Philadelphia 76ers: They should have taken this Ben Simmons trade offer

Despite everything that has transpired over the past few months, the Philadelphia 76ers still believe they can mend their damaged relationship with Ben Simmons.

For context, Simmons has been disgruntled since Philadelphia’s early exit from the postseason in 2021 and requested a trade soon after. It was a headline that dominated the offseason, but it has been all for nothing at this point as the 76ers have hung onto him. Daryl Morey, Philly’s president of basketball operations, has made it clear that the team is willing to let this thing play out and that they are in no rush to trade the three-time All-Star despite his wishes. Given one of the rumored offers that had been on the table previously, that approach might have been a mistake.

A team that has been consistently mentioned to have interest in Simmons is the Indiana Pacers, who reportedly had made a strong offer that included two key players in Malcolm Brogdon and Caris LeVert. According to Marc Stein (Subscription Required), the Sixers were “unmoved” by the offer, and nothing obviously transpired from there. Well, that deal will now be off the table as the Pacers recently handed Brogdon a two-year extension, making him ineligible to be traded this season. As the Simmons saga continues unfolding, the 76ers may come to regret the decision to turn down that offer.

Why the Philadelphia 76ers should have taken a deal for Malcolm Brogdon and Caris LeVert from the Indiana Pacers

The 76ers have made it clear that they will not trade Simmons just to fulfill his wishes. They want a star player in return, and it appears they are zeroed in on Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal. While that is a smart way to go about it, they simply will not be getting either of those players in all likelihood. First off, Lillard and Beal have been two of the most loyal players to their franchises over the years, and it does not look like either will jump ship anytime soon. Second, Simmons’ trade value is incredibly low right now, and trading him for any legitimate superstar is a longshot.

In an interview on 97.5 The Fanatic, Morey said that this saga could continue for four years, which is how long they have Simmons under contract. Morey insists that he is willing to play the long game, but that is unwise. With Joel Embiid entering another year of his prime after an MVP caliber season, the 76ers are built to contend right now. They cannot waste another year of his prime. Simmons can help them compete, but the writing is on the wall that he does not want to be with the franchise any longer and he will do anything to get out.

The 76ers need pieces that can come in and help immediately without the added distraction, and while Lillard or Beal would be the best-case scenario for them, landing either is just a pipe dream. That is exactly why Brogdon and LeVert made sense. They are not superstars, but they are a pair of great pieces that fit more into the demographic of a realistic return for Simmons.

Brogdon is coming off his best season as a professional after averaging 21.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game in 2020-21. In addition to his scoring and facilitating, Brogdon’s stellar shooting as a career 38.5 percent 3-point shooter would have made him the perfect fit for this 76ers team. LeVert would have been a great fit as he is also coming off the strongest season of his NBA career after averaging 20.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game last season. Although he does not provide that same level of outside shooting – 33.6 percent for his career – the 27-year-old would have brought more scoring and facilitating into the mix.

Those are two quality starters in this league that could have been massive additions to a team looking to prove themselves amongst the elite contenders. Brogdon and LeVert would not have made the 76ers the title favorites, but it certainly would have helped their chances rather than not playing Simmons as they have done early on. Philadephia could have also gotten draft capital attached, which would have only sweetened the pot.

The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey (Subscription Required) previously reported that a trade package with Brogdon, LeVert, and a first round pick “should be enough” to get a deal done. That is no longer the case with Brogdon off the table. It is not the superstar return or a significant amount of draft picks that the 76ers might like in any deal, but it would have been a solid return for the unhappy star.

Time will tell if this comes back to bite the Philadelphia 76ers, but Morey seems to be sleeping cozily at night with no pressure to trade the former first overall pick. It would be shocking to see the team get back equal or greater value in a trade at this point, and everyone is truly just waiting to see this deal happen so this all can finally end. One thing is for certain, the tandem of Brogdon and LeVert will not be on the move in any potential deal for now.