Indiana has been a legitimate suitor for Simmons, league sources say, and really should have been cited more frequently by yours truly along with the other teams (Minnesota, Toronto, San Antonio and Cleveland) that have consistently registered interest in the unhappy Sixer. Indications persist, though, that Philadelphia has been unmoved by the Pacers’ ability to offer Malcolm Brogdon and Caris LeVert as the headliners of a trade package. No matter how unrealistic it sounds, Portland’s Damian Lillard remains the type of starry target Morey seeks.
Source: Marc Stein @ marcstein.substack.com
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
The return of international exhibition games, my Ben Simmons holdout tracker, an unexpected wave of Dolph Schayes love and some Knicks mystery … all featured in my latest This Week In Basketball column.
The latest dose of Weekend dime-dropping out now: marcstein.substack.com/p/this-time-ne… – 12:18 PM
The Jump @_Talkin_NBA
Ben Simmons’ house in Philly is empty, per Shams Charania.
The question is: When will he be traded?
#NBATwitter pic.twitter.com/Vd8vFytumd – 10:54 AM
Dan Favale @danfavale
the sixers lowering their asking price for ben simmons pic.twitter.com/Ed6dBzlSTs – 10:26 AM
Dan Favale @danfavale
getting “new” updates on the ben simmons situation pic.twitter.com/M9G8T8qxtW – 10:00 AM
Jon Johnson @jonjohnsonwip
Why isn’t Ben Simmons a Pacer yet? – 9:05 AM
David Aldridge @davidaldridgedc
The start of the season is imminent – and Ben Simmons is still holding out, while Kyrie Irving isn’t playing. What happens there, and will Lillard & Beal stay put? Our @Sam Amick, @John Hollinger & I discuss, in @The Athletic: theathletic.com/2876529/2021/1… – 9:00 AM
Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
Latest on Ben Simmons and the 76ers: pic.twitter.com/PWuRV9eyV8 – 9:00 AM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Ben Simmons to Pacers? Would Malcolm Brogdon, Caris LeVert and a pick be enough for Sixers? #NBA inquirer.com/sixers/nba-tra… via @phillyinquirer – 12:39 AM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Ben Simmons to #Pacers? Would Malcolm Brogdon, Caris LeVert and a pick be enough for #Sixers? inquirer.com/sixers/nba-tra… via @phillyinquirer #NBA – 8:23 PM
Zach Lowe @ZachLowe_NBA
Lowe Post podcast: @Bill Simmons stops by to preview the NBA season: Kyrie/Nets, new potential rivalries (are rivalries dead?), Ben Simmons trades, power teams in danger of falling into the play-in, much more:
Spotify: spoti.fi/3lhApmV
Apple: apple.co/3uMWsoO – 8:10 PM
Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
Small “Fuck Ben Simmons” chant in the crowd just now. Didn’t get much traction – 8:00 PM
Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Just heard my 1st Ben Simmons jeer on the night. A fan just yelled “Ben sucks” to voice his displeasure with the situation. #Sixers – 7:54 PM
Andrew Bogut @RogueBoguesPod
Basketball Pod Ep 36 – @andrewbogut and @HoopConsultants discuss the Ben Simmons situation.
Listen to it here 👇
linktr.ee/roguebogues
#LetsGetRogue #RogueBogues #NBA #Trade #BenSimmons pic.twitter.com/KjqdP96c8d – 6:35 PM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Ben Simmons to #Pacers? Would Malcolm Brogdon, Caris LeVert and a pick be enough for #Sixers? inquirer.com/sixers/nba-tra… via @phillyinquirer – 2:39 PM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Ben Simmons to Pacers? Would Malcolm Brogdon, Caris LeVert and a pick be enough for Sixers? inquirer.com/sixers/nba-tra… via @phillyinquirer – 2:38 PM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Excited to be talking NBA again every week with Corey Robinson. This week we had to talk COVID implications and Ben Simmons drama, but also got into is so much more
How will new faces fit in new places?; Kyrie could upend Brooklyn Nets |… youtu.be/XHO6kcd7rT4 via @YouTube – 1:54 PM
More on this storyline
Sam Amick: But as you both know, and has been said and written about plenty of times, the Lillard-for-Simmons swap with Portland that is widely seen as Morey’s dream scenario just isn’t realistic. Not yet, anyway. “You’re waiting on a prayer,” the source said of the Lillard scenario. -via The Athletic / October 8, 2021
Sam Amick: As our esteemed Blazers beat writer, Jason Quick, wrote recently, Lillard is focused on “going out on his shield” and trying yet again to take the Blazers to that elusive next level. His stance could certainly change if the Blazers get off to a bad start, but sources say Lillard wants to see how this early season goes while giving first-year coach Chauncey Billups a genuine shot at success along the way. All of which is a roundabout way of saying that I don’t think Kyrie is going anywhere anytime soon. Especially because of the personal dynamics that are in play in Brooklyn. -via The Athletic / October 8, 2021
However, if Lillard contemplates a change of scenery, head coach Chauncey Billups would be the last person begging for him to stay. “I came here to coach you, but it’s your career, it’s your life and it’s your family.” Billups said on Sirius XM NBA Radio. “I’ve been there before, and I’m not going to be the guy preaching ‘Stay here, go there, do this.’” “I got a job to do, I want to do it with you, obviously. But if at some point you deem ‘Hey, another place is another place for me,’ that’s not going to be an indictment on myself. That’s going to be you making a decision for you and your family.” -via Clutch Points / October 8, 2021