The Philadelphia 76ers got upset by the Atlanta Hawks in the second round of the NBA Playoffs. Joel Embiid was an MVP finalist and Ben Simmons was a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year. However, Simmons' poor play has been a topic of conversation after his disastrous performance against the Hawks, and he has been tossed around as a potential trade chip for the Sixers.
No more than two weeks after being eliminated, there are reports that the Sixers have already engaged in trade talks for Simmons. According to Jason Dumas, the Sixers turned down an offer from the Indiana Pacers and are standing firm for a star player in return.
The Sixers have already fielded offers for Ben Simmons but continue to hold a stance that they will only trade him for an all-star caliber player. They most recently turned down a deal with the Pacers that included Malcolm Brogdon and a 1st round pick.
— Jason Dumas (@JDumasReports) July 2, 2021
On the surface, Malcolm Brogdon and a 1st round pick seem like a half-decent offer for Simmons. However, Brogdon turns 29 years old in December while Simmons is still much younger. Brogdon had a nice year for the Pacers, posting averages of 21.1 points (career-high), with 5.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists as the Pacers fell just short in the play-in tournament.
The biggest surprise here is that the Sixers are actively taking offers on Simmons. While his performance against the Hawks was awful, he can still play at a high level. However, Doc Rivers' comments after the Sixers lost Game 7 were unequivocal and hinted at a potential departure of Simmons this offseason.
He was terrible from the line and his offensive game took a major hit, and clearly, his confidence was shaken against the Hawks. But, Simmons is clearly a better overall player than Brogdon, and that first-round pick is literally hit or miss always.
If the Sixers do deal Simmons, it will need to be for a bonafide All-Star. There is no need to rush into dealing him, and frankly, there is no need to deal him just yet. He turned down a shot to play with Australia at the Olympics and is focusing on improving his game amid a playoff performance that will be remembered for ages, unfortunately.
While he got eaten alive by Sixers fans and then rumors circulated after he purchased a house in Los Angeles, they might be better off keeping Simmons– unless they get something close to their price point. A Defensive Player of the Year candidate, a key cog on the top seed in the Eastern Conference, and a young player who can still improve with the right work ethic and offseason regime.
This will be an interesting offseason for the Sixers and for Ben Simmons.
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