How the Minnesota Timberwolves could trade for Ben Simmons

Do the Timberwolves and 76ers need a third team to make a Simmons trade?

Bradley Beal has been a member of several bad Wizards teams over the last few years. Should he request a trade, as The Ringer’s Kevin O’Conner has speculated, Beal could act as a All-Star piece in exchange for Simmons, triggering a complete rebuild of the Wizards with Russell Westbrook at the helm.

Let’s take a look at a potential framework for a three-team deal.

Yes, this trade is insane, and not overly likely at this point. But from one perspective or another, an argument could be made for each team to accept this deal.

For the 76ers, this would make sense if front office and coaching staff were to decide that surrounding Harris and Embiid with shooters makes more sense than pairing them with Simmons, who is a non-threat on the perimeter.

For the Wizards, this would make sense if Beal is unhappy and requests a trade, which would immediately start a rebuild in Washington. This trade would kickstart that rebuild, however, providing the Wizards with a veteran leader in Danny Green, three first-round picks from the last two drafts in Edwards (No. 1 overall in 2020), Culver (No. 6 in 2019), and Maxey (No. 21 in 2020).

On top of Nowell, the Wizards would also pick up a first and second-round pick from Minnesota to boost their rebuild.

For the Wolves, this trade makes sense for a win-now situation. They would get Ben Simmons, who would make an amazing fit alongside KAT and D’Lo while assisting with the Wolves’ frontcourt and backcourt struggles.

Overall, Ben Simmons would be a truly intriguing fit for the Wolves. Though it would require a third party or the dumping of all remaining assets, the Wolves are destined for a major change if they are going to make the most out of KAT and DLo’s respective primes.

Wolves fans should expect nothing less than an aggressive front office during the upcoming trade deadline and offseason to account for the overwhelming struggles that have plagued this 2020-21 Timberwolves team.