The Golden State Warriors thankfully are not likely to win the Ben Simmons sweepstakes
Ben Simmons is still a Sixer. But, it doesn’t seem like he’ll be there for long; however, he isn’t expected to be traded to the Golden State Warriors as they’re clearly out of the running given the sky-high price put on Simmons.
The time to trade Simmons will start to shorten as he could scare the front office by not showing up to training camp. Sure, they could retain the guard, but if he’s that disgusted with the franchise, I wouldn’t expect the two sides to work things out.
All indications are that the Golden State Warriors are not running the race for Philadelphia 76ers three-time All-Star point guard Ben Simmons.
Bleacher Report recently dove into the Ben Simmons buzz, and one of the teams mentioned was the Warriors.
When talking about the Warriors and Simmons, they referred to reports via The Athletic’s Anthony Slater (subscription required). They noted that the Dubs and Sixers weren’t seeing eye-to-eye, especially as the Sixers offer, to even the most loyal Sixer fans, should feel extreme.
The Sixers wanted Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman and four first-round picks, two of which the Warriors flipped into Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga. Golden State made the right decision to never give that deal much thought.
The Warriors aren’t likely to win the sweepstakes for Ben Simmons, and it’s probably for the best.
Even at a far cheaper value, there’s no telling how his fit may be alongside Draymond Green. Two non-shooters that’d likely be paired with Kevon Looney or James Wiseman as the center would create a lineup likely void of shooting, thereby making Stephen Curry’s job more difficult.
Simmons was a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year. He’s also a three-time All-Star and one of the best passers in the NBA. There’s a ton to like about his game, especially given that he could improve his shooting.
However, for Golden State, at that price, they need to be targeting a player like Bradley Beal or Damian Lillard. While Simmons is a top-tier player and the best star on the current trading block, he’s not the best fit for Golden State.
That said, now the Warriors can shift their focus to putting the best product possible on the court with the roster they currently have.