the rock in order to get a bucket. Draymond Green has long been the lynchpin of their offense and can handle running their sets as well. Ben Simmons won't have the pressure on him to create because he doesn't have to.
But at the same time, the spacing he'll get playing alongside Curry and, eventually, Klay Thompson is something he's never experienced throughout his career. We've seen Ben Simmons thrive during stints when Joel Embiid is out with injury. When the lane opens up for him, a light bulb turns on in his brain to be able to create on offense. Imagine what he can do when the floor-spacers around him are arguably the two best three-point shooters of all time.
He also gets a chance to learn a thing or two about shooting from bona fide experts. With Curry and Thompson sharing their best practices on developing his jump shot, Ben Simmons could find his rhythm soon enough. And if he never does, Draymond Green is there to teach him how to become a star without an outside shot. Ben Simmons has all the tools to develop into a Defensive Player of the Year who excels at creating offense for others. He's practically that already.
We've seen firsthand with Andrew Wiggins how these top draft picks sometimes just need a change of scenery with the pressure off their shoulders to develop in a winning organization. Ben Simmons getting traded to the Warriors could be a match made in heaven.
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