To get Ben Simmons… All together now! Trade Kyle Kuzma, KCP or try to get a Dennis Schroder sign and trade deal!
Look, this article is not going into the shortcomings of Kyle Kuzma or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and DEFINITELY not Dennis Schroder’s decision to turn down the Lakers’ $84 million contract offer. That’s well documented and aren’t we all tired of talking about it?
If these players had played better, the trade scenarios would be a lot easier. But their trade value is not much higher than Ben Simmons. This is a possible business transaction. Let’s get to the breakdown of the cast of characters.
Rich Paul:
The Los Angeles Lakers are basically full of Klutch Sports clients.
Ben Simmons is represented by Klutch Sports along with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, Talen Horton-Tucker, Andre Drummond, and Ben McLemore, for that matter.
Rich Paul’s power broking ability is top-notch hence the fact Anthony Davis is in a Lakers uniform. But with Simmons, this will take some furniture moving. Anthony Davis and the Pelicans were at the end of a contract with no chance of an extension. Simmons’ extension just started with a historically awful postseason performance.
Paul does not have the leverage on Daryl Morey to deal Simmons to a preferred destination as he did to David Griffin.
Ben Simmons:
It has been reported that Simmons will be sitting out the Olympics with the Australian team to work on his “individual development”. With that being said, get used to a lot of “Carmelo Anthony” style pickup game videos like these.
The Sixers (and Rich Paul!) will sell Simmons as a very good overall player that rebounds, gets a team into transition quickly and makes sharp passes. On defense, he is a versatile and all-NBA performer. It will be on the Sixers or any team where Simmons gets traded to solve his shooting and scoring woes by the playoffs.
Financially, there are few pathways to matching the $33 million Simmons is owed for 2021-22 which is the second of a four-year, $177 million deal at $146,684,160 remaining.
The Lakers’ options:
There are not many based on the cap situation of the Los Angeles Lakers, but these are the two scenarios to make this deal.
Number one:
Rob Pelinka could package (Guess who?), Kyle Kuzma ($13 million in 2021-22), KCP ($12 million), and Montrezl Harrell (Assuming he picks up his $9.7 million player option and agrees to the trade), and the No. 22 overall pick in the upcoming draft (Around $2.4 million).
To the certain folks that keep bringing up the Stepien Rule, STOP! It’s very easy for these two teams to work out this deal if both sides WANT it to work out.
Number two:
Rob Pelinka could explore a difficult sign-and-trade scenario involving Dennis Schroder (Who wants a reported $100-125 million for his next deal) or Talen Horton-Tucker, their restricted free agent who could receive a “poison-pill” contract under the Gilbert Arenas provision that pays him $9 million in 2021-22, then his salary balloons in the coming years.
Since both players are free agents, they would have to approve a sign-and-trade for the deal to go through.
Are any of these scenarios worth the trouble? Nope. Here’s why the Lakers need to ignore Ben Simmons at all costs.