If the Philadelphia 76ers look to move Ben Simmons this offseason, after his complete and utter collapse in the NBA Playoffs, they may find a bidder in Washington, oddsmakers say.
The Sixers, who floated the 6-11 point guard in previous trade talks with the Rockets, have four years and nearly 147 million reasons to trade Simmons, and that's in addition to him becoming a complete liability down the stretch in the playoffs. In the most crucial minutes of their season, Simmons couldn't shoot from three, couldn't shoot from the free-throw line (34.2%) and, when it counted most, couldn't even convince himself to dunk the ball.
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Simmons all but disappeared in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, attempting just three shots in the fourth quarter throughout the entire series. The most egregious example of his allergy to offense came in the closing minutes of Game 7, when, with the 76ers trailing by two, he passed up an open dunk and passed the ball off to teammate Matisse Thybulle for a contested layup. Joel Embiid fingered that moment as the turning point in the game.
The most glaring indictment of Simmons came immediately following Philadelphia's Game 7 loss, when head coach Doc Rivers was asked if Simmons can be a championship-caliber point guard. "I don’t know the answer to that right now," Rivers responded.
Simmons looked so lost out there, former teammate J.J. Redick – and others – have openly suggested he switch to shooting with his right hand.
Although Simmons' trade value is now at an all-time low, if the Sixers do elect to trade him, there are several destinations that oddsmakers are already favoring, starting with the Portland Trail Blazers. These are the current odds for Simmons' next team, if he's traded (via BetOnline.ag):
Portland Trail Blazers: +200
Washington Wizards: +300
San Antonio Spurs: +400
Utah Jazz: +500
Oklahoma City Thunder: +550
Golden State Warriors: +600
Los Angeles Lakers: +650
Cleveland Cavaliers: +700
Houston Rockets: +1000
The odds of Simmons being back with the 76ers is -350 for no, and +225 yes.
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