Ben Simmons desperately wants off the Philadelphia 76ers. The organization is extremely eager to trade him. And yet, despite both parties being on the same page regarding not wanting to their relationship to carry on any further, little progress has been made in actually making that dream a reality.
Over the past month, multiple teams have been connected to a possible Simmons deal. Two stepped forward with proposals and were rejected immediately. One hung up on Philly over what it perceived to be unfair demands. And the 4-team Los Angeles Lakers deal that everyone was excited about hasn’t gotten off the ground.
The Sixers presently have an asking price in mind for Simmons. If it isn’t met, they’re not dealing.
And therein lays the problem.
According to Kurt Herlin of NBC Sports, the market for Simmons is practically non-existent at the moment.
“Meanwhile, real Simmons trade talk between the 76ers and other teams continues to be nearly dead,” he wrote. “Teams have settled into their rosters for the start of the season. Until a franchise suffers a significant injury, or gets off to a slower-than-expected start (or, maybe faster), there is nothing to change that dynamic and spark a deal.”
Clearly there is a yearning for Simmons to some degree. The Houston Rockets are intrigued. Same with the Cleveland Cavaliers. But the 76ers don’t have a ton of leverage, and front offices aren’t eager to overpay.
Urban Meyer’s wife responds after more troubling photos leak out. https://t.co/pYns20UR9p
— Game 7 (@game7__) October 3, 2021
Hence the stalemate.
Obviously things may start moving along when the season commences and a sense of urgency develops on all sides, but for now, it definitely feels like this situation is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.
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Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
