"Bring in Allen Iverson, have him talk to Ben" - Kevin Wildes believes the Philadelphia 76ers 'can kill two birds with one stone' by bringing in Allen Iverson to help get Ben Simmons back on the court
Philadelphia 76ers superstar Ben Simmons' stand-off with the 76ers organization may have a solution in the form of 76ers legend Allen Iverson.
On Fox Sports' morning show First Things First, sports media personality Kevin Wildes believes that he 76ers must seek the help of Allen Iverson in order to have Ben Simmons suit up for them this season. Wildes said:
"Bring in Allen Iverson, have him talk to Ben. Talk to the front office, talk to the city of Philadelphia and I guarantee you, after one meeting, they will be in a better spot after the meeting than they were before and that is a path that would work to get Ben back on the court."
Wildes continued:
"This is it. This is it. This is a beloved icon in Philadelphia wanting to help and it's falling on deaf ears. Sixers, you have the biggest problem in the NBA and you've got a beloved figure who can solve your problem."
The former 76ers superstar Allen Iverson has often spoken about his desire to be involved with the 76ers organization in some capacity. This could be his chance as AI knows all about playing in 76ers and the mental toughness demanded by the city and its fans. Simmons has reportedly talked about his mental health struggles and AI could be the perfect man to help Simmons regain confidence in his game.
Would a Ben Simmons-James Harden trade work?
A potential swap of James Harden for Ben Simmons between the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers could satisfy both teams' needs. They would both receive bona fide All-Star caliber players who fit their respective franchises.
Ben Simmons would tremendously improve the defensive frailties of the Brooklyn Nets. The Australian can guard all five positions seamlessly because of his size, length and quick feet. He showed flashes of being the best defensive player in the league last season. The Nets are currently ranked 16th in the league in terms of defensive ratings and adding Simmons would definitely improve that.
Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid won 35 of 42 games played together last season, the best record by any duo.
The second-best duo was Kyrie Irving and James Harden, but neither duo will be in action Friday.
Nets at 76ers, 7:30 ET on ESPN https://t.co/nfThxT8BPT
Simmons also functions best as a true floor general and in orchestrating the offense with his passing. Meanwhile, the scoring burden can rest on the shoulders of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
Acquiring someone of the caliber of James Harden would immediately put the 76ers as genuine contenders for the championship. The lack of shooting from Simmons is a big reason the 76ers would greatly benefit from replacing him with Harden's elite shooting ability.
James Harden since Christmas:
27.3 PPG
8.4 RPG
10.8 APG
45.1 FG% https://t.co/Dj2iYidEvx
The duo of Harden and Embiid could wreak havoc in the league. The dichotomy of both their inside and outside dominance could resemble what Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant did for the Lakers. Harden is also a favorite of the 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and the two have a solid track record from their shared time in Houston.
With all that said, the ultimate winner of such a trade would be the fans. A postseason matchup between the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers would have no shortage of intrigue.