Trade talks surrounding Ben Simmons have cooled considerably in recent weeks, but there is still a belief among many that he has played his last game with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Sixers have not gotten particularly close to trading Simmons this offseason, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. There have been rumblings recently that Philadelphia is prepared to keep Simmons at the start of the 2021-22 season, but not everyone is buying that.
Rival executives told Charania that they believe it is only a matter of time before Simmons is traded. The Sixers have held detailed discussions with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Toronto Raptors, but their asking price remains very high.
It is no secret that Simmons wants out of Philly, as he has reportedly been ghosting the team all offseason. The issue is rival teams know a trade seems like a certainty at this point, so they’re hoping the asking price comes down.
Simmons has three years left on his $177.2 million contract. Although he is a three-time All-Star, he proved so unreliable in the postseason that a fresh start seems like it would be best for all parties.
