By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Struggling to get back on track, Ben Simmons being traded away surfaces as a welcoming prospect for the Brooklyn Nets, but shapes an entirely different story for the rest of the NBA.
The Nets want to include Simmons in a trade, according to Greg Sylvander. Specifically, as an additional team in a possible deal between the Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers centered on outgoing Damian Lillard. However, other teams are reluctant in receiving the Melbourne-born player.
Multiple franchises have been rumored to entering as a third or even fourth team in a trade for Lillard to depart Portland and land in Miami or elsewhere in the league. Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic is a reported candidate to be included in a potential trade.
Brooklyn possibly wanting to include Simmons in such a deal adds to the downfall, starting from the long holdout in demanding a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers and mental health issues to injuries preventing him from countering the decline in Brooklyn.
Simmons, 26, recently decided along with the Nets to skip the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Determined to recover and be fully ready for the 2023-24 NBA season, he opted to once more postpone returning to the Australia senior national team and debuting in a major international tournament.
Logging 42 games played during the 2022-23 season was his first action since the 2021 Playoffs and fallout from the Sixers. He averaged 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per contest.
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