Daryl Morey sends message about Ben Simmons trade timeline

Philadelphia 76ers team president Daryl Morey made clear Thursday that he does not see the Ben Simmons saga ending anytime soon.

Morey appeared on 97.5 The Fanatic’s “The Mike Missanelli Show” and advised listeners to “buckle in,” as the 76ers were unwilling to trade Simmons for role players. Morey even alluded to Simmons’ contractual situation by saying it could be a four-year process.

Daryl Morey on @MikeMiss25: “People should buckle in.” Says the team can only get role players in a trade now, will only trade him for a difference maker.

“What’s our best chance to win a championship? Right now it’s re-integrating Ben Simmons to our time.”

— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) October 21, 2021

Morey on his timeline: "You're going to think I'm kidding, I'm not. This could (go on for) 4 years. … We're in the prime of Joel's career…Either Ben Simmons is playing for us, or we have to get back a difference maker."

— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) October 21, 2021

To be clear, this isn’t likely to last four years. Morey is simply laying things out in public. It’s as much a negotiating ploy as anything else. The Sixers do not want to trade Simmons for spare parts. The hope may be that digging in publicly will show teams how serious they are about demanding stronger offers.

It certainly sounds like, in a perfect world, the 76ers would prefer to be done with Simmons themselves. Whether they get an offer they feel is worth pursuing remains to be seen.

Photo: Dec 22, 2018; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey looks on before a game between the Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports