How the Minnesota Timberwolves could trade for Ben Simmons
By Nate Ackert
A potential Ben Simmons trade between the Timberwolves and 76ers
The formation of this trio makes a lot of sense in theory. KAT has been friends with Simmons for years. The same goes for Russell, who was a high school teammate of Simmons. The Timberwolves could offer up Russell in a trade for Simmons, but it doesn’t seem likely given how long and hard the Wolves worked to acquire Russell.
In a straight-up trade that wouldn’t involve D’Angelo Russell or KAT, the Wolves would need to exhaust their remaining assets, along with bigger contracts to facilitate the trade. This would likely include Rubio and Edwards, plus Culver or Okogie (if not both), and at least one first-round pick.
This trade asks a lot of the Wolves, depleting them of a large majority of their remaining assets. However, if Gersson Rosas is truly set on chasing a championship with KAT and D’Lo, this is a chance to complete a championship-contending trio with a wide range of elite skillsets.
Though their assets would be depleted in this trade, it’s entirely plausible that a trio of KAT, D’Lo, and Simmons would be attractive to many young free agents across the league, which would bode well for the Wolves in 2021 free agency.
For the 76ers, this is a haul for Simmons, and rightfully so. Simmons is a unique talent and clearly has a high price tag. In this trade, the 76ers would receive Rubio, who would fit well as a distributor amongst Philadelphia’s many playmakers. Beasley is one of the best off-ball players in the league right now and would be a nice complement to Harris and Embiid (see: Seth Curry).
Okogie would provide elite defense off the bench, and Edwards would be a nice acquisition due to his athleticism and upside alone. A Philadelphia team filled with proven vets would be a great environment for Edwards to flourish, as opposed to Minnesota, which has the league’s youngest team.
If the Wolves were to decide that Beasley, Rubio, Edwards, Okogie, and a first would be too much to give up for Simmons, or if the Sixers would be unwilling to sacrifice Simmons without a bona fide star in return, the possibility of a three-team trade would also make sense for both teams.
Enter the Washington Wizards.