It's crazy that Morey is continually dragging this issue. I get it, he is looking for a desperate team to offer him the world for Ben Simmons, but **** is not going to happen. Meanwhile, you likely wasted a year of contention, how stupid is that? Joel Embiid's health is on borrowed time.
As the trade deadline approaches, Morey will "expand" his list longer and longer. Simmons is not a hot commodity right now. Other GMs are waiting for Morey to lower the price. The problem with trading Simmons is that everybody knows you can't build a team around him. You have to already have a star scorer in place in order to make sense with Simmons. But Morey wants another star back. So which team would want to give up a star to get Simmons? The only kind of team I can think of is a team who have two stars but is going nowhere and hope Simmons would change the dynamics and somehow make it better. Not to mention, the attitude Simmons has displayed must be scaring off some teams.
That's interesting given the players that Atlanta could send to Philly. Collins is tradeable after 1/14 and anyone not named Trae Young on that roster can be had IMO.
https://theathletic.com/3060724/202...-collins-a-possible-match-nba-news-and-notes/ Philadelphia 76ers three-time All-Star Ben Simmons remains the biggest name on the trade market, with suitors in the Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Indiana Pacers among others, according to sources. Simmons has yet to play this season after informing his 76ers organization, coaches and teammates that he is not mentally ready to play and needs time to work on himself. The 76ers have not been fining Simmons, as he fulfills team obligations such as training sessions and team meetings as well as continuing to meet with mental health specialists, sources said. And yet, the 76ers don’t appear any closer to a trade than they were in the offseason and prior to training camp. 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. 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. Collins, however, has grown increasingly frustrated over his role in Atlanta, multiple sources have told The Athletic. His shot attempts per game and usage rate have decreased in each of the past three seasons — even as the athletic, energetic Collins has improved his offensive repertoire. The 6-foot-9 big man has challenged the Hawks locker room on multiple occasions to play team basketball and commit to one another this season. Oftentimes, Collins has felt his voice go unheard. “I’ve banged my head on the wall a couple of times trying to figure it out myself, there’s really no excuse,” Collins said Friday night after the Hawks’ 134-118 loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles. “All I can say is it’s unacceptable and we have to dig down and do the things necessary to win or this is going to be the result every night.” Collins, 24, is eligible to be traded on Jan. 15. 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has set a high price threshold on Simmons, and has stated repeatedly that he wants Simmons to return to the team. Rival executives do believe Morey will stick to his approach of desiring a star in any Simmons trade, but what if that offer fails to arrive this season? Would the 76ers hold onto Simmons until the summer? There is also belief that teams are awaiting Morey to lower his asking price before a deal comes to fruition. Teams across the league continue to monitor the situation as it evolves.
LOL … Do you want this problem child? If you call within the next 5 minutes, we’ll include this toxic contract for free! 76ers Trying To Include Tobias Harris In Trade Of Ben Simmons The Philadelphia 76ers have begun to attach Tobias Harris to their trade discussions of Ben Simmons, according to Brian Windhorst and Marc J. Spears of ESPN. Harris signed a five-year, $180 million deal with the 76ers during the 2019 offseason. "I'm hearing they want to include Tobias Harris," said Spears of Philadelphia's trade talks with the Atlanta Hawks. "Me too," replied Windhorst. "That is the word out there because they can't necessarily get an All-Star they want in return right now, as the Sixers have continued their talks, they've talked to teams about trading Tobias and Ben." Spears also reported that the Hawks had interest in a trade for Simmons until the 76ers broached the possibility of including Harris. Windhorst reported that some executives have speculated that offloading the money of Simmons and Harris could pave the way for the 76ers to pursue James Harden in free agency.
I thought everyone was aware that trading Tobias with Ben was part of Morey's goal. Granted, he wasn't going to check all his check boxes (unprotected picks, young all star, unloading toxic contract), but he was always aiming for at least two of those to be checked.
https://nypost.com/2021/10/19/james-harden-declining-nets-extension-is-a-227-million-bet/ Dude declined a 3/161 for a potential 4/227. At the time, it was your usual "imma bet on myself and sign for wayyy more on a new contract" situation. But honestly, who knows? If the Nets don't win it all this season, it might be hard to return to the same team. Yeah, it's got a Kevin Durant, but the whole Kyrie situation is a mess. Combo that with a roster that's not very good, outside its 3 stars, and you have a problem. Meanwhile, Philly still has a playoff roster outside of Simmons and Harris. Embiid is the perfect complement to Harden, and you still have Curry, Maxey, Thybulle, Milton, Drummond. Purely looking at this point in time, Harden was smart to decline that extension. Opens him up for a bigger contract with the Nets...or...the ability to sign somewhere else.
