One NBA writer is proposing that the Brooklyn Nets trade Ben Simmons to the Toronto Raptors for Pascal Siakam. Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report proposed that the Nets send Simmons, Cam Thomas, Dorian Finney-Smith and 2025 and 2027 unprotected first-round picks to the Raptors for Siakam and Thaddeus Young.
By trading for Siakam, the Nets would add a star player who is in his prime and could be the focal point of the team’s offensive attack. Brooklyn already has plenty of complementary talents.
“Brooklyn would be a perfect landing spot for Siakam, a 29-year-old, two-time All-Star who averaged 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists and shot 48.0 percent overall last season,” Swartz wrote.
“A Nets starting lineup of Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Siakam and Nic Claxton would be one of the best in the East and still feature a bench with Royce O’Neale, Lonnie Walker IV, Dennis Smith Jr., Day’Ron Sharpe, Noah Clowney, Young and others as well,” Swartz explained. “The trade also removes Simmons’ two-year, $78 million contract from the books.”
The Raptors lost Fred VanVleet to the Houston Rockets in free agency. Several teams are trying to trade for Siakam, who has one year left on his contract.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors, Ben Simmons & Brooklyn Nets Updates
Meanwhile, the Nets lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2023 playoffs in four games. It will certainly be interesting if Brooklyn’s front office makes any aggressive trades this offseason given the franchise is coming off a disappointing Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving-James Harden tenure.
In 317 NBA games, Simmons has made only five 3-pointers. The LSU product signed a massive five-year, $177.2 million maximum rookie contract extension with Philadelphia in 2019.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors, Ben Simmons & Brooklyn Nets Updates
Meanwhile, Siakam averaged 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists this past season for the Raptors. The NBA champion signed a four-year, $136 million rookie contract extension in October 2019.
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