Ben Simmons‘ departure from the Philadelphia 76ers is inevitable. Since suffering a second-round exit in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, rumors were circulating that Simmons wanted out of Philadelphia to start a new journey somewhere else. However, though they no longer expect Simmons to change his mind, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey won’t trade Simmons just for the sake of getting him out of the City of Brotherly Love.
If they decide to move Simmons, it would be in a deal that would help them become more competitive in the 2021-22 NBA season.
Sixers Should Explore Ben Simmons-For-Dejounte Murray Trade
As of now, the Sixers have their eyes on Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard and Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal but if those two players won’t become available, there’s a huge possibility for them to consider other players in the potential deal involving Simmons. One of the most intriguing targets for the Sixers is Dejounte Murray of the San Antonio Spurs.
With their goal to maximize the championship window of All-Star center Joel Embiid, Clayton Keir of Fansided’s The Sixer Sense believes that the Sixers should strongly consider swapping Simmons for Murray before the 2022 NBA trade deadline.
Filling In The 'Ben Simmons-Shaped Hole'
Murray would undeniably be an incredible addition to the Sixers. He may not be on the same level as Lillard and Beal, but Keir thinks he’s capable of filling in the huge "Ben Simmons-sized hole" in Philadelphia. He would give the Sixers a starting-caliber point guard who is also a very reliable scoring option, a great rebounder, and a decent floor-spacer.
This season, the 25-year-old point guard is averaging 18.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 8.6 assists, and 2.0 steals while shooting 44.6 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
Dejounte Murray Elevates Sixers' Status In The East
Though he’s not one of their top trade targets, trading for Murray would make a lot of sense for the Sixers. The Sixers may have managed to find their way back to the winning column, but they obviously need more help around Embiid in order to rise to the top of the Eastern Conference rankings.
It would still take time for Murray to familiarize himself with the Sixers’ system but if he could build chemistry with Embiid, Tobias Harris, Seth Curry, and Danny Green, it would undoubtedly strengthen the Sixers’ chances of reaching the NBA Finals and capturing the Larry O’Brien Trophy this season.
Ben Simmons Would Welcome A Trade To San Antonio
Simmons would definitely be intrigued by the idea of playing for the Spurs. When his desire to leave the Sixers spread in the entire league, rumors were swirling that Simmons wanted to be traded to a California team. However, he recently expanded his options and added the Spurs to his list of preferred landing spots.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein in his substack newsletter, Simmons "would welcome the opportunity" to play for Coach Gregg Popovich in San Antonio. Being mentored by one of the greatest coaches of all time would help Simmons regain his confidence and return to the right path to becoming a legitimate superstar in the league.
]]>The Inquisitr
