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Report: Ben Simmons Prefers Trade to California
Few players have had their name in trade talks this offseason more than Ben Simmons has, and it finally seems as if a divorce between him and the Philadelphia 76ers is inevitable. In a recent article from The Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey, it was officially reported that Ben Simmons will not be reporting to the 76ers' training camp, and currently prefers a trade to California.
The report indicated that a Western Conference executive said three California teams were specifically on Ben Simmons' radar, which would include all but one of the teams in California. While Pompey did not reveal a specific list of teams that Simmons prefers, his desire to be traded to California has left fans and analysts to assume which teams he is specifically targeting.
Because Simmons still has 4-years / $147M remaining on his contract, averaging nearly $37M annually, whichever team trades for him will likely have to send out a significant amount of salary in order to make a deal work. Looking specifically at the teams in California, where Simmons reportedly wants to go, there is certainly a tier-list when it comes to the teams who are in the best position to trade for him.
The California team that is currently best positioned for a Ben Simmons trade would be the Golden State Warriors. With Andrew Wiggins making nearly $32M annually, this gives the Warriors a good start on sending out the needed salary in a potential Ben Simmons trade. Along with Wiggins' contract, the Warriors have several young players that likely possess more potential than most teams would be willing to give up for Simmons. For these reasons, the Warriors are the California team who is currently best positioned to deal for Ben Simmons.
After the Warriors, the Sacramento Kings would be the next California team who is best positioned to trade for Ben Simmons. Buddy Hield, who has frequently seen his name in trade talks, is set to make $22M next season, which would be a good starting point for the Kings if they were looking to add Simmons. The Kings could also add in 4th-year big man Marvin Bagley, a player who has also reportedly expressed interest in leaving Sacramento, in a potential Ben Simmons trade.
After the Warriors and Kings, only the LA Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers remain on the list of California teams in the NBA. With the Lakers recently trading for Russell Westbrook, it seems nearly impossible for them to also add Simmons. For both financial and logistical reasons, a Ben Simmons and Russell Westbrook pairing almost certainly will not happen.
While the Clippers are also not in a great position to add Simmons' contract to their already complicated cap situation, they could potentially begin to formulate a package if it became known that Simmons prefers them specifically. Newly acquired guard Eric Bledsoe is set to make $18.1M next season, so he would certainly need to be added in a potential Ben Simmons deal.
After Bledsoe, the Clippers could include a combination of Luke Kennard and any of their newly drafted rookies, and be able to financially complete a Ben Simmons trade. Considering the Clippers have hardly any trade-able draft picks, if this package is of any interest to the 76ers, then Ben Simmons' value is even lower than some of his greatest critics believe. If this is indeed the case, then the Clippers would almost certainly be outbid by several other suitors.
While it is unclear if the 76ers are even interested in granting Simmons' request of being dealt to a team in California, there is certainly a hierarchy of trade packages that exists amongst these teams.
