Dunking With Wolves
Fansided

Minnesota Timberwolves: 3 trades for Ben Simmons

By Dylan Jackson

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 31: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates during the first quarter against the Washington Wizards during Game Four of the Eastern Conference first round series at Capital One Arena on May 31, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 31: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates during the first quarter against the Washington Wizards during Game Four of the Eastern Conference first round series at Capital One Arena on May 31, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
Minnesota Timberwolves, Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

The Minnesota Timberwolves acquiring Ben Simmons does not mean that he will be free. To get something of value, they are going to have to give something of value. That said, if you had asked me whether Simmons’s price would be this low mid-way through this season, I would have called you crazy.

Essentially, the Timberwolves are giving up a promising young role player in Jaden McDaniels (as well as the late-first round pick) to upgrade from D’Angelo Russell to Simmons. And it’s probably worth it.

Minnesota Timberwolves: 3 trades to acquire Ben Simmons

Early in this year, before his injury, D’Angelo Russell did not look promising. He was failing to effect winning. Whether that was because of an injury that later caused him to miss several months of the season remains unknown, but Simmons is more consistent as a defender and playmaker, while the emergence of Anthony Edwards has made Russell’s scoring from the point guard spot more replaceable – especially with the Timberwolves keeping wing player Malik Beasley in this deal.

That’s not to say that Russell is a bad player – at his best he can clearly be the 2nd-best player on the Timberwolves, only behind Karl-Anthony Towns. He just has not been at his best since his final season in Brooklyn.

You can hate this trade all you want – McDaniels is beloved in the eyes of Timberwolves fans – but it would be a savvy trade without giving up many assets for a 24-year old All-Star caliber player. Simmons could be used as a point guard, combo-forward, or even center when Towns is off the floor – he makes sense in Minnesota.

Home/Timberwolves News