The Philadelphia 76ers have a bit of a predicament on their hands right now. They can either continue to hold on to Ben Simmons or just face the fact that he’s moved on and let him go at a discount.
No team is going to be willing to meet the Sixers’ steep price for Simmons. He hasn’t played this season and looks willing to forfeit his salary for the whole year just to be traded, so why would another team overpay?
Nonetheless, we’re just one month away from the trade deadline and some teams could be tempted and desperate to make a big move at the eleventh hour. With that in mind, a recent report claims that we should keep an eye on the Atlanta Hawks.
NBA Rumors: Atlanta Hawks Could Be A Suitor For Ben Simmons
“The Hawks are an emerging potential landing spot for Simmons, whose Defensive Player of the Year-caliber play would surely elevate one of the league’s bottom five defenses,” reported Shams Charania of The Athletic.
“In scanning the Hawks’ roster, it’s obvious John Collins — who signed a five-year, $125 million deal in restricted free agency last offseason — and Cam Reddish are among the players who could acquiesce a package for Simmons. It’s unclear whether the Hawks are ready to put such a proposal on the table after making a run to the Eastern Conference finals a season ago,” Charania added.
Ironically, Simmons hasn’t played since being exposed by the Hawks in the playoffs. Then again, Trae Young’s team has underperformed this season and looks far from the team that was two wins away from the NBA Finals.
The Hawks have enough assets to try and pull the trigger for the former first overall pick, and Simmons’ combination of defense and playmaking could be just what they need to become a legit contender.
