Cleveland Cavaliers: Pros and cons of trading for Ben Simmons
By Tony Pesta
Ben Simmons is ‘almost certainly’ on the Cleveland Cavaliers radar. But, is the young All-Star worth trading their young core for?
Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com recently reported that the Cleveland Cavaliers are monitoring Ben Simmons‘ situation and feel confident they can build a strong enough trade package to pry the young All-Star away from the Philadelphia 76ers if they choose to pursue him.
Simmons has dealt with some injuries in the past and will miss the remainder of the NBA’s restart in Orlando following surgery on his knee. However, there are few players in the league more talented than the 6’10” combo guard and he would instantly become the best player on the Cavaliers.
On the season, Simmons averaged 16.4 points, 8.0 assists and 7.8 rebounds. He was selected as an All-Star for the second straight season and led the entire league in steals with 2.1 per game. His dual talents as a playmaker and slasher make him one of the best 20 players in the NBA at only 23 years of age.
Even so, there is obviously a problem with his fit in Philly. His skills do not complement those of Joel Embiid very well – both poor shooters from the 3-point line who are surprisingly easy to defend in pick-and-rolls despite being borderline superstars in their own right. Some believe this is enough reason for the 76ers to split the pair up – looking to go all-in on either Embiid or Simmons.
As for the Cavaliers, they have collected quite a few young assets to potentially make a push for the playoffs next year via trade. Fedor pointed out that the move for Andre Drummond was the first indication that the franchise could be eyeing a postseason run soon. Because of this, targetting Simmons shouldn’t be too much of a surprise.
But, could the Cavaliers even package a trade worthy of acquiring Simmons? Most say no. The Cavs don’t have a single player who could jump off the page and force the 76ers to consider a trade. Nonetheless, a combination of multiple first-round picks and a member of the young core could be enough to pique Philly’s interest. Of course, that is if no other team makes an offer for Simmons – which feels unlikely.
Regardless, let’s focus on the Cavaliers side of things and determine if going after Simmons is even worth it. Here are the pros and cons of trading for Ben Simmons.