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Philadelphia 76ers: 5 intriguing Ben Simmons trade propositions

By Simon Smith

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 11: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on against the Atlanta Hawks at the Wells Fargo Center on January 11, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Hawks defeated the 76ers 123-121. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 11: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on against the Atlanta Hawks at the Wells Fargo Center on January 11, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Hawks defeated the 76ers 123-121. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Approaching a crucial juncture in the history of the franchise, here are five trade proposals for Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers.

With the heartbreak of their playoff exit at the hands of the Toronto Raptors now well behind them, the Philadelphia 76ers will look forward to the summer and the chance to upgrade their roster.

Within this process, a number of crucial and difficult decisions will need to be made. These include:

Additionally, the Sixers need to address other areas, such as bench depth and a serviceable backup for All-Star center Joel Embiid. But possibly the most contentious decision facing the Sixers’ front office is the status of point guard Ben Simmons.

Named an All-Star for the first time in 2018-19, Simmons has all the physical attributes  to become a generational talent as the Sixers’ floor general. However, Simmons’ complete lack of a perimeter shot, and how that works alongside Embiid moving forward, is a constant source of debate among onlookers and Sixers followers.

On a recent episode of Get Up on ESPN, NBA analyst Jalen Rose explained his reasoning for a Simmons trade:

"“At some point you’ve got to make a shot outside of the paint….so therefore when he’s on the baseline, and Joel Embiid is trying to post-up, that creates a double-team situation every time….I feel like if you’re going to decide to build around Joel Embiid, that means trading Ben Simmons….Ben Simmons won’t shoot the ball outside of the paint, and he won’t shoot free throws.”"

At just 22 and with one year remaining on his rookie-scale contract, Simmons would naturally garner a significant amount of interest if he were made available for a deal. As a result of Simmons’ rookie contract, and the lack of other larger deals remaining on the roster aside from Embiid, the deals proposed here are limited to players on similar deals.

There has been no indication he’s on the trade block whatsoever, but following this train of thought, here are five potential landing spots for Simmons should the Sixers decide to pull the trigger.