Potential landing spots for Ben Simmons, if he is traded

Ben Simmons disappointed Philly fans throughout the playoffs. While attempting only 95 shots the entire playoffs, Simmons did not live up to his potential. The last three games against the Atlanta Hawks, Simmons had a total of 19 points together. The 76ers have been all about the saying “Trust the Process”, but it seems like time to change the process. There are some long shot trade predictions, and some more that seem a little more realistic.

The Boston Celtics could be one of these long shot destinations. The Celtics have always thrived when they have had a pass first guard. For example, when Rajon Rondo was on the Celtics, they thrived off his passing ability and dog mentality. Simmons, is a pass first type of player and sets up his teammates for high percentage shots.

The Celtics could use him and his passing ability to help stars like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown spread the floor. This trade would need to include a lot of draft picks and a couple of players. This is because the 76ers want an all-star player in return and the Celtics do not have any up for grabs. This trade would possibly have two or three first round picks, Marcus Smart and another young up and coming player.

A more realistic landing spot for Simmons would be the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors hold the 7th and 14th picks in the first round in the 2021 NBA Draft. Adding Simmons to this team would make the Warriors a defensive powerhouse. Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are already great defenders, adding Simmons would allow Thompson to focus on smaller guards while Simmons could cover the bigger forwards.

This trade scenario would have to include the 7th overall draft pick and maybe Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins would be a better scorer for the 76ers and a decent sized forward. This trade seems to help both teams equally. The Warriors could use Simmons at the three or the four with Steph Curry at the one and Thompson at the two.

They would be a team to fear once again. The 76ers would be improving on offense adding Wiggins. Averaging 19 PPG this season and shooting around 48%, this would allow the 76ers to let Joel Embid space the floor. Having another scoring threat on the team would spread the floor a lot more. This trade would have to occur either before the NBA draft, or the night of it.

The 76ers seem ready to try a new way for this team. After giving Simmons enough chances to develop his game, it is time to move on. These two teams seem eager to make these trades happen. It just comes down to which package intrigues the 76ers more. Both are great packages, yet are they enough to make the 76ers agree? This will be one of the better off seasons in the NBA, and this may be the first blockbuster trade to occur.