Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: G/F Ben Simmons, F Anthony Tolliver
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: G D’Angelo Russell, G Malik Beasley, 2023 first-round pick, 2024 first-round pick swap, 2025 fist-round pick, two future second-round picks
Ben Simmons would be that star next to Karl-Anthony Towns that could potentially make the Minnesota Timberwolves a bit more relevant. Anthony Tolliver would also be on the way in this deal.
It is all about if the Philadelphia 76ers will knock their price down or if the Timberwolves can put together the right package. It may take a while for Minnesota to have the opportunity to make a deal of this nature, but they do have a few pieces that make a lot of sense for the 76ers.
A potential Simmons-Towns duo seems to be the most seamless fit out there given each of their weaknesses would be diminished by the other’s unique strengths. Simmons is a highly versatile wing defender and playmaker while Towns’ spacing from deep can negate Simmons’ lack of shooting ability and willingness.
D’Angelo Russell would lead the return of players, along with Malik Beasley. There would also be a plethora of draft capital changing hands here. There isn’t much the Timberwolves could offer in terms of first-round picks in the immediate future, so the 76ers would need to be intrigued by Russell and Beasley.
READ MORE: Predictions for NBA Trade Rumors: Simmons, Lillard, Hield, Ingles, Siakam
The main appeal for the 76ers is that Russell is a legitimate threat as a pull-up shooter and can be a playmaker on the perimeter running pick-and-rolls with Joel Embiid. Russell has size at the point guard position that other options lack, too.
Let’s take a closer look and see how this NBA trade scenario centered around Ben Simmons would impact both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers.
