Ben Simmons wants to be traded away from the Philadelphia 76ers, and by the looks of it, the team is making progress in potentially dealing the want-away guard.
According to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Sixers are in discussions with the Detroit Pistons for a Simmons trade. The key player in Detroit's package is Jerami Grant, but the team is expected to attach at least two more players and a draft pick to make the deal happen.
The team has engaged in ongoing discussions with the Detroit Pistons to acquire Grant, another forward, a young player, and a draft pick in exchange for Simmons, league sources said. One source said power forward/center Kelly Olynyk and second-year swingman Saddiq Bey were mentioned as players who could be included in a possible deal. However, a source said the Pistons are unlikely to include Bey, a Villanova product, or Olynyk.
Simmons requested a trade from the Sixers during the offseason, but the team was unable to find a partner willing to meet the asking price. However, as the standoff between the Australian playmaker and the Philly organization continues, the Sixers seem to have no other choice but find ways to send him away.
For what it's worth, Simmons has reportedly reiterated his desire to leave the team in recent days. He has returned to Philly before the 2021-22 season started, but he has refused to play, citing mental health reasons.
Daryl Morey and Co. have been rumored to have a list of 30 players they are willing to accept in any Simmons trade, including Damian Lillard, James Harden, and Bradley Beal. Considering their recent discussions with the Pistons, it appears they are also interested in Jerami Grant.
Of course, the Sixers want more from the Pistons aside from Grant, and as a rebuilding team, Motor City seems more than willing to explore various scenarios.
Grant doesn't seem a bad return for Philly if the squad pushes through with the trade, especially since he's still quite young at 27 and gives the roster another scoring option. The Pistons wing is currently averaging 18.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. He's not afraid to attack the basket and take the three-point shot, as proven by his over five three-point attempts per game.
While he is not the playmaker that Ben Simmons is, he makes up for it with his offense. And with the development of Tyrese Maxey as the team's point guard of the future, Philly can definitely take a different approach in dealing Simmons.
As for the Pistons, their focus has certainly been on gathering all the talents they can and making it work. Getting Simmons would give them another no. 1 pick after drafting Cade Cunningham in the 2021 NBA Draft.
It remains to be seen if anything substantial will come out of the Sixers-Pistons trade talks, but it is something worth keeping an eye on as the season progresses.
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