Ben Simmons Trade Destination Odds

Even the Odds

August 17, 2021

It’s been weeks since Ben Simmons cut communication with the 76ers. While trade rumors have circulated, Philadelphia has complete leverage in the situation

After a long wait, we finally get a look at Simmons’ top destination based on betting odds, showing potential teams that have been in contact with the Sixers, or organizations that have been looking to shake up their rosters

Portland Trailblazers: +150 (bet $100, win $150)

There’s a chance Portland’s backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum gone as far as they can go, reaching the Conference Finals in 2019. A trade surrounding Simmons and McCollum makes the most sense on paper, as Dame would get a bigger guard who defends, and Embiid would get another shooter and more room in the paint. This thinking leads Portland to be the most likely destination, but blockbuster trades like this rarely happen

Potential starting 5:

  • PG: Damian Lillard

  • SG: Ben Simmons

  • SF: Norman Powell

  • PF: Robert Covington

  • C: Jusuf Nurkic

Toronto Raptors: +250

Toronto is in clear rebuild mode after letting Kyle Lowry sign with the Heat. Masai Ujiri has made it clear that Siakam won’t be involved in any trades, so the Raptors would likely have to package Scottie Barnes and/or OG Anunoby with some picks to make the deal worth it for the Sixers. Again, Philly has all the leverage here, and trading Simmons without getting another proven star in return doesn’t seem worth it for the Sixers

Potential starting 5:

  • PG: Fred VanVleet

  • SG: Gary Trent Jr.

  • SF: Ben Simmons

  • PF: Pascal Siakam

  • C: Chris Boucher

Golden State Warriors: +300

The Warriors definitely have the most to offer, as they’ve accumulated a plethora of young talent over the last two seasons while Steph Curry and Klay Thompson have rehabbed injuries

At third best odds, this is where I’d put my money. Golden State is looking for titles, and can offer any combination of Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman and Moses Moody. The question is, can Simmons and Draymond share the court at the same time? The spacing around Curry and Thompson would definitely take a hit, but they’d be lock down on defense

Potential starting 5:

  • PG: Steph Curry

  • SG: Klay Thompson

  • SF: Otto Porter

  • PF: Ben Simmons

  • C: Draymond Green

San Antonio Spurs: +800

Gregg Popivich isn’t known for making big trades, however, he is a master at bringing out that best in players. The question is, what do the Spurs have to offer that would be of interest to the Sixers? Dejounte Murray and Keldon Johnson, plus a haul of picks, might peak the interest of Philly, but I do see either sides pulling the trigger on this type of trade

Potential starting 5:

  • PG: Derrick White

  • SG: Lonnie Walker IV

  • SF: Doug McDermott

  • PF: Ben Simmons

  • C: Jakob Poeltl

Title Odds for Teams with best chance to land Simmons:

The four teams mentioned above have title odds with a rather wide gap. Obviously, if Simmons was featured in a trade with any of these organizations, we could expect their odds to change for the better…or worse

  • Warriors: +900 (bet $100, win $900)

  • 76ers: +1350

  • Trail Blazers: +4500

  • Raptors: +7000

  • Spurs: +17,500