3 Stars every team should avoid trading for this summer

2) Ben Simmons

Once upon a time, Ben Simmons was the most highly touted prospect since LeBron James. After suffering a foot injury that delayed his NBA debut for one year, the former number-one overall pick’s career got off to a promising start. Simmons was named the 2017-18 NBA Rookie of the Year and was selected to the All-Star team in each of the following three seasons. During that span, he also earned two All-Defensive and one All-NBA team selection and was a Defensive Player of the Year runner-up. 

Unfortunately, things have been downhill ever since. Between his lack of development on offense, the internal dysfunction and mental obstacles that kept him away from the team in his final season with the Philadelphia 76ers, and the back injuries that have sidelined him for the better part of three seasons, Simmons is no longer the player or asset he once was. He missed the entire 2021-22 season after a holdout following a trade demand from Philly and then citing his mental health concerns followed by agonizing back pain. 

Despite never developing a reliable jump shot, Simmons is a very impactful player on both sides of the ball who can produce at an All-Star level when healthy. The problem in trading for the Fresh Prince is his availability. Since the 2019-2020 season, Simmons has played in just 57 of a possible 246 regular season games due to nagging back and knee injuries. 

He will celebrate his 28th birthday later this month and although he should be entering the prime of his career, I wouldn’t bet on that if I were a general manager. While there’s still time to turn his career around, trading for a player that is set to make over $40 million this season that can’t shoot or stay healthy, would be an asinine decision for any franchise.