The Philadelphia 76ers can still contend for an NBA title while led by a dominant big man, Joel Embiid. But they need somebody to team him with to get the job done in the playoffs.
They originally thought Ben Simmons would be the one to team with Embiid and get the job done, but Simmons wants out and has not suited up for the Sixers in the 2021-22 season.
The Sixers still have their eyes fixated on the Portland Trail Blazers and their situation because the Blazers could offer either Damian Lillard or C.J. McCollum. While Philadelphia would prefer Lillard, the Blazers star is still willing to give Portland every opportunity to work this out, and he would like Simmons to team with him in the Pacific Northwest.
If that situation doesn’t materialize, a new trade suggestion over at Bleacher Report has the Sixers moving Simmons to the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team deal that also includes the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Bleacher Report’s trade suggestion is:
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Sixers receive: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dillon Brooks
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Grizzlies receive: Simmons
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Thunder receive: Tyrese Maxey, Steven Adams, Zaire Williams, a 2022 first-round pick, a 2024 first-round pick and a 2026 first-round pick
B/R on the Sixers’ part of the deal, which includes a possible thought process from the Thunder and the Grizzlies:
We’ll start with the team least likely to get involved in this hypothetical, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Having just maxed out Gilgeous-Alexander, why would they turn around and trade him before that hefty extension even kicks in?
Well, maybe because the Grizzlies are chucking three unprotected first-round selections at the pick-obsessed Thunder, and maybe because OKC has reason to believe rookie Josh Giddey is a future top-notch point guard, making SGA a little less valuable than he once seemed.
Ultimately, Gilgeous-Alexander has to be involved to meet the Sixers’ “difference-maker” requirement.
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 21.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists while shooting 41.1% from the floor and 30% from deep in the 2021-22 season for a Thunder team that is actively tanking. The shooting numbers aren’t impressive, but he is a career 47.3% shooter overall and 35.9% from deep so the numbers will probably go up.
VERDICT: This is a move that will probably never materialize. The Grizzlies would form a nice Big 3 with Simmons, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., but president Daryl Morey and the Sixers have maintained their patience with Simmons. They want to see what happens with Lillard, so that situation will determine the outcome of the Simmons saga.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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