Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors: The latest on pursuit of Ben Simmons

Among Minnesota Timberwolves’ rumors, their interest in Ben Simmons continues to be the one that persists above all others.

It’s for good reason, of course. Outside of Damian Lillard, Simmons is easily the best player who could reasonably be had by another team via trade this offseason. Unlike Lillard’s situation with the Portland Trail Blazers, it continues to seem as though a trade is more likely than not when it comes to Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers.

The latest rumor underscores that thinking.

Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors: The latest on pursuit of Ben Simmons

The Athletic’s Shams Charania shared a bit of new reporting regarding Simmons and the Sixers (subscription required) that directly references the Timberwolves, along with one other potential suitor.

Charania notes that while the 76ers continue to tell other teams around the league that they’re entirely comfortable to start the season with Simmons on the roster, the prevailing thought is that they aren’t exactly telling the whole truth when it comes to that notion.

As Charania puts it, other executives believe it’s a matter of if, not when, Simmons is traded.

Charania mentions that the Sixers have spoken with “several” teams about Simmons, but only calls out the Wolves and the Toronto Raptors by name as teams who have continued to engage with the Philadelphia front office. He also notes that neither team has reached the high price that 76ers boss Daryl Morey has set for his superstar.

But what does the latest Minnesota Timberwolves rumor mean, exactly?

We haven’t learned much that concretely impacts the TImberwolves, although it is notable that it continues to be more likely that Simmons is traded than that he suits up for the 76ers this fall.

It’s also significant, of course, that the Wolves are one of just two teams specifically mentioned by Charania.

He also points out that the Wolves will “likely” need a third team to get a deal done, which is something that we’ve been saying for weeks here at Dunking With Wolves.

Morey won’t want D’Angelo Russell’s max contract. Jaden McDaniels and Malik Beasley aren’t nearly enough to get it done, and come nowhere near to providing enough salary to match Simmons’s outgoing deal. The Wolves aren’t trading Karl-Anthony Towns or Anthony Edwards, either.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Simmons will almost surely be traded, and it remains likely that’s before the season. The Timberwolves are interested, but they will need a third team.

That’s where things have been for a while now, and that’s where they’ll stay for the foreseeable future.