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Philadelphia 76ers reveal what they want in any Ben Simmons trade (and it’s a lot)

By Patrick Schmidt

Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers. (Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports)
Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers. (Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports) /
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The Philadelphia 76ers have revealed their asking price for any Ben Simmons trade and they’re not accepting any bargain-basement offers.

The Ben Simmons trade rumors have been swirling since the Philadelphia 76ers were bounced in the conference semifinals by the Atlanta Hawks.

Simmons had a disappointing postseason, especially vs. the Hawks where he disappeared in the fourth quarters of games and was timid of taking wide-open layups. His confidence was shot and the confidence his teammates, such as Joel Embiid, had in the former No. 1 pick out of LSU could have been damaged beyond repair.

A trade for Simmons could be the biggest storyline this NBA offseason and according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, there is no shortage of suitors.

NBA trade rumors: 76ers have a high asking price in Ben Simmons trade talks

Despite a rough showing in the playoffs with the NBA world watching, the 76ers aren’t just going to give away Simmons at the first offer. In fact, they aren’t lowering their asking price for a player they still believe in. If the 76ers are going to trade Simmons, they want a great player in return.

“(The 76ers) want an All-Star-caliber player in return,” Charania’s source with knowledge of the Simmons trade talks said.

That’s a fair expectation for the 76ers to have. Is it realistic to get an All-Star player in return for Simmons? Perhaps not an established All-Star, but perhaps they can get a future All-Star or draft picks that could be used to draft a prospect who could develop into an All-Star player.

One postseason series doesn’t eliminate what Simmons has accomplished in the NBA. He’s entering his age-25 season, was All-NBA in 2019-2020, former Rookie of the Year and a two-time All-Defensive first-team member. He’s signed through 2025 so a team trading for him won’t have to negotiate a new contract or risk losing him after one year. Whoever trades for him will be making a big commitment, both in terms of the assets given up and the finances paid to him.

But for the team that trades for Simmons, showing him that kind of faith and commitment in him could go a long way toward making him feel trusted and get his confidence in his game back to play at a high level.