Timberwolves Trade Rumors: Simmons and 2 1sts for DLo?

The Minnesota Timberwolves need draft picks. The latest NBA rumors report that the Brooklyn Nets are desperate to part ways with the failed experiment to play point forward Ben Simmons. So is this a scenario that makes any sense to explore further? After all, we know that the Minnesota Timberwolves truly dodged a bullet when the Philadelphia 76ers dangled Ben Simmons out as trade bait.  Ultimately, the Brooklyn Nets pulled the trigger, sending James Harden to the 76ers for Ben Simmons.

Since that trade, the result of Simmons’s performance with the Brooklyn Nets has been underwhelming at best. He never did suit up at all in the 2021-22 NBA season. This year, he did return to the basketball court, but in a greatly reduced role. In fact, his offensive production is half of what he had scored as his career average.

He is still a solid field general, and he has a great defense for a player of his size, allowing him to guard practically any position in the NBA. But the Brooklyn Nets are ready to move on from him, and the reason is clear. The Nets what to build around All-Star Kevin Durant, and Durant has grown tired of Ben Simmons:

The problem with any trade scenario involving the Nets’ Ben Simmons is that horrendous contract. He is slated to earn $37.9 million in 2023-24, and well over $40 million in 2024-25. To absorb that much salary, any NBA team willing to be a trade partner would have to command two first-round draft picks just to dump that crushing contract.

The ironic part of all of this is the fact that the Minnesota Timberwolves would be an ideal team for Ben Simmons to end up. Simmons still has the ability to defend and assist, two areas that the Timberwolves are in desperate need of. And with Simmons running the floor, the potential starting lineup of Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jaden McDaniels, Anthony Edwards, and Ben Simmons would be versatile and quite effective on both ends of the basketball court.

While the trade this year is doable in terms of a straight player swap, D’Angelo Russell for Ben Simmons, the Timberwolves would need assurances that they have the necessary flexibility to rework contracts to fit everyone under the hard cap.

Is Ben Simmons the same player he once was? Of course not, no. But he has the qualities that the Minnesota Timberwolves are currently lacking.