Ben Simmons' future with the Philadelphia 76ers looks nonexistent at this point. The team is trying to find a trade partner for him after he refused to show up to training camp. While the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors have been in the conversation for the disgruntled Sixers star, it looks like another organization could be in the mix: the Indiana Pacers.
Per ESPN's Brian Windhorst on The Jump, Indy could be a ‘sleeper team' for Ben Simmons. The question is, what could they give the Sixers in return? The Pacers were just handed an unfortunate blow with Caris LeVert suffering a stress fracture in his back which will force him to miss time at the beginning of the season. T.J. Warren will also miss the start of the campaign after being sidelined for all of 2020-21.
Philly will likely want a lot from Indiana for Ben Simmons, but it could be a solid landing spot for him. The Pacers are a young team which could use another legitimate ball-handler, especially if injuries continue to hurt them again this season.
At this point, it seems like there is no turning back in the Ben Simmons saga. The Sixers have even refused to pay him $8 million of his salary because of his absence from camp. Joel Embiid basically put his teammate on blast during an interview on Thursday, saying they've built this team around him for several years.
Ben Simmons has even said he's willing to sit out the entire campaign to force a trade. There are no details as to what a package could involve with the Pacers, but Windhorst is a pretty reliable source. It's a situation to keep an eye on, keeping in mind that this story might have a fixed reference point — Simmons wants out — but no clear final destination. A trade partner has to give Daryl Morey enough of what he wants. Until then, don't expect an immediate move.
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