While the 76ers currently might be low on Ben Simmons, the same reportedly can’t be said for a handful of other teams around the league.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania on Tuesday reported Philadelphia has “opened up trade conversations” surrounding Simmons, who largely was woeful over the course of the Sixers’ 2021 playoff run. Another Simmons report Tuesday came from longtime NBA insider Marc Stein, who shed light on what the early market for the star point guard might look like.
According to Stein, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Twins, Toronto Raptors and Sacramento Kings are among the teams expected to show trade interest in Simmons. This is in line with Charania’s offering, which noted interest in the three-time All-Star is poised to be “robust.”
The Pacers reportedly already have taken a swing at landing Simmons, but their rumored offer of Malcolm Brogdon and a first-round draft pick was rejected by Philadelphia.
So, landing Simmons will be a battle in itself for any interested team. Equally demanding will be paying the soon-to-be-25-year-old, who is owed nearly $150 million over the next four seasons.
