Everything Timberwolves fans should know about the Ben Simmons situation
When is @GerssonRosas and @EthanCasson planning to have @BenSimmons25 press conference at Target Center? — @jnguyen2015
You think Ben Simmons will be with Wolves by training camp? — @RandomClippers
Let’s just get this out there right now, and we will go deeper later in this mailbag: The Timberwolves still have a steep hill to climb to make a deal like this happen. There’s not a great matchup of assets for a team that doesn’t want to part with its core players (Towns, Edwards and Russell) and a team that needs veterans who can help them keep their title-contending window open with Embiid in his prime.
To this point, it appears the feeding frenzy that the Sixers would have hoped for to create a bidding war has not quite materialized. That can all change, but the market is soft for Simmons right now. The Wolves really want him, so that makes their pursuit — ideally, with a third team involved — worth examining and taking seriously. If a deal were to happen, I do not see it coming before training camp begins.
Morey will drive a hard bargain and probably test Simmons’ threat to not show up. If he does not have a great offer to accept right now, he can afford to wait for a little while, at least. So I would guess that Simmons will still be on the Philly roster when camp opens. Then it becomes a matter of how patient the Sixers can be to try to generate more of a market for him.
Which one is more likely, Sixers trading Ben before training camp, or Sixers trading Ben after the start of the regular season like Harden last year?
— @teronaz
I think it is more likely that Simmons gets moved after the season starts than before training camp. Most teams try to claw back leverage by creating the perception that they are willing to ride things out with their disgruntled star. As it did in the case of Harden in Houston and Butler in Minnesota, they run the risk of actually losing leverage because once the season begins teams, players, organizations can reach a breaking point pretty quickly when the games start to count and the dysfunction is leading SportsCenter on a nightly basis. That doesn’t mean the Sixers will. But we have seen that happen in the past.
As stated above, Morey has a reputation for a strong stomach when it comes to those kinds of issues. This situation figures to be another test for him on that front.
In a recent pod with Doogie, (ESPN’s Brian) Windhorst said he doesn’t think Wolves have the assets to get Simmons if they are holding onto KAT/Ant. With the current roster, he thinks they don’t have enough talent to make the playoffs. Do you think the current roster can make the playoffs? — @TheWileECoyote
Under normal circumstances, I agree with Brian that the Wolves would not have the assets to land Simmons without parting with KAT or Ant. I think what the Wolves have to hope for is that these circumstances get as abnormal as possible in the coming weeks. Our Sam Amick
reported that the Kings see the asking price as too steep right now. Our Anthony Slater
says the Warriors are not currently in the mix. Portland will not be giving up
Damian Lillard anytime soon and the same goes for the
Washington Wizards and
Bradley Beal.
Maybe the
Blazers do ante up with a C.J. McCollum-led package. Maybe San Antonio or Toronto make a run. But if the market stays dry, that gives the Wolves a chance. And a couple of unprotected Timberwolves picks, while not helping Morey immediately, could be a nice carrot to dangle for a stepping-stone move that would give Morey a bigger treasure chest of assets to deploy should Lillard or Beal eventually ask for a trade.
As for the current roster, well, there’s a reason the Wolves are so interested in Simmons. They know they need more talent to compete in the West. That said, I’m of the belief that if Towns, Edwards and Russell stay healthy, they should absolutely be in the playoff conversation. Does that mean they are a four seed? No way. But that core with
Jaden McDaniels,
Patrick Beverley and
Malik Beasley should be good enough to be in the running for the Play-In Tournament.
With the roster essentially set and being very similar to last season, why would anyone expect this team to make the playoffs? Can Finch unleash unknown D talent out of the top players? How can this team get better on D? Why should I believe they can get better on D? — @Just4FunSB
After years of defensive issues. What philosophical change is the Finch staff looking to implement in order to improve? — @JesseHunt45
Adding a 6-foot-10 pterodactyl who was named the league’s best defensive player in
an anonymous poll of NBA coaches would be a nice philosophical change, wouldn’t it? In all seriousness, though, the Wolves have been terrible on defense for a long, long time. So when people ask me, “Why are the Wolves interested in a player who won’t shoot and one that some fans in Philly can’t get rid of fast enough?” I say it’s because Simmons’ strengths as a defender and a transition player fit perfectly with what they want to do. There is a belief that they have enough offensive firepower that they wouldn’t have to put that much pressure on Simmons to create in the fourth quarter, so it is viewed as an ideal match.
Absent of Simmons, Finch recently hired Elston Turner, a respected veteran assistant coach to be the team’s defensive coordinator. Turner spoke with the media on Monday and said he is still getting up to speed with the roster, so firm plans for a defensive system have not been fully established. But he said the priorities will be to improve the rebounding, which was near the bottom of the league, and get back in transition. Much like Joseph Blair, who departed for Washington before summer league, Turner seems to want to put a heavy emphasis on effort and communication to mitigate the individual shortcomings on defense.
“If you’re able to move, you should be able to be in position defensively. It’s all about movement and communication,” Turner said. “I see how well, when players have the opportunity to score two points, they burn rubber down the floor. So I know they can run, man. I know they can move. And movement is the key to playing D.”
What realistically do Timberwolves end up giving away for Simmons if anything? — @Menyea3
We’ve reported that Edwards and Towns are off the table. I also believe Rosas wants to keep Russell, and there are questions about whether Philly would be interested in a Russell-centered package in the first place. What is important to remember is that these are negotiations. Morey might be saying he needs Edwards or there’s no deal right now. Maybe Rosas is saying, “I’m not trading you KAT, Ant, Russell or McDaniels.” That’s how these positions are staked early. Remember above with Thibs asking for Embiid and Simmons for Butler.
Those things can change over time. As high as the Wolves, and fans, are on McDaniels, he is one of the team’s most attractive players. If you want to land a star, you’ve got to spend money to make money. Beasley would seem to be a great fit with Embiid as a floor-spacer. Beverley’s defense and his playoff experience could be attractive, in addition to the money on his deal to help make it work.
Taurean Prince could be used on that front as well.
The most viable scenario for the Wolves making a deal work is to find a third team to direct more of what Morey wants to Philadelphia. And that is where the draft pick compensation comes in. An unprotected Timberwolves first-rounder carries a heck of a lot more weight than, say, one from San Antonio. That is true for Philly, who could use those picks to try to pry a real star away from a playoff team that shifts into rebuild or for another team that is looking for a reason to jump in and facilitate the deal.
Will any of that blow Philly away? No. It doesn’t seem like there is a “Harden-like” package out there for Simmons. So the Wolves’ best hope is that the market remains cool, the temperature in Philly gets hotter and their offers look better over time.
Getting a third team involved is a very complex and delicate process. That’s why all of the discussion revolving around Simmons to Minnesota has to be colored with that context. Finding a third partner, or finding a way to make a straight-up trade with Philly will be exceedingly difficult. But the Wolves are motivated, just as they were with Russell and Golden State. That’s why it can’t be ignored or dismissed.
In the first portion of a Timberwolves mailbag, we answered your questions about every part of the Ben Simmons trade negotiations.
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