NBA Rumors: Dallas Mavericks potential suitor for struggling Ben Simmons
Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons has recently been linked to the Dallas Mavericks. With the Nets star making his return to the floor against the Mavericks on Monday night, Heavy.com's Sean Deveney shared more details on the rumor.
In a conversation with a Western Conference executive, Deveney gathered more information on the matter. As per Deveney, the executive said:
"Dallas is a team to watch, Simmons would be an interesting fit next to Luka (Doncic) if the Nets were willing to take back (Tim) Hardaway and (Davis) Bertans. I am not sure how much higher the Mavs could go in terms of an offer but that would definitely be interesting for Luka.”
The Dallas Mavericks are a team to keep an eye on for Ben Simmons, per @SeanDeveney https://t.co/lPWtalWRkg
Nets' fans eagerly awaited Simmons' return but were left disappointed with his contributions. While Simmons was strong defending the perimeter, he struggled in in the paint and once again failed to impact the offense.
Simmons came off the bench against the Mavs and finished with a disappointing two points, three rebounds and two assists in 16 minutes.
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The rumors regarding Simmons being involved in a trade are only further supported by a report made by SNY's Ian Begley. Begley reported that the Nets were in talks with a Western Conference team to move Simmons in return for some veteran shooters.
Begley mentioned that because the rumors emerged after Steve Nash's dismissal, the Nets were likely to be "aggressive" in the trade market. However, a deal with the Dallas Mavericks could be complicated.
Also Read: Is Steve Nash's firing what the Brooklyn Nets need to turn things around?
The Dallas Mavericks may not benefit from pursuing Ben Simmons
As mentioned earlier, the Brooklyn Nets are rumored to have engaged in talks with Western Conference teams to ship Ben Simmons. Considering their need for shooters, the Dallas Mavericks have emerged as a potential landing spot.
Related: NBA Rumors: Nets involved in trade talk for acquiring veteran shooter plausibly incorporating Ben Simmons in the trade
However, the Dallas Mavericks may not benefit from trading for Ben Simmons.
In any potential trade involving Simmons, Dallas would be required to move their shooters. In this regard, Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Green and Spencer Dinwiddie emerge as trade prospects.
The primary issue is that all of these players are integral to Dallas' plans moving forward. In return, they will get a non-scoring player in Simmons, so a trade with the Nets does not appear to benefit them.
As things stand in Dallas, Luka Doncic is playing at an MVP level. However, he alone may not be enough to win a championship.