Ben Simmons has not been all over the news anymore for the past few weeks, but he has still not suited up for a single second for the Philadelphia 76ers this season. It is still an empty roster spot for the 76ers who could use any sort of help to still continually develop alongside arguably the best big man in the association Joel Embiid.
The Atlanta Hawks have emerged as one of the dark horses to acquire Simmons because of the combination of salary fillers and young studs with massive upside that could entice Daryl Morey to pull the trigger. Realistically, it will still be insurmountable to acquire Simmons without giving up a star as well, but the Hawks could try negotiating and present attractive deals to the 76ers organization.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, Cam Reddish, De'Andre Hunter
If Philadelphia is able to surround Embiid with another sensational shooter in Bogdan Bogdanovic and still have two great players with tremendous potential is a win for Philadelphia. Honestly, it does not seem plausible for Morey to receive a top-25 player in return for a disgruntled star like Simmons, so it seems ideal for them to accept a deal with a construction similar to this.
The Hawks are in dire need of shakeup with their subpar defensive performance, thus Simmons has proven to be one of the at that aspect in the whole league. Hunter has been responsible for defending the best player on the opposing team, but he has been hounded by injuries every year. Simmons could be the secondary ball handler alongside Young as he could create offense as well by pushing the pace and converting transition buckets.
Danilo Gallinari, Cam Reddish, Kevin Huerter
The initial deal could be too much in return for one player who is unpredictable in terms of his attitude as Atlanta would sacrifice depth in their deep rotation. Danilo Gallinari is another salary filler that could fit in the offensive schemes of Philadelphia as the backup of Tobias Harris and Danny Green in the forward position. Additionally, Reddish and Huerter will provide more spacing at the wings as Green and Seth Curry would have games wherein they would fail to find their rhythm.
Head coach Doc Rivers usually finds revelations from his bench unit in certain junctures in the playoffs and having Huerter and Reddish would be fantastic for Philly. Huerter had that memorable Game 7 of the East semifinals performance last season, while Reddish had the coming out party in Game 6 of the East Finals. Despite their young age, they have proven to succeed at the playoff stage already.
John Collins, Cam Reddish, Onyeka Okongwu
For the 76ers to want an All-Star caliber player, John Collins could be the answer to the trade. The Hawks will unlikely even consider parting ways with him as he just signed an enormous long-term extension in the offseason, but pairing him with Embiid in the 76ers front court will be fabulous for their franchise. He will flourish with the lobs possibly thrown to him by Tyrese Maxey, and he could be another defensive asset alongside Matisse Thybulle and Green.
It seems improbable for the Hawks to even add another piece that is on his peak already, thus adding two young individuals in Reddish and Onyeka Okongwu would balance the deal out for both sides. Okongwu would be a vital backup to Embiid given his injury history and Reddish is an excellent three-and-D and plug-and-play player.
The Hawks are sputtering down to the tail-end of the East, but they have the ability to still swing deals before the trade deadline and possibly propel themselves as a dangerous threat in the playoffs once again. They have proven to be a legitimate squad in the second half of the season so teams must watch out for them, especially if they acquire someone with the talent of Simmons.
Follow Us
Subscribe