It appears as though some Philadelphia 76ers players are mentally preparing to move forward without All-Star guard Ben Simmons on the roster.
So, what would a Simmons trade mean for Philadelphia? Sixers guard Danny Green tried to answer that question during an appearance on Sports Illustrated’s “The Crossover” podcast.
“It’s tough to say, man because we don’t know what we’re gonna get back for him,” Green said.
Despite some obvious areas of improvement in his game, Simmons still brings a whole lot to the floor, especially on the defensive end, and that’s likely where the Sixers will miss him the most if he is ultimately moved.
“Defensively, I probably become the primary defender,” Green said.
No disrespect to Rudy Gobert, he had a great year, as always, and for the last three years, but we thought Ben was able to guard one through five and set the tone for us.
No matter who they net, they’re likely to take a hit on the defensive end, as defenders of Simmons’ caliber don’t come around every day.
So while the possibility exists that the Sixers could improve offensively following a Simmons trade, it’s the other end where he would really be missed.