The never-ending Ben Simmons saga has a new chapter. This week, the point guard made headlines after being suspended fromthe practice for refusing to participate in a defensive drill and then reportedly told the Philadelphia 76ers that he is not mentally ready to play.
While Ben Simmons has been a topic of trade talks since the offseason, there’s nothing on the table and it seems like a move won’t take place anytime soon. Daryl Morey revealed on Thursday in a radio interview that this drama could drag out for the duration of Simmons’ four-year contract.
That seems like an exaggeration, but the truth is that the 76ers don’t have many options right now. Morey doesn’t want to trade Simmons unless it is for a player that will make a difference. But, in the short term, there could be options.
NBA Rumors: Why would the 76ers wait until December to trade Simmons?
According to Marc Stein of The Atlantic, there could be a much closer date to a trade for Simmons. He is reporting that, according to league sources,Morey is expected to wait until December 15 “before he pursues a deal with greater intent.”
On December 15, there will be more players who could be tradable at that point. Generally, free agents become an option in the middle of December. When a free agent signs a new contract in the offseason, he is eligible for negotiations on either December 15or three months after signing.
While Philadelphia could be interested in players that signed new contracts last offseason, they could consider using 2021 free-agent signings in the deal for cap purposes as Simmons is making $33 million this season. Trying to match a salary on a contract of that size would be hard.