Philadelphia 76ers: Will Ben Simmons be traded on draft night?

Will the Philadelphia 76ers find a trade partner for Ben Simmons at the NBA Draft. 

NBA Draft night is often the perfect breeding ground for trades. In many cases, it’s where big moves can be made. It’s the unofficial official beginning of the offseason and it’s where draft picks are most valuable. One team that could be in for a big night, especially considering recent rumors, is the Philadelphia 76ers.

Shortly after the team lost in the Eastern Conference semifinals to the Atlanta Hawks, the whispers around Ben Simmons’ future with the team grew to shouts. And the smoke regarding a potential trade turned into all-out flames.

Now, according to a recent report, it seems like the two sides are at a bad place, and a trade this offseason seems very likely. In fact, a divorce between Simmons and the Sixers could come as soon as tonight.

This isn’t exactly groundbreaking news by any means. And, in fact, the only reason why Simmons hasn’t been traded yet has been Philly’s outrageous asking price.

The Sixers are reportedly asking teams for a lot, as perhaps they should. They want multiple picks and an all-star caliber player in exchange for Simmons. Quite frankly, it’s going to be tough sledding for anyone to match Philly’s asking price.

How desperate should the Sixers be to move Ben Simmons?

This is perhaps the biggest question for the Sixers heading into the draft – just how desperate is the team to move Simmons? In a vacuum, it’s probably better that the Sixers can close the book on this offseason issue before free agency.

Although, if the asking price doesn’t shift it’s probably unlikely that a deal will arise at this point in the offseason. That’s where it becomes iffy. How long are the Sixers willing to stand pat on their current asking price?

Even though Simmons is still just 25 years old and probably hasn’t even played the best basketball of his career yet, he is coming off arguably the most disappointing moments of his career. When the Sixers needed him to step up as a superstar, he didn’t. Point blank.

There’s no question that he’s still on the road to becoming a great player. However, it’s quite clear that he’s in desperate need of a change of scenery. He needs a fresh start and there’s a good chance that the organization is questioning his fit with Joel Embiid. That’s not healthy and is only going to stunt Simmons’ growth as a player.

The Sixers will likely trade Simmons at some point this offseason and as much as they want to move him on NBA Draft night, I find that hard to believe. Especially if Philly is not willing to move off their crazy high asking price.