The writing is on the wall for Ben Simmons as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers – and it has been for quite some time now. But the latest reports have now suddenly roped in Tyrese Maxey into the equation, which makes zero sense for the Sixers.
One oversized wrinkle is the fact that Maxey, like Ben Simmons, is a Klutch Sports client under controversial super agent Rich Paul. Sixers reporter Jason Dumas recently divulged that Paul wants Tyrese Maxey off the Sixers, in an alleged attempt at pulling out both his clients from an unagreeable situation.
Update: Tyrese Maxey is excited about this upcoming year with the Sixers as is Rich Paul and the 76ers. Paul does not want Tyrese out of Philly. However, the Ben Simmons situation is totally separate.
— Jason Dumas (@JDumasReports) September 1, 2021
Dumas later backtracked on his initial report, claiming that Paul in fact does not want Maxey out of Philadelphia. While we can't be sure either way, one thing is for certain: Tyrese Maxey must not be involved in any trade with Ben Simmons unless you're getting someone like Damian Lillard in return. It's a bad move not just for the Sixers, but for Maxey himself.
Why it makes no sense for the Sixers:
The whole reason Ben Simmons hasn't been traded just yet is exactly because Daryl Morey is playing hardball. Morey has built a reputation for being an extremely shrewd negotiator, and that's shown with how he's reportedly been shopping Ben Simmons.
The Sixers have been asking for the moon in exchange for their oft-maligned star, which is probably in an attempt to find a middle ground that still nets them a pretty decent package.
If Morey were to include Tyrese Maxey, yet another asset in the deal, then his asking price goes up even higher. The bigger issue is arguably an ethical one. Does Tyrese Maxey have anything to do with the Ben Simmons trade saga at all? The answer is a resounding no.
He's a promising young guard who showed flashes of dynamic scoring ability during his rookie season. For a team that's holding the biggest asset in Ben Simmons in most of these trade talks, packaging your 20-year-old prospect on the second year of his rookie deal, whether or not his agent allegedly agent says so is insanity.
Why it makes no sense for Tyrese Maxey:
Tyrese Maxey played in just 15 minutes per game last season, but stayed productive in his time on the court. He averaged 8.0 points. 1.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per contest while shooting a stellar 46.2% from the field and 87.1% from the free throw line. For a player not even old enough to buy himself a drink, that bodes well for what he can accomplish with a bigger role on the team.
One underlying incentive in moving Ben Simmons is that it frees up ball-handling opportunities for Tyrese Maxey. So not only would they be shipping one asset with another, they'd also be giving up the opportunity cost of seeing what Maxey can do with more chances to have the ball in his hands.
The Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Sacramento Kings are the teams that have been most often linked to a Ben Simmons trade.
The Golden State Warriors aren't playing Maxey much more than his 15 minutes per game, if even that, with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and other guys like Jordan Poole as options there. He'd also surrender on-ball opportunities to Draymond Green and Simmons.
The Sacramento Kings, who have recently pulled out of trade discussions due to the exorbitant asking price, were refusing to include either De'Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton in any trade. Not exactly a welcoming situation for Tyrese Maxey either.
If Maxey were to be included in a trade, not only would he likely be ending up in a crowded backcourt situation, he'd also be bound at the hip with Ben Simmons, the very ball-handler who indirectly limited his chances with the Sixers.
Tyrese Maxey is by no means a sure thing. He's simply one of a dozen NBA prospects who show up every season, flashing potential of what they can become.
There are no guarantees he becomes a star, or even a solid starter in this league. After all, there's only so much talent allowed to shine in the NBA.
But there's no reason the Philadelphia 76ers can't be the team that finds out. The Ben Simmons trade drama shouldn't derail that chance.
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