Did Pelicans, Sixers talk trade centered on Davis and Simmons?

Now that the NBA trade deadline has officially passed, there's plenty of reports about trades that didn't take place, but chatter that nearly led to a deal.

One player who was one just about everyone's radar is that of Pelican's unhappy star Anthony Davis, and while a deal couldn't get done to move Davis out of New Orleans, that didn't mean there were plenty of calls and texts from GM's to New Orleans about him.

One such report by Bill Simmons of The Ringer, which he spoke about on his podcast, had Davis possibly going to the Philadelphia 76ers, and in return Philadelphia would have given the Pelicans point guard Ben Simmons.

"That's why I was so intrigued by the Ben Simmons for Davis (scenario)," Simmons said on the most recent edition of his podcast (h/t RealGM). "By the way, I heard there were conversations on both sides with that."

It would have been a blockbuster deal to say the least, as Simmons, who was last seasons NBA Rookie of the Year, is putting up 17.0 points, 9.4 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game this season.

The 22-year-old was the first overall pick of the 76ers back in 2016.

The Sixers did end up making a deal Thursday, as they acquired small forward Tobias Harris from the Los Angeles Clipper at the deadline.

As for Davis, he stayed put in New Orleans as most know by now, and can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2020 if he declines his 2020-21 player option, which of course he is going to do.

Many think that Davis is headed west to play for the Lakers and LeBron James, and that still may happen, but for now, he's stuck in a very tense situation in New Orleans as they move along the rest of the year with him being a lame duck superstar for the Pelicans.