NBA Rumors: Hawks Could Acquire Ben Simmons For Package Centered On John Collins, Per ‘Bleacher Report’
Although the Atlanta Hawks already have an All-Star point guard in Trae Young, a recent article suggested that the team could land yet another youthful and talented playmaker by acquiring Ben Simmons from the Philadelphia 76ers.
In a list of ideal trade targets for all 30 NBA teams, Bleacher Report wrote that the Hawks could benefit from Simmons’ presence, considering that at 6-feet-10-inches and 240 pounds, he has excellent size and athleticism and could play multiple positions. His defensive ability was also mentioned as another reason why he could be a good fit alongside the high-scoring Young in Atlanta, especially since the incoming third-year star has been known for his subpar defense.
“Young would help offset Simmons’ lack of three-point shooting as the current Sixer prefers to set others up outside the arc instead.”
At the moment, rumors are still swirling around Simmons and his future in Philadelphia as one-half of a superstar duo with center Joel Embiid. Should the team decide to move him ahead of the March deadline, Bleacher Report recommended that the Hawks could start out by offering a package centered on John Collins, Cam Reddish, and a future first-round draft pick. This offer, as explained, could be interesting enough to “get the Sixers’ attention.”
As shown on the Hawks’ team page on Basketball-Reference, Collins excelled as a big man with an accurate outside shot, averaging 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks and shooting 58.3 percent from the field and 40.1 percent from three-point range. Reddish, who was one of two first-round picks selected by Atlanta in last year’s draft, struggled with his accuracy (38.4 percent field-goal shooting) but had a solid rookie campaign, posting averages of 10.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists.
Meanwhile, Simmons made his second straight All-Star appearance in 2019-20 and had another good statistical year, with averages of 16.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, eight assists, and 2.1 steals per game, per Basketball-Reference. His numbers, however, remained fairly similar to the ones he recorded in his previous two seasons, and he was still very limited from three-point territory, sinking just two out of his seven attempts.
While a move to Atlanta could lead to some intriguing possibilities for both Simmons and the Hawks, reports have yet to indicate that the Hawks are actually interested in his services. Most recent rumors have linked the 24-year-old to the Houston Rockets, with ESPN recently suggesting that the Sixers have “signaled a willingness” to offer Simmons to the Rockets as part of a trade package for disgruntled former league MVP James Harden.
