Ben Simmons has yet to appear in a game for the Philadelphia 76ers this season and a resolution to that saga doesn't appear any closer than it did at the beginning of the season.
However, with the trade deadline fast approaching, things could start to change swiftly.
A report from Marc Stein has indicated that the Atlanta Hawks are an "emerging suitor" in a potential trade for the disgruntled Simmons.
As I indeed reported in my This Week In Basketball column expertly aggregated below, Atlanta has emerged as suitor to monitor for Philadelphia's Ben Simmons.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 7, 2022
Lots more trade scuttle in the piece here: https://t.co/90TI6eGMN3
Lotsa room for the link after the 👀, @TheNBACentral https://t.co/nEuD6sY8Po
Simmons appears willing to continue to rack up fines by not playing, and his total loss in salary has already reportedly exceeded $10 million.
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Both parties don't seem like they're going to blink first in this staring competition - the Sixers are still holding out for what they deem fair value, and Simmons, for his part, seems willing to sit out until he gets traded elsewhere.
If the Hawks were to make a deal it would likely be a part of a wider team transaction. Let's take a look at what the Hawks would likely have to give up, and how Simmons might fit into their squad.
What would Atlanta have to give up?
The Hawks' lack of a tradeable marquee name that the Sixers are looking for outside of Trae Young makes a straight-up deal between the two almost impossible. For Simmons to end up in Atlanta it would need to be a part of a wider three-team (or more) deal.
Which pieces do the Hawks have that Philadelphia may find attractive in a deal?
Names such as Cam Reddish, Kevin Huerter, and/or more established vets like Danilo Gallinari and Bogdan Bogdanović could be dangled. Players like John Collins and Clint Capela don't make a ton of sense for Philadelphia, but Gallinari has already been mentioned in trade talks and another shooter around Joel Embiid won't go astray.
Per Stein: “It was suggested to me this week by one league source to keep an eye on Atlanta as an emerging suitor for Philadelphia’s Simmons....The Hawks don’t appear to have an available star on the Lillard/Beal level to make the sort of offer Philadelphia seeks for Simmons, but they have numerous enticing trade pieces to try to bring in other teams and expand the options in a theoretical multi-team trade construction.”
Again, if this is to be a part of a multi-team deal, it would make sense that Daryl Morey would still look to bring in a 'blue-chip' player from another team, and compliment him with one of Atlanta's younger players like a Reddish.
How would Simmons fit with the Hawks?
For Atlanta, having two players with the playmaking abilities that both Simmons and Young possess would be major.
Atlanta's defensive rating is ranked 27th in the NBA, so the addition of a guy who is arguably the most versatile defender in the league on their roster automatically upgrades them on that end of the floor.
The biggest question, as always with Simmons, is how will his, umm, limitations affect the Hawks on the offensive end. They are currently ranked second in the league in offensive rating, but if they give up some key pieces that could affect their play on that end of the floor.
Simmons plays best with space and shooters around him. Depending on who Atlanta has to give up to get him, the Hawks may not have enough shooters around him to compensate for his lack of outside shooting.
After a fairytale run to the Conference Finals last season, adding Simmons would be a move that puts the Hawks in win-now mode.
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