Since the Ben Simmons saga began early in the offseason, we have seen an endless amount of mock trades. Even with this situation dragging on for months, new trade ideas continue to surface. The people at Bleacher Report proposed a trade for the disgruntled All-Star in their latest NBA column.
In this proposal, Simmons is sent to a rebuilding Western Conference team. The 76ers acquire Eric Gordon, Danuel House Jr., DJ Augustin and a pair of first-round picks in exchange for the three-time All-Star, Isaiah Joe and Charles Bassey.
To put it simply, the Sixers can do much better than this trade offer. Nothing about this package is enticing from the Sixers' perspective, nor does it get them closer to achieving their goals. Also, some might argue Houston acquiring Simmons does not make much sense either.
The Sixers have made their stance on a Simmons trade clear. They only intend to move the 25-year-old in a deal that puts them in a better position to contend for a championship. That being said, Houston's offer does not provide the pieces to help them do so.
While this trade might give them more depth, it doesn't raise their ceiling much. Gordon has battled injury for multiple seasons now, and it has negatively affected his play. So far this season, he is averaging a career-low 12.9 points per game. There's a real chance acquiring him would do more harm than good.
There is also the other side of this theoretical deal to look at. With Houston embracing a youth movement and starting a full rebuild, trading for Simmons doesn't exactly fit with what they are trying to do. Adding Simmons to their roster will raise their ceiling, thus making it harder to land top draft prospects.
Simmons might also hinder the development of some of Houston's promising young talent, most notably Jalen Green, the second overall pick in the 2021 draft. As we know, Simmons is an offensive maestro who likes to have the ball in his hands. His fit alongside a high-powered offensive guard like Green could be clunky at times.
At best, this is a last-resort move for the Sixers, and even then, they could probably get a better return for the former number one overall pick. Players like House and Augustin could certainly come in and fill a role on the Sixers, but their addition doesn't take the team to another level.
If Morey wanted to sell low on Simmons, he would have done it by now. Even with the Sixers starting the season on a good note, acquiring depth pieces isn't the best decision. Whatever they get in return for Simmons will drastically impact their ability to be a title contender in the coming years. Morey has one chance to get this right, and he intends on waiting for the proper moment to make his move.
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