Many Philadelphia 76ers fans feel that Daryl Morey and the brain trust in Philly have royally screwed up the Bens Simmons situation. Sixers fans are ready to move on from this drama, even if it means trading for a lesser player. I believe if the team can continue to be patient better deals are on the horizon. Here are 5 reasons why Philly shouldn’t trade Ben Simmons this season.
1) Philly has the best trade package
Every year or so at least one superstar player demands a trade. The majority of time the team trading the superstar does not get one in return. Most teams get back a handful of draft picks and some overpriced role players to fill in the salary requirements. Why go full rebuild when you can get picks and a 25 year All-NBA player named Ben Simmons. Ben has a lot of upside offensively if he is in the right system. A team built around him could make the playoffs easily. He has kept Philly afloat for years while Joel Embiid has been on the sideline injured. Why not take a chance on Ben? He might become the next Tracy McGrady. McGrady left a winning team in Toronto to join Orlando and have his shot at being the lead playmaker. It resulted in McGrady becoming a top 10 player in the league and Orlando making multiple playoff runs. Teams should take the same chance on Simmons, it is better than ending up like the Houston Rockets (post Harden trade) and Oklahoma City Thunder (post Paul George and Russell Westbrook trades) who look like they are a decade away from making the playoffs.
2) The Portland Trailblazers and Washington Wizards are failing
Two of Philadelphia’s potential trade targets Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal are on floundering teams. Portland is off to one of their worst starts since Lillard has join the team in 2012. The team is 12th is the western conference standings at 13-21. The Blazers recently fired their GM Neil Olshey and now Portland has to rely on an interim GM to help turn the team around. Lillard has not publicly expressed any desire to leave Portland, but if the team misses the playoffs that could change quickly.
The Washington Wizards got off to a hot start this season winning 12 of their first 17 games and taking control of a top 4 seed in the eastern conference. Since then Wizards have returned to their norm. They are 6-12 in the last 18 games and have slid all the way back to the 8th seed. Bradley Beal has not looked comfortable in Washington’s new offensive system (he is posting career lows in efficiency numbers). Washington has offered Beal an extension, but Beal has yet to sign. If Washington does not turn things around Beal might be primed for a trade request.
Chances are one of these two players (and maybe someone else) makes a trade request in the next year.
3) Ben has to come back at some point
Simmons has sat out every game this season, but if the trade deadline passes and he has not been dealt is he really willing to sacrifice his entire years paycheck? I doubt it. Ben has a lifestyle to maintain and a financial future to protect. I predict post trade deadline he will be more willing to participate in team activities.
4) Fans have short memories if your winning
At the end of the day winning can erase all the bad memories. If Ben comebacks and plays to his potential Philly could easily make a deep run in the playoffs. The Philly fans will forget the past if Simmons has a few big performances in the playoffs.
5) CJ McCollum and De’Aaron Fox do not get you closer to winning
Many people feel as if Philly is wasting a prime Embiid year by not dealing Ben Simmons sooner, but they were going to waste this year regardless if they don’t win the trade. Getting players like CJ McCollum and De’Aaron Fox will lower the teams ceiling not raise it. If the team does not come out of this trade the same or better than before, then the Sixers will have wasted not only this year but multiple years to come.
5 REASONS WHY PHILLY 5 REASONS WHY PHILLY 5 REASONS WHY PHILLY 5 REASONS WHY PHILLY
