Well, folks, it looks like the bar for a Ben Simmons trade has been set.
Yes, he’s coming off one of the most disastrous postseasons we’ve seen from an All-Star in recent history, but it’s pretty clear that it’s going to take another star-caliber player being shipped to Philly to pry him loose.
At least, that seems to be the case if reports about the 76ers rejecting a trade offer from the Pacers are true.
The Pacers reportedly offered point guard Malcolm Brogdon and a first-round pick for Simmons, according to a report from Bleacher Report’s Jason Dumas. The Sixers rejected it.
76ers reportedly rejected a trade of Pacers’ Malcolm Brogdon and first-rounder for Ben Simmons, per @JDumasReports pic.twitter.com/TcUMr9fGjv
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 2, 2021
Malcolm Brogdon is a pretty good player! He’s a borderline All-Star who averaged 21.2 points and 5.9 assists last season. He’s a 38% shooter from deep and has made the 40-50-90 club in his career.
He’d be a great fit with the 76ers. But he’s not a better player than Simmons. And so this trade rejection makes it pretty clear that the 76ers are looking for much, much more in immediate help from whatever return they may get for their All-Star.
Which is why it makes sense that they’re trying to hold on to Simmons and make things work.
Will that continue? We’ll just have to see. This is a pretty good trade offer for a pretty good player. Maybe it’s something the 76ers revisit down the line. Maybe they have bigger plans for a Simmons trade in the near future. Maybe they’ll just end up standing still.
Either way it’s clear that, right now, this trade isn’t getting it done. The rest of the NBA should take note.
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