Ben Simmons Would Reportedly Play For Any NBA Team Other Than the Sixers

The Ben Simmons situation has come to a head in Philadelphia. After the Sixers openly attempted to trade Simmons for months and failed to do so, Simmons reportedly informed the team he wouldn't report to training camp and is essentially holding out until he is traded. It's the culmination of a frustrating year for both team and player, capped off by an early playoff exit that was ushered in partially because of Simmons' flaws as a player.

The issues are now twofold: it's a weird time to pull off a blockbuster trade because free agency and the draft have already occurred, and to this point Daryl Morey's asking price for Simmons has been nothing short of obscene. Maybe the latter changes now that Simmons made it clear he won't come back like nothing happened, but the former will still present a roadblock of sorts. This is the part of the offseason where every team is convinced their squad will be good and thus will be less willing to part with key pieces in any transaction.

It all comes down to what Philly will accept for Simmons. They are not in a position of power by any means, given that everybody in the league knows they have to trade Simmons or they have a problem. But their job will be slightly easier if the below report by Chris Broussard proves to be true.

"Literally anywhere except here" makes some of Morey's job easier. Barring a no-trade clause, teams are under no obligation to cater to a player's preference when it comes to their new home. But in the case of Simmons, his preferred landing spot actually matters quite a bit. He's only in the second year of a five-year max contract. If he openly said he wants to go to a large market, for example, no small market team is going to give up much of anything to get him. Such teams have been burned too many times by highly-paid stars forcing their way out to take that risk.

So if Simmons really is ready to play for anybody as long as he gets the hell out of dodge, Morey's task becomes slightly easier. Especially since the teams that make the most sense right now as trade partners are not your typical high-profile destinations. The two teams mentioned the most in theoretical Simmons trade talks are the Timberwolves and the Kings, two organizations with young talent and a history of utter ineptitude. Guys aren't exactly lining up to play for those franchises. But if Simmons wants out that badly, anywhere is better than Philly.

Of course, none of this matters if Morey refuses to move off his asking price of multiple draft picks and good players. Nobody is forking over a treasure chest of assets for Simmons now. If Morey relents, we'll see some movement very quickly. If not, the Sixers will have problems waiting for them at the end of the offseason tunnel.