Minnesota Timberwolves: Rumor Mill

[Lipoli390]

If Philadelphia continues to wait to trade Ben Simmons in hopes that Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal become available, and I think Philadelphia will, then Minnesota's chances of getting Simmons for a discount become better and better, in my opinion.

The rumored offer from the Wolves was two sizable expiring contracts and multiple first-round picks plus swap(s). I don't see Gersson Rosas abandoning that type of an offer. If that rumor is true, then it shows me that Minnesota wants to add Simmons to this group without altering the pieces already in place. In the meantime, he's essentially upgraded Ricky Rubio into Patrick Beverley, Jarrett Culver into Taurean Prince, and added Washington's second-round pick as a tradable asset. What comes with that is a 60-day waiting period before Beverley and Prince can have their salaries aggregated -- either with each other or with Malik Beasley. So, the longer this plays out, the better I think it is for Minnesota.

I also think fans should prepare themselves for the possibility that Minnesota offers three (or maybe even four, but hopefully not) first-round picks in order to hold on to all of the young players they've accumulated. Rosas has shown the ability to find talent outside of the first round -- or late in the round but within reach of trading up for -- that first-round picks are mainly trade ammunition to him.

I tend to now think that Rosas will hang on to his young talent and still make a serious effort to acquire Simmons. If he's successful, I like that rotation a lot better than either of the one's FNG posted, respectfully. Like I said before, Simmons is a perfect fit in Minnesota as long as you don't have to completely rearrange the roster.

PG: D'Angelo Russell / Jordan McLaughlin
SG: Anthony Edwards / Malik Beasley
SF: Jaden McDaniels / Josh Okogie
PF: *Ben Simmons / Jarred Vanderbilt
C: Karl-Anthony Towns / Naz Reid

*Ben Simmons could also act as the backup point guard in this scenario.

Cam - I agree that, if Gersson's rumored offer is true, he wants to add Simmons without disrupting our core. But I still don't see the Sixers trading Simmons for Beverly and Prince no matter how many future 1st round picks we include. If our offer is Beverley, Prince and several future first-round picks, I think the Sixers would opt for the Sacramento offer of Barnes and Haliburton plus a future lightly protected 1st. I could also see that offer morph into Haliburton and Hield, which would be even better for Philly. I think the Sacramento package is a better one for a team like the Sixers in full win-now mode. My guess is that Gersson will eventually offer Beasley along with either Prince or Beverley - maybe both. I could see Philly taking that deal over any of the other rumored offers. I'd do that deal if I were Rosas, but I wouldn't give up more than two future 1st rounders and one of them would have to be at least top-10 protected.

There's no denying Simmons' talent. But I'm still trying to future out how he fits offensively with DLO, Ant and KAT. I think you want to ball to be in DLO's or Ant's hands. That means Simmons would be playing off the ball. Because he's such a poor perimeter shooter, he'd be a cutter and maybe a post-up player in the offense. Defenses could sag off him off the ball and put more defensive pressure on our other guys.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Lip, I think Philadelphia is going to want an All-Star perimeter player in return for Ben Simmons or assets that could later be used to acquire said All-Star player. Those All-Stars would either be Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal, but as we both know neither are demanding a trade right now. Outside of those two, I don't see an available All-Star that would fit the bill -- not even Minnesota's D'Angelo Russell as I continue to believe the reports that Gersson Rosas isn't interested in trading him.

That leaves accumulating assets in the form of draft picks as the possible next best option for the Sixers. Those picks could give them the best chance to draft their own All-Star or more likely trade them later to acquire a Lillard or Beal -- or other -- whenever they do eventually request out of their current situations. Also, draft picks tend to hold their trade value better and longer than most young players actually do because of the many variables that can go into their development. So I think Philadelphia would have some real interest in Patrick Beverley, Taurean Prince, and a pool of first-round picks and swaps. Not because those veteran players are outstanding, but because it leaves the door open to acquire said All-Star at a later date. The other rumored offers don't really afford that, in my opinion.

As far as Simmons' fit offensively in Minnesota, I think he would be deadly in that Draymond Green role -- in that short roll ball screen action. Setting screens for Russell and Anthony Edwards and then either pressuring the rim or looking to facilitate to a shooter or diving big. That's a wrinkle that the Wolves just don't have right now -- and neither does most of the league, for that matter.

[FNG]

Yep, I think Simmons would thrive next to KAT/Ant/Dlo in a Green kind of role...fun to think about.

I don't know...I wouldn't put too much stock in Rosas saying (or indicating) that he doesn't want to move Dlo. As much as I rip Rosas, he knows it's likely that Russell will not be moved and will be a key player this year. It would be foolish for a POBO to throw out names of guys they would like to move unless the player is disgruntled or has asked to be traded. It's much safer to consistently say how much you value the guys on your roster until a deal actually happens. Even then, I would expect Rosas to say "We really wanted to keep D'Angelo, but he was a piece Philly insisted on getting back". It could be that Dlo is in the untouchable category like KAT and Ant, but I'm inclined to think Rosas would jump at the chance to land Simmons for Dlo and pieces.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Yep, I think Simmons would thrive next to KAT/Ant/Dlo in a Green kind of role...fun to think about.

I don't know...I wouldn't put too much stock in Rosas saying (or indicating) that he doesn't want to move Dlo. As much as I rip Rosas, he knows it's likely that Russell will not be moved and will be a key player this year. It would be foolish for a POBO to throw out names of guys they would like to move unless the player is disgruntled or has asked to be traded. It's much safer to consistently say how much you value the guys on your roster until a deal actually happens. Even then, I would expect Rosas to say "We really wanted to keep D'Angelo, but he was a piece Philly insisted on getting back". It could be that Dlo is in the untouchable category like KAT and Ant, but I'm inclined to think Rosas would jump at the chance to land Simmons for Dlo and pieces.

FNG, I'm not basing that take on anything Gersson Rosas has said to the media, but rather what's actually been reported behind the scenes. The Timberwolves have not made D'Angelo Russell available in trade talks for Ben Simmons. The reports indicated that Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards were considered "untouchable" and the Timberwolves view Russell as a "part of the core and want to keep it that way." All signs point towards Minnesota looking to acquire Simmons without including Russell.

[Lipoli390]

Lip, I think Philadelphia is going to want an All-Star perimeter player in return for Ben Simmons or assets that could later be used to acquire said All-Star player. Those All-Stars would either be Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal, but as we both know neither are demanding a trade right now. Outside of those two, I don't see an available All-Star that would fit the bill -- not even Minnesota's D'Angelo Russell as I continue to believe the reports that Gersson Rosas isn't interested in trading him.

That leaves accumulating assets in the form of draft picks as the possible next best option for the Sixers. Those picks could give them the best chance to draft their own All-Star or more likely trade them later to acquire a Lillard or Beal -- or other -- whenever they do eventually request out of their current situations. Also, draft picks tend to hold their trade value better and longer than most young players actually do because of the many variables that can go into their development. So I think Philadelphia would have some real interest in Patrick Beverley, Taurean Prince, and a pool of first-round picks and swaps. Not because those veteran players are outstanding, but because it leaves the door open to acquire said All-Star at a later date. The other rumored offers don't really afford that, in my opinion.

As far as Simmons' fit offensively in Minnesota, I think he would be deadly in that Draymond Green role -- in that short roll ball screen action. Setting screens for Russell and Anthony Edwards and then either pressuring the rim or looking to facilitate to a shooter or diving big. That's a wrinkle that the Wolves just don't have right now -- and neither does most of the league, for that matter.

I've thought about the value to Philly of future picks as trade fodder for acquiring an allstar perimeter player. But that strategy would likely mean keeping Simmons at least for the beginning of this upcoming season and probably the entire season. And it would mean banking on Portland deciding to move on from Lillard or the Wizards deciding to move on from Beal by the February trade deadline or next off-season. That's pretty speculative. The Sixers don't have the luxury of time to wait on the uncertain availability of Beal or Lillard (or Fox) in 6 months or a year from now. Embiid body isn't going to hold up for a long career. They are in full win-now mode and up against the clock in my view. Therefore, I just don't see the Sixers biting on a package centered around Prince, Beverley and a bunch of picks. Maybe Prince or Beverley along with Beasley and a bunch of picks would enough, but I still don't think so. That's because I agree with you that Morey really wants an all-star caliber guard as part of an incoming package for Simmons.

If Beal, Lillard and Fox aren't available, DLO is the closest thing to an all-star guard on a team that appears to be highly interested in Simmons. I'm sure Rosas is reluctant to part with DLO. But I think he's drooling over the prospect of getting Simmons. That's why I think Rosas will eventually be open to dealing DLO in a package for Simmons. That's obviously not ideal for the Wolves. I found your description of Simmons' value in the Draymond Green role really persuasive. Therefore, I like that Rosas has apparently been holding out for a deal centered around picks and a couple of role players. Again, I just don't think that's realistic given the Sixers' situation. I understand the potential value of future picks in a future deal for the all-star caliber guard Morey appears to covet. But I don't think Morey will pursue that strategy given the delay and uncertainty associated with that approach. I hope I'm wrong. If I'm right, I hope Rosas is open to moving DLO, but without giving up Beasley, McDaniels, KAT or Ant.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Minnesota: Ben Simmons

Philadelphia: Dejounte Murray, Taurean Prince, 2024 first-round pick (via Minnesota), 2026-first round pick (via Minnesota), and 2023 first-round pick swap (via Minnesota)

San Antonio: Patrick Beverley, Jaylen Nowell, 2022 first-round pick (via Minnesota), 2022 second-round pick (via Minnesota via Washington)

This could be a possibility depending on Murray's availability. He was reportedly "gettable" earlier this summer.

[Coolbreeze44]

Let's bring a dose of reality to this discussion. I'm seeing several things discussed that are unrealistic:

1) The Sixers are not going to abandon their current window by trading Simmons for futures. They are in the mix to win the title right now. No way they go back to building with draft picks.

2) If the Wolves land Simmons without trading DLO, Ben becomes the PG and DLO is your 2. Never mind which position Simmons guards, he has to be the facilitator, he's one of the best in the world at it.

3) I don't think the Sixers want DLO, and as Cam indicates Rosas doesn't want to include him. The first thing they are going to want is Ant. And if they can't pry him loose, you can bet they would get McDaniels, Beasley, Reid, and draft compensation.. That's the realistic price we're talking about here.

Portland might part with CJ, but I can't see them giving up Lillard. I think a Beal for Simmons deal would have happened already if it was going to. A deal with Sacramento makes a lot of sense, but I can't see Sacto giving up Fox. Would Hield, Haliburton and a pick be enough? Probably, and it would seem like the best deal out there.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Let's bring a dose of reality to this discussion. I'm seeing several things discussed that are unrealistic.

The Sixers are not going to abandon their current window by trading Simmons for futures. They are in the mix to win the title right now. No way they go back to building with draft picks.

The reality is that Ben Simmons is no longer integrating himself with the team. That means that Philadelphia should either trade him for an All-Star -- of which none seem to be available -- or accumulate the assets to acquire said All-Star caliber player at a later date. Nobody said the Sixers should hit the reset button and rebuild.

If the Wolves land Simmons without trading DLO, Ben becomes the PG and DLO is your 2. Never mind which position Simmons guards, he has to be the facilitator, he's one of the best in the world at it.

Eh, I think Ben Simmons obviously becomes Minnesota's four. They'd play D'Angelo Russell off-ball more because he's an excellent three-point shooter, but he would predominantly remain the lead ball-handler with Simmons as the playmaking screen-setter. At the end of the day, the Wolves would have no shortage of options to play with.

I don't think the Sixers want DLO, and as Cam indicates Rosas doesn't want to include him. The first thing they are going to want is Ant. And if they can't pry him loose, you can bet they would get McDaniels, Beasley, Reid, and draft compensation.. That's the realistic price we're talking about here.

The realistic price is whatever the market sets. Simmons hasn't been valued appropriately to this point, which means some team is inevitably going to get him for less than what we originally thought it would take. Additionally, I have no reason to believe at this point that Gersson Rosas is going to part with Jaden McDaniels nor do I think Malik Beasley can be a headliner in such a deal as the Sixers probably don't value him highly. Rosas will look to make up for that by including draft compensation.

Would Hield, Haliburton and a pick be enough? Probably, and it would seem like the best deal out there.

Such a deal has likely already been discussed and declined. Personally, I think Philadelphia would rather have an assortment of draft picks than unestablished young players for the sole purpose of flipping them for an All-Star caliber player.

[Lipoli390]

I just don't see how a bunch of future picks would get Philly the all-star player they've been targeting but unable to get for Even if they could, they'd likely have to wait until next off-season. I just don't see the Sixers going into this season a couple of role players and a bunch of picks instead of Simmons. Portland, the Wizards and Sacramento haven't been willing to offer Lillard, Beal or Fox for Simmons because they don't want to part with those players. All those teams are striving the win now and would be even less interested in a bunch of future picks than they are in Simmons.

I agree that Simmons' market value has fallen and isn't likely to go back up any time soon. So that means the Sixers will probably have to settle for less than they wanted in exchange for Simmons. But it doesn't change the Sixers' focus on acquiring a player to can make a positive different right away in their push for a championship run next season. A Haliburton/Hield or Halliburton/Barnes common would be one option that could fit Philly's win-now focus. A VanVleet/Anunoby combo from Toronto would be another option that would seem to fit. I see a DLO/Layman or Okogie/Naz Reid combo as another option that aligns with what Philly needs and Simmons' current market value. I could certainly be wrong about Philly being interested in the DLO combo I suggested, even with a lightly-protected 1st round pick included. If so, then I'd be comfortable moving on with the guys we have.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Lip, I feel confident saying that Ben Simmons has played his last game in Philadelphia. He likely won't even report to training camp -- nor should he -- as he hasn't had any communication with the Sixers organization this off-season. Philadelphia can choose to find a trade for him before the season begins or they can continue to find suitors for Simmons during the season, which would seem to be a distraction that no franchise wants hanging over them. I think they're in a pretty bad position right now and every day that goes by without a trade reduces the possible value they'll be able to extract for him.

Once again, Sacramento might end up being the team that lands Simmons, but the deals suggested have likely already been declined. Not to mention those deals don't get Philadelphia any closer to an All-Star caliber player, which should be the goal for the Sixers considering their win-now state.