Ben Simmons, G/F, Philadelphia 76ers
While it would be harder for the Knicks to acquire Ben Simmons than Victor Oladipo, it would greatly improve their chances of putting together a legit team in the East moving forward. Ben Simmons is an All-Star and All-NBA performer, but given his facilitator role and passing abilities, he is a guy that cannot really be the number one option.
By bringing in Ben Simmons, the Knicks would be in a prime position to land another big name, superstar caliber player because of how easy Simmons is to play with and how unselfish he is. Most All-Star level players in today’s NBA are very ball-dominant, but not Simmons. With the ability to make those around him better, he is a great player for any team to want to add to their roster.
In three full seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, Ben Simmons has been a fantastic two-way player and great second-option next to Joel Embiid. With the Knicks, Simmons would solidify their point guard position for years to come and be an attractive force for other All-Star players in free agency.
It would be interesting to see what kind of a trade package the Knicks could put together for a player like Ben Simmons, as it would likely consist of 2-3 first-round picks and possibly two guys like Dennis Smith Jr. and Julius Randle. At the end of the day though, it is up to Philly on whether or not they want to trade the young 2x All-Star when they are title contenders.
If the Knicks were to go after Ben Simmons, it likely would not be until the offseason due to the 76ers believing they are legit title threats this year. In the event that Philly fails to make the Eastern Conference Finals again, they may be willing to listen to offers to flip their roster around, in which the Knicks could potentially swoop in and steal Simmons for a lower asking price.
Ben Simmons is a fantastic player to bring in and set the foundation for this franchise moving forward and given the talent they could potentially surround him with, Simmons could easily be the anchor for a contending Knicks franchise moving forward.
