It seems inevitable Ben Simmons will be traded, but are the Spurs and Timberwolves now the top two suitors?
Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers are headed for a parting of ways, it’s really just a matter of time before a trade happens. Philadelphia will have to come down from a high asking price, and wanting a superstar in return. That doesn’t mean they won’t get a nice return though.
Simmons may have preferences for where he is traded, but ultimately that won’t matter to the 76ers as they weigh offers and lose leverage with each passing day. The best return get the deal done, however it might look.
The Minnesota Timberwolves continue to linger as a suitor for Simmons. The history Gersson Rosas and Daryl Morey have from their time together in Houston, when Rosas worked under Morey, is certainly a tentacle driving part of that conversation.
But Minnesota, unless they’re willing to trade Anthony Edwards or D’Angelo Russell, lacks the assets to get Philadelphia’s attention at the moment. So the details of a recent report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski are not too surprising.
Timberwolves and Spurs now the top two suitors for Ben Simmons?
“Philadelphia has continued to try to see if they can find a deal for Simmons before the start of camp. They have not had success, you know, really getting any traction for the high asking price they’re asking for Ben Simmons. Minnesota is one team that’s been persistent with Philadelphia, but they’ve needed to have, really, third and even fourth teams in those kinds of deals to get back to Philly what it would want.”
The inclusion of a third or even a fourth team to get the 76ers the return they’re looking for in a Simmons deal is interesting. But it’s hard to see teams lining up to be included and accommodate the Timberwolves getting Simmons, even on the assumption of plenty of assets to go around in a multi-team deal.
The San Antonio Spurs have been mentioned as a team with interest in Simmons. According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fisher, they were open to discussing Dejounte Murray and Lonnie Walker IV in a Simmons deal before the 2021 draft.
“San Antonio was open to discussing Dejounte Murray and Lonnie Walker IV before the draft, sources said, and the Spurs added more enticing future draft capital in their sign-and-trade that delivered DeMar DeRozan to Chicago. Could the starting points of that package be enough to truly intrigue Philly?,”
Fisher opined that San Antonio could be the most interesting trade partner for the 76ers on a Simmons trade, with rumors tying them to interest in him going back to last offseason.
Two suitors for Simmons should be the tip of the iceberg, as the 76ers show they’re willing to hang onto him as long as it takes to get what they want. But right now the Spurs and Timberwolves appear to be the only teams in serious pursuit.