NBA rumors: 5 sensible Ben Simmons trades

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers have a bit more to play with than Minnesota, but that may be a curse more so than a blessing. Since beginning their rebuild in 2018, they’ve thrown a bunch of stuff at the wall, but none of it has really stuck.

Collin Sexton, the jitterbug guard who has led the team in scoring since his arrival, is up for a new contract next summer. The other half of the “Sexland” backcourt, Darius Garland, has some tantalizing traits as a scorer, but like Sexton, he will be hamstrung by his height (6-foot-1) for the rest of his career. It was expected that the franchise would have to choose one eventually, and with Sexton ticked for restricted free agency in a year, the Cavs seem more willing to send (in a trade) than spend.

Two undersized scoring guards may not work well, but one of them next to a pass-first, defensive stalwart like Simmons could. The prospect of Garland with Simmons is especially intriguing, given Garland’s versatility as a shot-maker and Simmons’ prowess as a playmaker on the roll. Swapping Sexton and some other stuff for Simmons is a dream outcome for Cleveland.

It’s likely to stay a dream. Sexton could fit really well into a good team, rather than be the high-usage chucker he is now with Cleveland, but he’s not perceived that way yet. The Sixers can do much better. Just ask The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd, who floated a potential package of Sexton and Kevin Love by an executive outside of Philly. The decision-maker scoffed.

Teams around the league likely value Garland more than Sexton, but Philly’s timeline doesn’t coincide with either player’s. They need an immediate influx of perimeter firepower, not a burgeoning version that’s barely old enough to drink.

Like Minnesota, Cleveland has one piece in particular that could grease the wheels: the No. 3 pick in this year’s draft. Three names have been rumored to be the Detroit Pistons’ favorite at first overall (Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley and Jalen Green), making that third spot very appealing to a team looking to trade into the top of the draft. If Cleveland wants to push its chips to the middle of the table, that pick is the black chip.

The Sixers aren’t looking to get picks back for Simmons, but another team may be looking to get them back for their superstar. With the Damian Lillard saga showing no signs of stopping anytime soon, the Blazers may be forced to trade him sooner rather than later.

The Blazers are not guaranteed to trade Lillard, nor are they forced to agree to a deal of this ilk. Maybe they want to vault into the next era and skip a rebuild entirely, making Simmons or another young star more appealing to them than picks. Every team is different. But if they do want to embrace the rebuild, Maxey and one of Mobley/Green is a great starter pack.