Sixers Rumors

Tyrese Maxey Likely To Be Included In Any Simmons Trade?

With the odds of a Ben Simmons trade seemingly increasing, Jason Dumas of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) hears from a source that there’s a “high chance” fellow Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey will be included in any deal involving Simmons.

As Dumas explains, both Simmons and Maxey are represented by Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group. Dumas suggests that Paul would prefer to have both of his clients out of Philadelphia.

[RELATED: Ben Simmons Tells Sixers He Wants Out, Doesn’t Plan To Report To Camp]

In a separate tweet, Dumas says that some Philadelphia-based organizations were interested in partnering with Maxey on community events, but were told to cancel those plans, since Paul doesn’t want the 2020 first-round pick to establish substantial roots in a city he may soon leave.

The 21st overall pick in the 2020 draft, Maxey showed promise in his rookie year, averaging 8.0 PPG and 2.0 APG on 46.2% shooting in 61 games (15.3 MPG) for the 76ers. He’s on an affordable rookie contract for three more years and Philadelphia was reportedly reluctant to include him in packages for James Harden in January and Kyle Lowry in March, so he certainly wouldn’t be treated as a throw-in in any Simmons trade.

While Simmons appears likely to be moved at some point in the coming days, weeks, or months, I’m not quite as convinced that Maxey will join him. Philadelphia’s point guard depth already figures to take a hit if Simmons is dealt, so the team won’t give away another of its top options at the position just to appease Paul. The 76ers may consider trading Maxey, but the decision will ultimately come down to the quality of the return and the club’s ability to avoid creating a hole on its depth chart.

Ben Simmons Tells Sixers He Wants Out, Doesn’t Plan To Report To Camp

During a meeting in Los Angeles last week, Sixers star Ben Simmons told team owner Josh Harris, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, general manager Elton Brand, and head coach Doc Rivers that he doesn’t want to be part of the team any longer, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Sources tell The Inquirer that Simmons doesn’t plan on reporting to training camp with the 76ers in four weeks.

According to Pompey, the Sixers’ brass told Simmons they want him to come to camp and be part of the team, but the three-time All-Star – who knows he can be fined for not showing up – apparently intends to take a drastic approach in the hopes of forcing the team’s hand. Money won’t be a factor in Simmons’ decision-making, a source tells Pompey, who notes that the 25-year-old has four years and nearly $147MM left on his contract.

Simmons has been considered a trade candidate since the 76ers’ season ended in the second round of the playoffs against Atlanta. The former No. 1 overall pick turned in a poor performance against the Hawks, showing a reluctance to shoot or even to have the ball in his hands late in games. He made just 15-of-45 free throws in the seven-game series vs. Atlanta and connected on only 34.2% of his total foul shots in the playoffs, the worst mark ever for a player with more than 70 attempts in a single postseason.

Although the 76ers have publicly indicated all summer that they’re happy to bring back Simmons and work with him on improving his game, the team has reportedly engaged in trade talks with several potential suitors, including the Timberwolves, Raptors, Cavaliers, Pacers, Kings, Spurs, and Warriors. A Monday report suggested that executives around the NBA believe it’s just a matter of time before Philadelphia pulls the trigger on a trade.

[RELATED: Ben Simmons “In Step” With Sixers’ Trade Efforts]

The Sixers’ efforts to find a suitable deal for Simmons have been hindered by Morey’s high asking price, per Pompey. Simmons’ lack of a jump shot and his significant struggles in the postseason have caused his trade value to diminish, but Morey has sought a trade package commensurate with a 25-year-old who has made three straight All-Star teams and remains under contract for four years. Pompey’s sources are skeptical that price will be met.

“Think about three months ago when the Sixers are willing to give up Ben Simmons. You are like, ‘Let’s see what we have to do to get him,'” one Western Conference executive told The Inquirer. “Now, the difference is Ben Simmons says he refuses to play for the Sixers. He wants to go to three California teams. There’s so much bad blood between him and the team. … I’m not giving you what you’re demanding.”

[RELATED: Warriors Rejected Sixers’ Offer Of Simmons For Wiseman, Wiggins, Four First-Round Picks]

As we’ve written multiple times in recent weeks and as Pompey notes in today’s report, the belief around the NBA is that the Sixers have been hoping Damian Lillard will request a trade from the Trail Blazers, putting Philadelphia in position to use Simmons as a centerpiece in an offer for Portland’s star point guard. However, all indications this month are that Lillard appears content to continue evaluating the Blazers’ present and future this fall.

If the Sixers feel compelled to get a deal done sooner rather than later, targeting another Blazers guard – CJ McCollum – might make sense, Pompey writes. However, he cautions that both teams highly value their own stars, which may make it difficult for them to find a deal that appeals to both sides.

The Simmons situation is similar to one Morey’s old team in Houston found itself in a year ago, when James Harden requested a trade during the offseason and didn’t report to the Rockets for the start of camp. Harden eventually showed up and began the year with the Rockets, but was traded less a month until the season.

Morey’s Sixers were in the mix for Harden right up until the 11th hour, offering a package headlined by Simmons. Less than eight months later, Morey will have to consider whether to let Simmons’ trade request linger into the season like the Rockets did with Harden’s, or if it makes more sense to complete a deal before training camp — even if the return falls well short of Philadelphia’s initial asking price.

Rival Execs Unconvinced Sixers Are Comfortable Hanging Onto Simmons

Still, while the Sixers have held “expansive” discussions with multiple teams, they haven’t gotten close to completing a deal yet. The Timberwolves and Raptors are two teams in the mix for the three-time All-Star, per Charania. However, sources tell The Athletic that the Wolves’ assets may not appeal to Philadelphia and they might need to find a third team to get something done, while Toronto’s proposals haven’t piqued the 76ers’ interest yet.

Although the Sixers have told teams they’re comfortable bringing back Ben Simmons for the 2021/22 season, rival executives are skeptical, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who says those execs think it’s just a matter of time before Simmons is moved. All signs continue to point to Simmons’ career in Philadelphia coming to an end, Charania writes.

Still, while the Sixers have held “expansive” discussions with multiple teams, they haven’t gotten close to completing a deal yet. The Timberwolves and Raptors are two teams in the mix for the three-time All-Star, per Charania. However, sources tell The Athletic that the Wolves’ assets may not appeal to Philadelphia and they might need to find a third team to get something done, while Toronto’s proposals haven’t piqued the 76ers’ interest yet.

As has been reported previously, the Sixers’ dilemma is complicated by the fact that they’d love to use Simmons as the centerpiece in a Damian Lillard offer, but the Trail Blazers‘ point guard appears set to open the season in Portland as he continues to evaluate the team’s present and future, writes Charania.

Sixers Sign Grant Riller To Two-Way Contract

AUGUST 30: The Sixers have made it official, announcing in a press release that Riller has signed a two-way deal with the team.


AUGUST 18: After opening a two-way slot by waiving Rayjon Tucker, the Sixers have reached an agreement on a two-way deal with Grant Riller, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Riller, 24, was a two-way player for the Hornets last season. He got into just seven games and averaged 2.6 PPG in 3.9 minutes per night. He played 11 games during the abbreviated G League season, posting 13.1 points, 1.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists for the Greensboro Swarm.

Charlotte took Riller with the 56th pick in the 2020 draft, but didn’t make a qualifying offer before this year’s deadline, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Philadelphia’s other two-way contract is held by rookie wing Aaron Henry.

Charles Bassey Plans To Sign Required Tender From Sixers

Rookie center Charles Bassey, one of the last unsigned players from the 2021 draft class, intends to sign his required one-year tender from the Sixers, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic. According to Charania, Bassey and the 76ers have thus far been unable to agree to terms on a longer-term deal.

In order to retain the rights to a second-round draft pick, an NBA team must submit a “required tender” to him. That tender is equivalent to offering a non-guaranteed minimum-salary contract covering just a single season, so it provides no assurances or security to the player.

Bassey, the No. 53 overall pick, may view signing that tender as his best path to either earning a 15-man roster spot with the Sixers or forcing the team to waive him before the season begins, allowing him to catch on elsewhere.

The Sixers only have 14 players on standard contracts for the time being, so Bassey could theoretically become the team’s 15th man for the regular season. However, Philadelphia may prefer to keep that last spot open to reduce its projected tax bill — it’s unclear if the 76ers want to stash Bassey overseas or in the G League, or if the rookie simply hasn’t been satisfied with the years and dollars the team is offering.

If he signs his tender and then is released by Philadelphia before the regular season starts, Bassey wouldn’t be eligible to sign a two-way contract with another NBA team during the 2021/22 league year, which would significantly reduce his options.

Bassey, 20, played his college ball at Western Kentucky, averaging a double-double (17.6 PPG, 11.6 RPG) as a junior in 2020/21 before declaring for the draft.

Sixers' $8MM+ TPE To Expire Soon

  • The $8.1MM trade exception the Sixers generated in last offseason’s Al Horford trade is set to expire on September 7, Derek Bodner of The Athletic observes. Bodner also explores how much of the mid-level exception Philadelphia still has available and the team’s current roster breakdown, which includes 14 players on standard NBA contracts.

And-Ones: Lingering Questions, Ref Vaccinations, Noel, Jenkins, Mathias

The NBA’s summer of player movement may be winding down, but there are still some questions looming over teams. An ESPN panel of insiders looked at some of them on Thursday (before the Lauri MarkkanenLarry NanceDerrick Jones Jr. three team deal broke).

Among the predictions that were made: Nick Friedell believes Damian Lillard will eventually end up with the Knicks, just not in the immediate future; Kirk Goldsberry thinks that J.J. Redick will end up with the Nets; Andrew Lopez predicts Paul Millsap will start the season not on a roster, but will be picked up mid-season.

The crew also looks at which new coaches have the hardest road ahead: Chauncey Billups with the Blazers and Willie Green with the Pelicans each received two votes, while Jason Kidd with the Mavericks received one.

And, of course, the much-discussed Ben SimmonsSixers impasse was the first topic of debate.

We have more news from around the world of hoops:

  • The NBA will require its referees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, barring medical or religious exemptions, the league announced today. A report from ESPN laid out the scope of the policy, including that referees will receive booster shots once those become recommended, and that refs without an approved exemption who aren’t vaccinated will not be eligible to work games.
  • Knicks center Nerlens Noel‘s lawsuit has the potential to change the NBA-agent landscape, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Fischer writes that as opposed to the league’s tampering rules between teams and players, there are no such prohibitions on agents trying to poach clients, and that this unprecedented peek behind the curtain could give the league incentive to put some protections in place.
  • John Jenkins has signed with BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque in France, reports Hoops Rumors’ JD Shaw (via Twitter). Jenkins played eight seasons in the NBA, averaging 5.0 PPG while shooting 36.7% from three on 319 career attempts. Jenkins recently participated with the Team USA select team as Team USA prepared for their eventual gold medal run.
  • Dakota Mathias has agreed to sign with the G League Ignite, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The 26-year-old played eight games for the Sixers as one of their two-way contracts last season, and Scotto reports that several teams have interest in him as a two-way player again this year. Mathias averaged six PPG and 1.6 APG in 15.4 minutes a night for Philadelphia.

Northwest Notes: Green, Timberwolves, Lore, Snyder

JaMychal Green drew interest from a number of teams during free agency, Mike Singer of The Denver Post reports. Green caught the attention of the Timberwolves, Pelicans, Sixers, Spurs and Bucks. Minnesota even considered a possible sign-and-trade for the veteran forward, who opted to re-sign with the Nuggets on a two-year, $17MM deal.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

  • The Timberwolves had some level of interest in all of the forwards involved in the unofficial three-team trade among the Bulls, Cavaliers and Trail Blazers, Darren Wolfson of KSTP tweets. They had early interest this summer in restricted free agent Lauri Markkanen, who’s headed to Cleveland in the sign-and-trade, but Chicago didn’t seriously engage them in trade discussions, Wolfson adds. Minnesota had strong interest last year in Larry Nance Jr., who’s going to Portland, and Derrick Jones Jr., who’s joining the Bulls.
  • Marc Lore, who along with former baseball star Alex Rodriguez has assumed 20% of the Timberwolves franchise with plans to eventually become the controlling owners, believes he can sell top free agents on coming to Minnesota, Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes. “When players or people say, ‘Hey, it’s a small market, we’re never going to get any of the big free agents,’ — well, if they share a similar set of values maybe they will (come),” Lore said. “If you really stand for something, and they’re passionate about the same values, then they’re like, ‘No, I’ve seen it. I’ve heard about it. I want to be a part of that.'”
  • Jazz coach Quin Snyder isn’t likely to tinker too much with his lineups and rotations this coming season, Sarah Todd of The Deseret News speculates. Snyder isn’t the type of coach who does a lot of experimentation but he will play to the strengths of his personnel and there are some new faces, so that will require some flexibility, Todd adds.

Sixers Waive Anthony Tolliver

The Sixers have waived veteran big man Anthony Tolliver, the team announced on Friday (Twitter link). Tolliver’s $2.69MM contract would’ve become fully guaranteed if he wasn’t released today.

The move opens up a roster spot for Philadelphia, which now has 15 players officially under contract (14 on standard contracts and one on a two-way). The team will also sign Grant Riller to a two-way contract and Haywood Highsmith to an Exhibit 10 deal, leaving three spots available on the 20-man offseason roster.

In addition, Philadelphia has yet to sign second-round draft pick Charles Bassey, who was selected No. 53 overall by the team last month.

Assuming he clears waivers on Sunday, Tolliver will reach free agency after concluding his 13th NBA season. The 36-year-old signed two ten-day contracts and a rest-of-season deal with the Sixers in 2020/21, appearing in a total of nine contests.

Latest On Paul Millsap, J.J. Redick

Paul Millsap and J.J. Redick are two of the most talented unrestricted free agents left on the board, but there’s a sense that the two veterans – who are 36 and 37 years old, respectively – may not be in a hurry to pick a team for the 2021/22 season, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Redick has stated publicly that he’ll wait until sometime in the fall – or even later – to sign a new contract, and Fischer says people around the league believe Millsap will take his time too.

“I think (Millsap)’s gonna be a minimum or a midseason guy,” one source told Fischer. “What’s the rush? The money wouldn’t get much better, and he can just pick his team. What if New Orleans is really good come January? What happens when some guy gets hurt, and that team starts scrambling for a replacement? He can pick his spot.”

As Fischer observes, Millsap didn’t have much of an offseason in 2020, having reported to training camp about two months after Denver was eliminated from the playoffs in the Western Conference Finals. Facing another abridged offseason in 2021, Millsap may benefit in the long run from taking a longer break.

Here’s more from Fischer on Millsap and Redick:

  • The Warriors have been the team most frequently linked to Millsap, but he has also drawn interest from the Hawks, Nets, Pelicans, Sixers, and Timberwolves, according to Fischer, who adds that there are no indications the big man has gotten close to finalizing a deal with any of those teams.
  • Sources tell Fischer that in discussions with potential suitors, Millsap has been seeking a salary worth some or all of the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.9MM).
  • Redick figures to draw interest from teams around the NBA, with one Western Conference head coach telling Fischer that he’d like to have the sharpshooter on his roster. However, there’s a league-wide belief that Redick is eyeing the Knicks or Nets so that he can remain close to home. Some execs have speculated that Redick could even retire if he doesn’t land with either of those teams, Fischer writes.
  • Any team with interest in adding Redick would likely want more information on the heel injury that limited him in 2020/21, says Fischer. Sources tell Bleacher Report that teams flagged that issue back at the March trade deadline when New Orleans was shopping Redick.