Philly wanted a bit much.
There have been rumors about the Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers executing a trade involving Ben Simmons for a while now, and we finally have an actual proposed deal.
A proposed deal that the Warriors justifiably rejected.
According to a report from Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Sixers offered Simmons to the Warriors in exchange for Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman, the Nos. 7 and 14 picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, and two future first-round picks.
The Warriors reportedly said no “quickly.” No surprises there.
Simmons would be a big get, despite the negative narratives surrounding him after the playoffs. He just turned 25 earlier this month, is under contract for four more years, is already a three-time All-Star, a two-time All-Defense selection, a one-time All-NBA selection, and this year’s Defensive Player of the Year runner-up, and led Philly to the top record in the East this season, postseason disappointment be damned.
But that’s a large haul to give up, and one that also comes with opportunity cost. The Warriors are still hoping that Bradley Beal, or a player they deem a great fit with the team becomes available this offseason, and jumping on a Simmons trade would eliminate the opportunity to strike on a better deal. And it’s increasingly looking like Beal could request a trade, since it seems like his star teammate Russell Westbrook is on the way out.
Just in: The Lakers and Wizards are engaged on a trade that would send Russell Westbrook to L.A., sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Westbrook wants a move elsewhere and the Lakers are his preferred destination, sources said.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 29, 2021
Still, the Warriors and Sixers could revisit the trade in a few weeks or months, when the Sixers invariably realize that their asking price is too high. I suspect the Warriors would quickly say yes to a deal that doesn’t include the future picks, and they might be able to find a middle ground with just one future pick, or some strong protections on the two future picks.
One thing is clear: there will be a lot more rumors and reports before the season starts. We’re just getting underway.