NBA Trade Rumors: Minnesota Timberwolves in strong position to trade for Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons' desire to not represent the Philadelphia 76ers in the upcoming NBA season has brought the Minnesota Timberwolves to the forefront of the discourse. The conversations around his potential future teams have dictated the most recent news. Despite the buzz, it is still not clear where the Australian star will be going next.
The Golden State Warriors and their internal debate regarding Simmons' potential inclusion in the team rode the trending waves and fizzled out as quickly as it began. However, new reports are emerging that lead us to believe that Simmons might just move to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Minnesota Timberwolves in a stronger position now than before to trade for Ben Simmons
On his podcast, Jon Krawczynski had the following to say about Ben Simmons' probable transfer to the Minnesota Timberwolves:
"Given the developments and given how things are playing out, I think the Timberwolves are in stronger position today (to sign Simmons) than they were even a couple of weeks ago in this whole situation."
Simmons is an exceptional defender. In fact, he might just be one of the best two in the current league along with Rudy Gobert. Along with his paint and shot protection, Simmons also brings lethal inside scoring to the table. What the three-time All-Star lacks in perimeter shooting, he makes up for with his slashing and paint aggression.
The Minnesota Timberwolves recently signed Pat Beverley in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies. We believe, though, that the Wolves could trade Beverley in exchange for a Ben Simmons deal. There is still a month until the 2021-22 season begins and a trade for the 2017-18 Rookie of the Year is still on the cards.
Ben Simmons, along with being a decent scorer, is also a decent rebounder. His potential combination with Karl-Anthony Towns and Ed Davis will provide the Minnesota Timberwolves with options for rim dominance on both sides of the court.
Towns and Malik Beasley are good perimeter shooters, and Simmons' pick-and-roll playmaking will come in handy for both players and the team from Minnesota.
The Ben Simmons situation remains a highly unpredictable scenario, however. The Minnesota Timberwolves and Toronto Raptors are the current frontrunners, if reports are to be believed, in taking Simmons off the Philadelphia 76ers squad.
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