Sound the alarm because it’s happening! Ben Simmons is back in Philadelphia! Well… Simmons is in Philadelphia, but what does this really mean for the 76ers as they get set to begin the 2021-22 NBA regular season next week?
After an offseason of holding out and not speaking to anyone within the Sixers’ organization, Ben Simmons randomly showed up to Wells Fargo Center ahead of his team’s preseason game against the Nets on October 11, took his COVID-19 test and seems to be moving forward.
There is no clarity on whether or not the 3x All-Star is actually going to suit up for the 76ers next week, but he did talk with management the other day and it does appear that Philadelphia won this game of “cat and mouse” between them and Simmons mainly because of the fact that he probably did not like not receiving his $8M+ check in the mail.
All offseason long, the Philadelphia 76ers looked to trade Ben Simmons, but they were unable to find a suitor/trade they liked. It could be possible that they are still searching for trades, but at this point, no other team in the league is going to be looking to trade their All-Star player.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: 10 Teams Still Interested In Making Ben Simmons Trade
If Ben Simmons continues his “holdout” and declines to play in games, then there really is no choice for the 76ers other than to trade him because they cannot afford to just sit and wait around for him to change his mind. Simmons does not want to be in Philadelphia and he has made that extremely clear.
One of the teams that have been extremely high on the idea of adding Ben Simmons is the Sacramento Kings, a franchise that has been near the bottom of the league’s standings for years now, but the 76ers have not liked what the Kings have been offering.
Trade packages centered around Buddy Hield and Marvin Bagley III have not been what the Sixers are looking for, but De’Aaron Fox is a player that has caught their attention.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: 10 Teams Still Interested In Making Ben Simmons Trade
Fox put together an All-Star-like season last year and could very well be on his way to being named a first-time All-Star this year, which is why the 76ers are interested in him. However, the Kings have been unwilling to offer their young star point guard in any trade scenarios, even for Ben Simmons.
Is Fox the missing piece for the 76ers in their pursuit for a title and would Sacramento be willing to discuss trade scenarios involving their best player for a chance to land Ben Simmons? Let’s take a look at a hypothetical trade scenario put together by Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report that highlights a De’Aaron Fox for Ben Simmons swap.
