Both the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers continue to be top-tier teams in the NBA this season, but they are both dealing with some puzzling situations pertaining to Kyrie Irving for the Nets and Ben Simmons for the 76ers.
Forming a “Big 3” of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden last season was something that made the Nets one of the main championship contenders and if Durant’s big toe was not on the three-point line against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, who knows… maybe the Nets could have gone on to win a title last year.
Even though they lost in the playoffs short of the conference finals, the Nets still entered the 2021-22 season as the championship favorites in the NBA, but the status of Irving remains a major question mark this season.
Due to the 7x All-Star being unvaccinated, he is ineligible to play in Nets home games this season per New York City vaccine mandates and while he can practice/play in road games, the Nets have been unwilling to allow him to do so. They either want all of Kyrie or none of him, making this situation one that could play out well towards the playoffs, assuming the Nets do not trade him ahead of the trade deadline.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: This Nets-Pistons Trade Is Headlined By Kyrie Irving To Detroit
As for Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers, things keep getting more and more frustrating for both sides. Simmons does not want to be on the 76ers anymore and has made his desire to be traded/play elsewhere very apparent, but Daryl Morey and the Sixers’ front-office have been unwilling to budge on their trade value.
Philadelphia wants an All-Star-level player and/or player(s) that can help them contend for a championship this season, which seems reasonable given that Ben Simmons is a 3x All-Star in his own right and the fact that the team does not want to sacrifice him for a popsicle stick and a box of Cracker Jack.
If the 76ers are to trade Ben Simmons, they need a ton of value in return, which is something teams are unwilling to give up right now.
No team in the league has been willing to offer up an All-Star-level player for Simmons all offseason long, so it is hard to believe they will look to do so ahead of the trade deadline this year.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: This Nets-Pistons Trade Is Headlined By Kyrie Irving To Detroit
There appears to be no resolution in sight for either of these two teams, so could they end up striking a trade with one another of Irving for Simmons? Let’s take a look at this proposed trade by Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey and see if this is a realistic possibility for the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers this season.
