Joel Embiid continues to put up MVP-caliber numbers in the midst of a special season. If the 76ers don’t move Ben Simmons before the trade deadline, are they going to waste it? 🤔 More from SIChrisMannix:
No question, Morey is in a tough spot. Whatever he can get for Simmons now—Sacramento and Atlanta have been frequently connected to Philadelphia in a Simmons deal—may be good. What Morey can get next summer could be better. There has been buzz about the Sixers’. In Portland, Damian Lillard could become available. Bradley Beal could be an option via sign-and-trade. Simmons, a 25-year old All-Star with three full seasons left on his contract, is the best trade chip any GM could hope for.
But are they contenders? “When we are at our best,” Embiid said. “I think we can beat anybody.” Maybe. Make a list of the NBA’s top-tier teams. Miami, Brooklyn and Milwaukee in the East. Golden State and Phoenix in the West. Is Philadelphia in that group? It’s close, but probably not. The Sixers feel like they are a player away from being a true title contender. Simmons could help them get it.
“There's really no urgency to change anything,” Embiid said earlier this month. “I think we got everything we need. We’re [going to] keep on going and I’m happy … we just got to stay healthy [and] keep doing what we’ve been doing.”