Doc Rivers comments on Ben Simmons future with 76ers
By Josh Hill
The NBA Trade Machine is churning out Ben Simmons trade rumors, but Doc Rivers sounds like he’s changing his tune a little.
After a tumultuous end to the season, Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers is figuring out how to navigate an offseason of extreme importance.
Philadelphia’s biggest question surrounds Ben Simmons and whether or not he factors into things moving forward. A point guard who can’t hit free throws, and fears going to the stripe so much that he actively passes out of scoring opportunities, is not exactly what you’d define as a cornerstone of a franchise.
Amid a flurry of Ben Simmons trade rumors that popped up this week, it sounds like Doc is either changing his tune — or at least tuning out the noise and giving us stock answers while the Sixers front office figures out what to do with Simmons.
When asked about Simmons future in Philly, Rivers gave an answer that is a total 180 from the one he gave following Game 7 in which he threw Simmons under all 18-wheels of the bus.
“Ben’s great,” Rivers told TMZ this week. “I want him back. He’s terrific. He’ll be great.” “I think he doesn’t need a lot of fixing. He’s gonna be great for us. He’ll be great.”
The NBA Trade Machine is already churning out Ben Simmons trade rumors
As soon as the Sixers were eliminated from the playoffs, the conversation shifted to where Ben Simmons would be traded. It’s truly NBA Trade Machine SZN in NBA circles, and the rumors that popped up this past week only add fuel to that fire.
This past week a report surfaced that the Indiana Pacers had offered a trade package of Malcolm Brogdon and a first round pick for Simmons, but the Sixers rejected it. The Minnesota Timberwolves are said to be hot on the trail of a Simmons trade, but there’s been no movement as Philly would likely want D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and a load of picks back, and likely more.
For what it’s worth, an NBA Trade Machine deal that sends Simmons to Minnesota, DLo to Toronto, and Kyle Lowry to the Sixers works financially. Other assets would need to be included, but chew on that as we wait for it to eventually become a rumor that gets reported somewhere.
The point is, Simmons trade rumors are going to populate the early part of this NBA offseason. From Portland to Lakers fans trying to figure out how a bag of basketballs and Talen Horton-Tucker gets them Simmons, these rumors aren’t going anywhere.
So many Doc is onto something in giving answers that not only avoid actually being answers but also prop up Simmons’ trade value by giving the appearance that he’ll be hard to pry away from Philadelphia.