Odds on Ben Simmons’ Next Team if Traded By Philadelphia 76ers After Practice Incident

• The Ben Simmons saga took another turn this week as the Sixers suspended the All-Star for the season opener
• Minnesota is the betting favorite to acquire Simmons if he’s traded
• Read below for a look at the situation and potential suitors

After holding out for a few weeks, Ben Simmons decided to turn up. It went just about as badly as expected. Simmons was thrown out of practice on Tuesday following a refusal to take part in a drill.

Not for the first time, the incident led to some fiery comments Joel Embiid on his ‘teammate’. Philadelphia has suspended Simmons for its season opener on Wednesday night, and it was reported that Simmons is not yet ‘mentally ready’ to take the court.

There are no signs that the Sixers are close to a deal for the All-Star guard. Do these developments force Daryl Morey into a move?

Here are the odds on Simmons’ next team. These odds aren’t bettable at a sportsbook, but can be used for informational and entertainment purposes

Odds on Ben Simmons’ Next Team if Traded By Sixers

Odds as of Oct 20th

Warriors Leave the Race

The Golden State Warriors were among the favorites to land Simmons in the offseason. They are no longer considered a potential destination following comments from Warriors owner Joe Lacob, which earned him a $50,000 fine. Lacob claimed it ‘doesn’t really fit what we’re doing’ and drew a comparison with Draymond Green.

The top of the betting hasn’t changed much other than that. Minnesota and Sacramento have long been thought of as the favorites, while the Spurs loom at +900. Portland’s price has shortened, however, and the Toronto Raptors have moved from +800 – which was the same as the Spurs – to +1200.

Joe Lacob has seemingly shut the door on any Ben Simmons trade negotiations 👀 pic.twitter.com/N1Zne8qkme

— ClutchPoints NBA (@ClutchPointsNBA) September 22, 2021

While a deal would be difficult given their lack of picks and the salaries they would need to include, the Clippers still feature at +1600. That price reflects the feasibility of such a trade.

Minimal Trades Exist

There are a lot reasons that Simmons hasn’t been traded yet. Morey wants too much. Simmons is a great, but flawed, player. Lots players around the league are untradeable due to free agent deals or contract extensions.

https://twitter.com/Kofie/status/1450498683842310144

While those factors are all very real, there are some other overwhelming issues. Simmons requires a very specific roster around him, and his playoff struggles will put off plenty of front offices. Matching salaries for a player earning north of $30 million this season isn’t straight-forward either.

I would respect the “Embiid threw Ben under the bus after Game 7” argument for Simmons’ approach if anyone making it acknowledged that Simmons said “I am who I am, it is what it is” and “How many assists I have?” and “What did Trae shoot?” *before* Joel talked after Game 7

— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) October 20, 2021

Philly wants an All-Star level player in return, and teams with those sort of talents are not interested in giving them up for Simmons right now. The Indiana Pacers looked like a potential suitor if they overhauled their roster and flipped Malcolm Brogdon and other players to the Sixers, but Brogdon’s extension takes them out of the running.

Which Teams Make Sense?

Even if he never develops as a postseason player, Simmons is a floor-raiser in the regular season. A trade right now makes the most sense for teams looking to break into the top eight. Minnesota, Sacramento and San Antonio all fall into that category, but finding a deal that works is not obvious.

"At this point I don't care about that man, honestly. He does whatever he wants."

–Joel Embiid on Ben Simmons pic.twitter.com/XELROkUphX

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 19, 2021

Philly won’t be keen on a deal built around D’Angelo Russell, and it has been reported that the Kings wouldn’t part with De’Aaron Fox. Perhaps Buddy Hield and Tyrese Haliburton is a package Morey considers if things more uncomfortable in Philadelphia, but there’s no guarantee Sacramento would offer that. Would the Spurs offer Dejounte Murray? Would the Sixers even be interested?

The Oklahoma City Thunder could offer several truckloads of draft capital, though Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would surely be off the board. Toronto is a potential fit, but it doesn’t make much sense for them to give up OG Anunoby, Fred VanVleet or Pascal Siakam.

Sixers have fined Ben Simmons $1.4M for missed preseason games, along with additional fines for missing practices, meetings and workouts, per @wojespn pic.twitter.com/v5TlktVUc0

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 19, 2021

While Washington is chasing the playoffs, they don’t have enough to offer to pair Simmons with Bradley Beal. He only ends up in the capital if Beal asks out, and that’s not happening any time soon. The Sixers would need to include multiple young players and picks, too.

Blazer Still Fits

Simmons ending up in Portland has made sense long before his non-dunk in the 2021 postseason. Portland would benefit from Simmons’ transition scoring, passing and defense. The question here, though, is about Dame Lillard or CJ McCollum.

i would have actually considered defending Ben Simmons if Doc yelled “do you plan on trying?” at him at practice today and Ben answered with: pic.twitter.com/QAsd7Ach0O

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) October 19, 2021

Morey will want to wait for a possible trade request from Lillard. Portland might not even do Simmons for McCollum right now, but that could change if they start the season slowly. Swapping Simmons for McCollum might not be enough for Morey, as it doesn’t necessarily elevate Philly into the inner circle of title contenders.

The longer this tension goes on in the organization, however, the more pressure there is on Morey to move Simmons. Perhaps the outcome is a Simmons for McCollum trade with picks involved going one way or the other. It feels like one few potential compromises.

There’s a similar argument to be made for the Kings. With Hield almost certainly included for the salary, could Sacramento get desperate if they fall off the pace early on? Does that tempt them to include picks and young players?

It’s fun to throw everything into the trade machine and find three or four-team trades, but they’re always a longshot. That’s part of the reason it’s a surprise to see the Timberwolves still favored to land Simmons – there doesn’t seem to be a path to a two-team trade which sends the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up to Minnesota.

Sacramento and Portland have the clearest routes to a Simmons trade. If you’re expecting Beal to ask out some time soon, maybe we can throw the Wizards into that group as well.