The Philadelphia 76ers have opened up trade conversations for point guard Ben Simmons, The Athletic reported Tuesday.
Teams that already have engaged with the Sixers have been met with a “high price threshold” for the three-time All-Star, per the report.
“(The 76ers) want an All-Star-caliber player in return,” a source told The Athletic.
Ben Simmons’ Shooting Woes
Simmons, who turns 25 on July 20, is on the trade block following a disastrous performance in the playoffs as the top-seeded Sixers lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
He was just 15 of 45 (33.3 percent) from the free-throw line in the seven-game series and he attempted just 14 shots from the field over the final three games.
Simmons’ 2020-21 averages of 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists were all the lowest marks of his four NBA seasons. He did make his third straight All-Star team and finished second in the Defensive Player of the Year voting to Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft and the 2017-18 NBA Rookie of the Year, Simmons has four years and $147 million remaining on his contract.
The 6-foot-11 Simmons announced last month that he would not compete for Australia at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. He said he needed the time to focus on his individual skill development.
Sources: The Philadelphia 76ers have opened up trade conversations surrounding three-time All-Star Ben Simmons and have engaged with teams.
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— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 13, 2021
–Field Level Media (@FieldLevelMedia)
