If there is one person to blame for the Philadelphia 76ers’ loss to the Atlanta Hawks, it’s Ben Simmons. The supposed final piece of “The Process,” Simmons has become more of a liability than help for the 76ers. Simmons and Joel Embiid were supposed to lead the 76ers to the promised land.
Simmons has some positive aspects of his game, such as his playmaking ability and defense, but his weaknesses are too prominent. He can’t shoot and it’s arguable he’s afraid to shoot. He shot the ball only four times in a game seven elimination game, including zero times in the fourth quarter.
Simmons can’t shoot 30% from the three-point line. He shot 34.2% from the line, the worst free throw percentage in a playoff run in NBA history (minimum 70 attempts). For comparison, Shaquille O’Neal, widely considered the worst free throw shooter of all time, made the playoffs 17 times and was never below 40% from the line.
It may be time for the 76ers to trade Ben Simmons because if they don’t, they may never claim an NBA title. Here are three Simmons trades the 76ers could make this offseason. Trade Machine via ESPN
Philadelphia 76ers Get: CJ McCollum
Portland Trailblazers Get: Ben Simmons
Why Philadelphia Does This Trade:
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They get a floor spacer who can account for 20+ points a game.
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McCollum is a versatile guard that should play well off of Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris.
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They get rid of Simmons.
Why Portland Does This Trade:
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Simmons takes some of the playmaking duties off of Damian Lillard.
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Simmons pairs well with Robert Covington and should help a lackluster Portland defense.
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The Trailblazers show it is dedicated to winning to make Damian Lillard happy.
Philadelphia 76ers Get: Andrew Wiggins, Kelly Oubre Jr. And A 2022 Second Round Pick
Golden State Warriors Get: Ben Simmons And Danny Green
Why Philadelphia Does This Trade:
Why Golden State Does This Trade:
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Simmons can stay inside the paint as Steph Curry and Klay Thompson hang behind the three-point line.
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Simmons helps Golden State get some size and form a strong frontcourt with second overall pick in the 2020 draft, James Wiseman.
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Simmons can take some of the playmaking duties off of Curry and allow him to do what he does best: score.
Philadelphia 76ers Get: Bradley Beal And Davis Bertans
Washington Wizards Get: Ben Simmons, Tyrese Maxey, Danny Green, 2021 And 2022 First Round Picks
Why Philadelphia Does This Trade:
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Bradley Beal is a certified superstar and will complete a Big 3 of Joel Embiid, Bradley Beal and Tobias Harris for Philly.
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Bertans gives the 76ers depth and a shooter off the bench.
Why Washington Does This Trade:
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The Wizards don’t risk Bradley Beal leaving for free agency after next season.
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Washington frees up frontcourt space for Rui Hachimura and Deni Avdija by trading away a bad contract in Davis Bertans.
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Washington gets a nice, young shooting guard in Tyrese Maxey who showed flashes this past season.
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Photo credit: All-Pro Reels, Flickr
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