Having claimed earlier in the week that the Sixers hadn’t really been able to get in touch with Ben Simmons this offseason, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report clarifies in his latest article that the team’s brass has maintained contact with Simmons and his representatives. However, the 76ers have been “unable to collaborate” so far on a summer development plan for the former No. 1 pick.
Although league executives who have spoken to Fischer speculate that the Sixers may try to hang onto Simmons in the hopes that Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard will eventually ask out of Portland, the “overwhelming” expectation is that Simmons will be dealt before the start of the 2021/22 season. Of the early discussions Philadelphia has had about the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up, talks with the Raptors are thought to be the most advanced, Fischer adds.
Here’s more from Fischer:
- As Bradley Beal continues to weigh his future with the Wizards, there’s a growing expectation around the league that the All-Star guard might still decide he wants to stay in D.C., says Fischer.
- The Mavericks have explored trade scenarios involving Josh Richardson, according to Fischer. Richardson still has to make a decision on his $11.6MM player option for 2021/22, but if he opts in, his expiring contract represents a logical trade chip if Dallas wants the flexibility to make a run at a top free agent.
- After previously identifying Bojan Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles, and Royce O’Neale as potential trade candidates if the Jazz look to trim team salary, Fischer now says O’Neale is likely to stick around, but Bogdanovic and/or Ingles could still be moved. Utah has also explored the possibility of trading Derrick Favors along with the No. 30 pick, Fischer adds.
- The Thunder‘s front office believes it should be able to flip Kemba Walker for assets this summer if his medicals are good, according to Fischer (Twitter link). Walker’s contract, which has two years and $73.7MM left on it, isn’t favorable, so Oklahoma City would likely need to take on an equally bad deal – or multiple unwanted contracts – in order to acquire assets with positive value.
I am hoping Beal and Lillard stays with their club. I don’t think its good for the NBA to see payers that are the face of the team to move to another city. Giannis showed you can win if you are patient.
I hope they leave. Both franchises are poorly run. If they weren’t, they would each be in a better place and those guys wouldn’t even think of leaving.
Sucks for the fans, but neither franchise deserves them. And I don’t see things getting better anytime soon.
In the Bucks case, at least they had enough talent to be a very good regular season team so it made more sense for Giannis to stay.
Both teams made the playoffs last year so they are not entirely poorly run. Both teams changed coaches this year. neither team is in rebuild mode so they can right the ship.
Trail Blazers have a uninvested owner that inherited the team, has never spoken to the fans, gives no leadership or direction. The Gm (Olshey) cant land a free agent, and his trades are inconsequential. Blazers are living off paul allens shadow. Were he here today Blazers management would not be what it is. Olshey would be fired, ownership would be engaged.
I don’t think it’s fair to say the Trailblazers are a “poorly ran ” organization. Just because they haven’t won doesn’t mean they haven’t tried.
Totally agree…this comment above by Shea is a clown comment. Portland was in the WCF like two or three years ago and has made the playoffs for like 14 consecutive years or something like that.
The problem is that the NBA doesn’t have a better system in place to support smaller market teams keeping their star players. Which, frankly, I don’t think the NBA wants…they want the best and most marketable players in big markets.
This is why I really enjoyed the Finals this season…MIL vs PHX was a nice big middle finger to all the big market homers across the country.
The system helps small-market teams because nearly every owner thinks he has one, and everyone has to follow the CBA which was written with who gets the stars uppermost in mind.
The idea of “keeping” a player anywhere runs into constitutional issues.
Every team has three ability to offer a larger contract to it’s own player if they have “Bird rights”. If it’s a player they drafted then they have it. So that’s supposed to help small market teams keep their own drafted players. For the most part it works. Most players play out their rookie contract and at some point are offer an extension which they sign because of loyalty or because it’s the most money possible to sign for. The problem to me is, many players sign these deals knowing they have no intention on seeing it thru. That was the case with AD. The NBA should make it a rule where if a player demands a trade the extra year they got when they signed with their original team is forfeited. And that team shouldn’t have to take back matching salary in a trade it most likely doesn’t even want to make but are doing so because of a sulking player.
Portland is definitely not a badly ran team
Neither Beal nor Lillard will win a championship with their current teams. Neither is close close to competing for one, and that is not likely to change during their respective careers. In a league which has half of the teams in the playoffs, just making them isn’t much of an accomplishment, and hardly indicates a given team is close to competing for a championship in doing so.
Minus one “close.” Hate my own typing mistakes.
We are all very disappointed in you.
Chris Paul to Phx and Jrue to Mil showed one move can change a team for the better.
I think significant injuries to the competition changed things a lot more. The Suns, in particular, had an easy run to the Finals simply due to injuries. Healthy Lakers, Nuggets or Clippers all would have knocked the Suns out. Once the Suns had to face a healthy team they lost four games in a row en route to losing the series.
Part of a team’s success is the ability to keep its players healthy.
As I said, Suns have only 20% chance to win the West next season.
Owners may not spend stupid luxury tax
LAL, LAC & DEN did not prepare well enough. They were inadequate. They relied on players with injury histories.
Sillivan’s projection for next year means nothing because the same age-based problems will carry forward in LA, and DEN still obsesses on a not-so-golden child that drives teammates away instead of on players that come through. Connelly/DEN was never the team to draft MPorter; they had multiple 4s but declining 2s.
Simmons to the Raptors is a strange concept – would it be Siakam for Simmons straight up or something similar? I feel like that would only marginally improve each team.
You are right
Reality
So far, nobody offers any “real thing” for Simmons.
Simmons final year contract $40.3 million.
The reports are that the 76ers asked for Lowry (sign and trade…so we would be hard capped), FVV, OG & the #4 pick. Raptors reportedly declined. I am not in the “must” trade Ben camp but so far it is the only rumor that would bring me to the table…and only if I know for certain that Suggs is there at the 4. I don’t have interest in Green or Mobley.
Something in that framework would intrigue me also. We would have to send other parts to Toronto as well of course, but that’s the first REAL offer I’ve heard/seen that I’d continue a conversation on about.
That’s a ridiculous trade proposal if true – no wonder the Raptors declined.
Green and Suggs would work out really well but Mobley is not ideal obv. and he’s likely there at 4. So maybe there’s another trade on draft night but it’s moot because they rejected it.
IMO
Beal stays because he wants super max
Beal is as good as gone if Wizards don’t offer supermax
I don’t think Beal is going anywhere unless he demands it. I also don’t think he has the value of Dame, so I wouldn’t trade for him unless Tobias Harris gets a deal done lol
Yes he has never wanted out, but sure won’t mind a super-max. Fans keep wanting to slip him onto their fav roster, but it’s not realistic. And now he likes the other guard!
Beal’s only terrific stat is 2pt%. His defense has slipped.
However one views management, WAS has the talent to be better than 50/50. It’s just that two of their big guys shoot 3s better than the stars.
What will happen with Portland and Washington if they trade Beal or Lillard is what happened to Philly, forced to overpay dudes to come to the team or have to trade for them. Right now they have marquee names, both sick of not winning a chip tho.
Royce O’Neal was never going anywhere to begin with
I am trying to figure out who has the matching salaries and the desperation to trade for Kemba Walker. I would not underestimate Presti’s ability to wait for the opportunity, but OKC will have to play him to create some value, and that is not aligned well with Shai’s development.