Bump!
https://syndication.bleacherreport....as-that-should-happen-this-offseason.amp.html
The Sixers Break Up the Core
The Trade: Ben Simmons for CJ McCollum, Anfernee Simons (or Nassir Little), a 2021 first-round pick and a 2022 second-round pick
There are three camps, all with legitimate arguments, that emerged with respect to the Philadelphia 76ers this season: those who...
- think they should trade Ben Simmons and build around Joel Embiid.
- think they should trade Embiid and build around Simmons.
- think they surrounded the two stars with players who simply don't fit their games and that they should continue building around both.
The debate over which of those philosophies carries the most weight can be saved for another day. For now, let's assume Philly flames out in the postseason and leans into the first option.
Over the course of their time together, the Sixers are
plus-8.3 points per 100 possessions when Embiid is on the floor without Simmons. The idea of surrounding a generational, foul-drawing post threat with shooting is enticing and backed up by those numbers. When scanning the trade market for potential Simmons suitors, shooting should be a motivating factor for Philadelphia.
The Portland Trail Blazers, who seem to face this "Should they break up the core?" question every year, might be the ideal partner.
CJ McCollum isn't as impactful as Simmons (the latter has nearly twice as many
wins over replacement player over the last three seasons), but he actually shoots the ball. And he shoots it well. If Philadelphia decides to focus its rebuild on Embiid, it needs players who won't crowd him inside.
This season, McCollum shot an absurd
51.1 percent on two-pointers from 16 feet and out. He's just a shade under 40 percent from three for his career. He's also shown an ability to generate his own offense from nothing on the perimeter.
He's not nearly as big as Simmons (6'3" vs. 6'10") and may not have the same wide-ranging skill set, but there's a decent chance he'd fit better.
For Portland, acquiring Simmons would mean moving him from the 1 to the 4 (at least, generally speaking). No one's taking that role from
Damian Lillard, though Simmons may be able to make Lillard's life easier by setting up more catch-and-shoot opportunities.
But if Simmons is a playmaking 4 (or, dare I say, a playmaking 5), he instantly becomes perhaps the game's most versatile big man. Think of a taller and more athletic prime Draymond Green. That's the potential we'd be looking at there.
The Blazers would still need their version of Klay Thompson, but Lillard and Simmons would be a pretty interesting facsimile of
Stephen Curry and Draymond. As far as foundations go, it wouldn't get much better, which is how the team could justify giving up its No. 2 scorer, a promising young player and multiple picks.
