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The February 10th trade deadline is rapidly approaching, and all eyes remain on the Philadelphia 76ers. After a months-long saga that has resulted in the former No. 1 pick suiting up in zero games this season, Daryl Morey is reaching his crossroads. Philadelphia can either trade Simmons for the best package available or drag this out into another offseason.
Marc Stein reported on Friday that the Sixers' top priority remains trying to get Simmons back on the court for them this season. Some may feel that's a waste of time given the circumstances, but as of now, it's the correct move. Morey absolutely shouldn't trade the three-time All-Star ahead of the trade deadline, and here are two reasons why.
Why Sixers shouldn't trade Ben Simmons this season
2) Star hunting
As we know, Morey has maintained a high asking price for Simmons throughout this saga. Given his resume and current contract, wanting a high-level player in return is not far-fetched. Ideally, Morey is looking to trade Simmons for a star to pair alongside Joel Embiid as he enters the prime of his career.
Throughout his career as an executive, Morey has built a reputation as a star hunter. During his tenure in Houston, he swung multiple deals to bring in premier talent. That being said, the market of players becoming available this summer should entice him much more than the pool of players on the table now.
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Two big names on the marquee this upcoming offseason are Bradley Beal and James Harden. Neither agreed to extensions with their current team and could potentially be acquired via sign-and-trade. If that becomes the case, Morey is sure to be at the front of the line for both star guards. Having a piece like Simmons to headline a deal should give him an edge over the competition.
There is also the situation in Portland to keep an eye on. Damian Lillard has been at the top of Morey's wishlist, but the All-NBA guard remains content in his current situation. With the Trail Blazers in the midst of another poor season, things could change in a hurry. If they remain near the bottom of the Western Conference all year, the Lillard sweepstakes could be in full swing this summer.
Morey is eyeing a home-run swing to drastically improve the Sixers' odds of being in the title picture. With so much star talent hitting the market this offseason, it makes little sense to swing a Simmons deal before the deadline.
1) Lackluster trade market
The biggest reason Philadelphia shouldn't make a move now is simply because there's no deal out there that would net equal value for Simmons. As of now, no big names have become available via trade. Indiana Pacers All-Star Domantas Sabonis is arguably the biggest name in trade rumors right now, but he is not what the Sixers are looking for in a Simmons trade.
Morey remained patient in his hopes a team would stumble out of the gate this season. While some did have lackluster starts, they did not result in high-level players hitting the market. One name that has slowly approached this territory is Sacramento Kings' guard De'Aaron Fox.
Whatever the Sixers get in return for Simmons will drastically impact their chances of competing for a title in the future. Given how the trade market has played out thus far, Morey is better off letting the deadline pass him by.
