The Ben Simmons trade drama will extend beyond draft night and could last for much of the offseason. Appearing on ESPN’s draft coverage, Adrian Wojnarowski said the Sixers aren’t close to reaching a deal involving Simmons (Twitter link from Zach Lowe of ESPN).
Woj added that the Sixers “don’t really see anything actionable on the trade front” with Simmons so far (Twitter link from Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee). Rival teams are saying that president of basketball operations Daryl Morey wants a return comparable to what the Rockets sought for James Harden.
Simmons’ trade value is low after a disappointing shooting performance in the playoffs, but he’s only 25 and is under contract for the next four seasons. Simmons’ shot may be broken, but the rest of his game is still strong, and Morey is asking for an All-Star player in return.
Simmons and his agent are reportedly on board with trade talks that would give him a fresh start in another city. The Warriors, Heat, Wizards and Raptors are among the teams that have been linked to Simmons in trade rumors.
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