The Los Angeles Clippers are looking for a point guard. Any NBA fan knows which point guard they’re looking at. The Clippers have been widely linked to James Harden of the Philadelphia 76ers. Apparently, he wants to join the team. Is the feeling mutual?
Frankly, we’re not sure. It’s been reported that the Clippers are unwilling to part with Terrance Mann in exchange for Harden. Mann is a solid role player who the Clippers are right to value.
With that said, Harden is a relatively recent MVP winner. If the Clippers won’t give up Mann for him, are we sure they really want him at all? It doesn’t seem like the Clippers are jumping over themselves to acquire Harden.
Perhaps they ultimately won’t. In that event, the Clippers could still use a point guard. Could they take a flyer on Ben Simmons of the Brooklyn Nets?
NBA Trade Proposal — Los Angeles Clippers Land Ben Simmons
Brooklyn Nets Receive: G/F Norman Powell, F Robert Covington, G Bones Hyland
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: F/C Ben Simmons, 2025 First-Round Pick (PHX via BKN)
That said, this isn’t the first time that Harden and Simmons have been linked. They were traded for each other. Harden was a Net, and Simmons was a Sixer.
Each man requested a trade, and eventually, they’d swap teams. Who won the trade? It’s hard to say. The immediate reaction from NBA fans was to declare the Sixers the winners.
To be sure, Simmons has had trouble staying healthy since joining the Nets. He hasn’t looked the same even when he’s taken to the floor. The Sixers won the deal handily, right? Don’t be so hasty. Harden has requested another trade.
NBA TRADES & RUMORS: Ben Simmons, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers Updates
Meanwhile, Simmons has been promising a return to form throughout the offseason. If he makes good on those promises, the Nets will be happy to have flipped Harden for him and some draft capital.
Could they really turn around and send him to the Clippers?
Why The Brooklyn Nets Do The Deal
Ben Simmons is making a comeback. Where have we heard this before? Any player who falls short of expectations does this tour during an offseason. We’re not saying Simmons can’t return to his previous self, but we wouldn’t bet the farm on it happening.
If Simmons looks like he did in 2021-22, that’s a major issue for the Nets. This team doesn’t own it’s own draft capital. The Nets don’t want to send the Houston Rockets a lottery pick, but it may be unavoidable if they’re committing a massive salary slot to a net negative.
This deal has the Nets aiming to avoid that outcome. It may lower their ceiling, but it raises their floor. Powell is a reliable shot creator. Hyland is a young player with some upside.
NBA TRADES & RUMORS: Ben Simmons, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers Updates
Covington is redundant on this roster, but if he plays well in Brooklyn, adding him could allow them to make another win-now move featuring one of their other 3-and-D wings.
Should the Clippers give the Nets that kind of flexibility?
Why The Los Angeles Clippers Do The Deal
The Clippers would prefer to find a three-team deal that sends the Sixers some draft capital rather than moving Mann. Fair enough. After all, the Clippers are low on draft capital as it is. Here, we’ve got them adding an unprotected first.
Of course, we’ve also got them adding Ben Simmons. It’s hard to say how that will go. With that said, the Clippers could use some added point guard depth. We’ve got Simmons listed as a forward/center here, but he’s the prototypical positionless player.
NBA TRADES & RUMORS: Ben Simmons, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers Updates
The Clippers would benefit from adding his floor vision. If he can get it right, that is. If not, at least the Clippers landed an unprotected first in this transaction. Perhaps they can use that pick to acquire a point guard in time.
