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NBA Trades: One Ben Simmons trade for every NBA team

By Corey Rausch

Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers calls out to his teammates against the Atlanta Hawks (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers calls out to his teammates against the Atlanta Hawks (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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NBA Trades: One Ben Simmons trade for every NBA team
Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets practices before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Ball Arena on November 14, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. 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 Justin Tafoya/Getty Images) /

NBA Trades: One Ben Simmons trade for every NBA team – Denver Nuggets

One of the teams that it is essentially impossible to figure out a Ben Simmons trade for in this exercise is the Denver Nuggets. First, the fit is always going to be strange because ideally Simmons would come in and be a better version of the role being played by Aaron Gordon.

However, Gordon cannot be traded at this point due to signing a contract extension during the offseason. Given that he will not be able to be moved until March (after the trade deadline), that is a nonstarter.

Next up is Michael Porter Jr., but his contract extension has a poison pill provision in it that results in it becoming prohibitive to anyone trying to trade for him. There is one cold-blooded move that could be done, but honestly, it does not seem to work for either team.

A Jamal Murray-Ben Simmons swap works strictly in a financial sense. From any other perspective, it is hard to justify this move. Murray’s scoring is such an important part of the future of the Nuggets, especially with Porter Jr. not taking the leap that many had projected for him.

Simmons provides plenty, but he does not provide that. On the Sixers’ end, while they should be willing to accept some level of injury risk at this point, given the time of year that Murray injured his knee, chances are he will not be back to his peak performance until the latter portion of next season.