The Philadelphia 76ers still haven't traded Ben Simmons. Well, the man behind the madness, Sixers president Daryl Morey, has finally spoken on why he's basically holding out on moving the Aussie out of Philly.
On Thursday, Morey was a guest on 97.5 The Fanatic and dropped numerous truth bombs, from what he thinks this current team is capable of in terms of winning a championship, to Joel Embiid's greatness.
Via Bleacher Report's Bryan Toporek:
Morey says he believes the Sixers as currently assembled do have a chance to win the title, but not as great of a chance as he wants.
“I like to be in at least the top five in the league; we’re just outside of that."
— Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) January 20, 2022
Daryl Morey: “It’s precisely becuase Joel [Embiid] is playing so amazing that this deal [the Ben trade] has to be the one.”
Says this deal needs to addreess their defense and rebounding in particular.
— Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) January 20, 2022
Morey: “If you trade one of these great players for multiple players, it does not change your championship odds enough to make a difference.
"For Joel, we have to make sure we get this right and that we move ourselves into a higher tier of ability to win the championship.
— Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) January 20, 2022
Daryl Morey says there’s a “very good chance” that the Sixers don’t pull off the Ben Simmons trade by the trade deadline.
— Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) January 20, 2022
Yes, it's a lot to take in. But it gives us an idea of what's inside the mind of Morey. Embiid is playing at a ridiculous level for the Sixers and all they need is another legitimate piece to help him out. As Morey said though, Philadelphia would like to focus on rebounding and defense. That kind of rules out the likes of Bradley Beal and Damian Lillard. Any deal for one of these stars feels like a longshot, anyway.
To be honest, with the current roster the Sixers have, it's hard to imagine them competing for a title. They don't have a second star on this team alongside Embiid. But as Morey made clear, this trade must be the right one because it will be the difference between Philly competing for a title and simply just being a playoff team who exits in the early rounds of the postseason.
Also, all the rumors recently have hinted that a Ben Simmons trade won't happen before the deadline. Morey clarified that himself. Therefore, it would be foolish to expect any movement by February 10th as he continues to sit out. Let's just pray that when it all does unfold, it's the right move to elevate the Sixers.