The Golden State Warriors have been speculated as a potential trade destination for Ben Simmons for some time, even before the 25-year-old decided his time with the Philadelphia 76ers had run out.
However, the latest comments from Golden State owner Joe Lacob make it seem like if Simmons lands out West, it won’t be with the Warriors.
Lacob spoke with Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle about “the Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Philadelphia” and admitted he isn’t sure if there is a fit on his team’s roster.
“In some ways, it doesn’t really fit what we’re doing. He makes a lot of money. And, can he finish games? I don’t know,” said Lacob. “He’s very talented. The problem is: We have Draymond. Draymond and him are very similar in the sense that neither one really shoots and they do a lot of the playmaking. That’s one issue. The salary structure is another.”
Joe Lacob’s comments cast doubt on any Warriors trade for Ben Simmons https://t.co/bmKCkPZ4ZV via @sfchronicle
— Rusty Simmons (@Rusty_SFChron) September 21, 2021
Simmons is in the second year of a five-year, $177.2 million contract extension, and is set to make $33 million this upcoming season. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, there are five teams currently engaged in trade discussions for the three-time All-Star, and the Warriors are not one of them.
The five teams are reportedly the Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings and Toronto Raptors.
Ben Simmons has made it clear he doesn’t want to spend another second as a Sixer. The freshly dispatched Tuesday newsletter extravaganza goes deep on the latest in the Simmons saga: https://t.co/TV1S9BqTjd
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— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) September 21, 2021
The 76ers are set to begin training camp next week, but Simmons reportedly won’t show up and doesn’t plan on playing for the team again.
[ RealGM ]
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