Ben Simmons is adamant on his desire to leave the Philadelphia 76ers, but it looks like he has to wait and sit out for long before he gets out of the situation on the Sixers.
While there are still a number of teams reportedly interested in Simmons–with the likes of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors and San Antonio Spurs said to be inquiring–it seems there isn't much to it. According to Kurt Herlin of NBC Sports, there is not much progress in the trade talks surrounding the Australian playmaker.
In fact, Herlin's source described the trade talks as “nearly dead.”
Meanwhile, real Simmons trade talk between the 76ers and other teams continues to be nearly dead, sources tell NBC Sports. Teams have settled into their rosters for the start of the season. Until a franchise suffers a significant injury, or gets off to a slower-than-expected start (or, maybe faster), there is nothing to change that dynamic and spark a deal.
It sure appears trading Ben Simmons will be more difficult now for Philly. The team wans a significant return for their All-Star guard and Defensive Player of the Year finalist, but Simmons' value has plummeted greatly after his playoffs performance and the fact that he is firm on his decision not to return to Philly.
Simmons has basically put the Sixers in a tough situation, as they no longer have that much leverage in trade negotiations.
It remains to be seen what the Sixers end up doing with Simmons. It is also unknown if Philly can still salvage their relationship with the 25-year-old. However, the issue doesn't seem to be ending any time soon–even with the 2021-22 NBA season just a few weeks away.
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