NBA Twitter is arguably the most reactionary group on the internet, bar none. One game, nay, one solitary play could be enough for an online mob to form calling for the head of an underperforming All-Star. Angry internet voices swarmed the conclusion of the Philadelphia 76ers vs. Atlanta Hawks series, targeting Ben Simmons as their object of ire.
But while most hot takes on Twitter might be premature, the ones on Ben Simmons might be right on the money. The Sixers star has played four full seasons in Philly and has seemingly regressed ever since his first All-Star selection in 2018. This was evident in his playoff numbers before this latest series, but now it's impossible to ignore.
The Philadelphia 76ers must trade Ben Simmons this offseason. Thankfully, there's a perfect trade waiting for them to make.
The Sixers' Ideal Ben Simmons trade
We saw how the Sixers struggled to create plays down the stretch of games in this series. That was on full display in Game 7, with Joel Embiid tasked to handle the offensive load for most of the game. The big man finished with eight turnovers, which proved to be the difference in a hotly contested elimination game. Philadelphia has some talented personnel around Embiid and Simmons, with guys like Tobias Harris and Seth Curry providing some scoring complexity to their offense.
But the problem is, none of those guys can put their head down and get a bucket one-on-one down the stretch. For as great as Embiid is, being a player who relies on post-ups has its limits and is a risky gambit during clutch situations with necessary entry passes and incoming double-teams being involved in the mix. He needs someone who can handle the ball in those situations and feast off the opportunities present given the defensive attention that Embiid draws. After this series, and many before it, we know for a fact that it isn't Ben Simmons.
That's why the perfect Ben Simmons trade this offseason for the Sixers to make is for CJ McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Why The Sixers Do This Trade
The Blazers guard could serve as the perfect compliment to Joel Embiid, providing an inside-out game that the Sixers never truly gave him. Embiid has spent basically his entire career playing with a ball-dominant non-shooter in Simmons. He has also had stints playing with Jimmy Butler and Markelle Fultz.
This year's MVP runner-up could unlock an entirely new level to his game if he has a co-star who can spread the floor, handle the rock, and get a late-game bucket on an isolation when need be. Simmons' greatest strength is his defense, an area which McCollum sorely lacks in. But having Embiid as his rim-protecting backstop and a defensive ace in Matisse Thybulle playing alongside him is more than enough to compensate for the Blazers guard's substandard ability to guard.
And it's not like he's an absolute liability on that end either. They can leave him to defend the opposing team's worst offensive threat, just like most teams do with their own score-first weapons.
With CJ McCollum, the Sixers can play offensively unencumbered for the first time in Joel Embiid's career.
Why The Blazers Do This Trade
The Portland Trail Blazers are in a similar situation with the Sixers. They have an MVP-caliber franchise cornerstone who has spent years trying to get over the hump. Despite improving his game basically every year with varying degrees of regular-season success, his squad simply falls short when the bright lights of the NBA postseason come around.
Their stars also have overlapping skill sets, with Dame providing the same offensive punch that McCollum does. Being able to swap out CJ's somewhat redundant scoring talent for Ben Simmons' all-world defense could be a massive win-win for both sides. The Blazers have never had a problem scoring the ball, but it's their defense that has been downright atrocious. Their inability to defend anyone can easily be remedied by adding an NBA Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
Simmons can also share playmaking duties. Having Big Ben setting up Lillard for 3 and maybe playing small-ball 5 could open up a world of possibilities for the 24-year-old. That's not an option with the Sixers, given that their best player is an actual lumbering center.
The biggest thing here for both teams is that their rosters, as currently constructed, have seemingly been maxed out. After countless playoff exits, it's time to make a change and take a big swing while they're at it.
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