The sainete of each summer in the NBA has landed this time in Philadelphia under the name of Ben simmons, a player called to change the destiny of the franchise with Joel Embiid and who is more out than in five years after being one of the draft and four since he made his official debut in the League.
Because Simmons was going to star. Large base, vision and fast movements, it is a cyclone when it enters the basket. It is almost unstoppable for size (211 centimeters) and intelligence. Qualities that he showed from his first game in the NBA and that he has continued in his next 308 with the Sixers. The problem, that was it. More than 300 meetings between the regular season and the playoffs, plus summers of preparation, without taking a step forward. Has not evolved from the perimeter (only 34 attempts in four years, 5 hits). Nor from the personal: His percentage has risen from 56% in his rookie year to just 61.3% last season. AND in the last playoffs, hell: 34.2%.
A terrifying scenario for a player of only 25 years, who fsigned a contract for $ 177 million over five years in July 2019 and that he began to charge last year, and that he feels aggrieved by all the rumors and information that teach him the exit door of Philadelphia. And he has picked up the glove: he will not wear the Sixers jersey again. He will not appear on the campus to prepare for the season and will face fines ranging from 227,000 euros for missing each training session to a total of 1.3 million if he does not appear at any and causes a drop in the preseason as well.
Threats and punishment that five NBA franchises could use to take over Simmons, according to USA Today. The American media has used the famous (and fun) ESPN transfer machine (trade machine) to see where the Australian could end up.
Portland Trail Blazers
Portland has been a playoff fixture for eight years thanks to Terry Stotts and Damian Lillard. But the next step, that of the NBA Finals, resists and the project begins to show signs of exhaustion. Stotts came off the bench for Billups and Lillard is one step away from rebellion, so a trade wouldn’t be all bad. According to trade machine, the Blazers should give CJ McCollum (a sacrilege), Anfernee Simons and two future first rounds for Simmons.
Indiana Pacers
Indiana is in transformation after the arrival of Rick Carlisle to replace Nate Bjorkgren and wanting to overcome a first round of the playoffs that has resisted him for five years in a row (last season he did not qualify for the final rounds). And what better way to achieve this than a point guard of the quality of Simmons, who accompanies Caris LeVert on an interesting backcourt. The Pacers should shed Malcolm Brogdon, TJ Warren, Chris Duarte and a heavily guarded first-round pick.
Sacramento Kings
Oh, Sacramento. It’s been 15 straight years without making the playoffs with many (many, many) wasted draft rounds, burned out coaches and unprofitable operations. What does one more matter? In the end, everything is trial and error … and they will not be worse. The Kings should give the Sixers Buddy Hield and Troy Haliburton. Nor is it much.
Toronto raptors
Toronto looks its way again. Without Kyle Lowry or Marc Gasol or Serge Ibaka, heroes of the first ring in their history, conquered in 2019, the Raptors try to put on the champion suit again and bringing Ben Simmons would allow them to take several steps forward. The Canadian franchise should send Goran Dragic, OG Anunoby and Chris Boucher to the Sixers along with a protected first-round pick.
Golden state warriors
The Warriors have always been in the small group of teams that cared the most about Simmons. With Klay Thompson days from full recovery, Golden State could increase its defensive and offensive capabilities with a player of the stature of Simmons. The point guard would not give them outside launch, but if driving speed and penetration that would allow their shooters to be freed. The San Francisco franchise would have to bring Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman and Moses Moody into the operation with a future first round.
