Los Angeles Lakers: How LA can land Ben Simmons in a three-team trade
By Jason Reed
Ben Simmons is one of the biggest names on the trade market this offseason. After a disappointing playoffs with the Philadelphia 76ers, it has become clear that Simmons is simply not a great fit with Joel Embiid on the Sixers.
Simmons is still a valuable player and an all-star but he cannot return to Philly after the playoffs that he had. It is fair to question his ability as a superstar and he probably cannot be the best player on a title-winning team.
However, with the right fit, he can definitely be the second-best player on a title-winning team. He absolutely can be the third-best player on a title-winning team and would be on the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers would benefit from trading for Ben Simmons.
It is easy to bag on Simmons right now but he would still be a positive addition to the Lakers and if the team can pull off a trade they would be better off doing so.
If the Lakers were to trade for Simmons it would have to be part of a three-team trade. The 76ers are still looking to contend for the NBA Championship and Daryl Morey is not going to trade Simmons without getting some kind of star in return. The Lakers do not have a star to trade.
However, there is a three-team trade using multiple sign-and-trades that the Lakers and 76ers could orchestrate that adds value to all three parties. With Ben Simmons being a Klutch client, it would not be surprising at all if the Lakers try and orchestrate a move that lands Simmons in LA.
So what exactly does this three-team trade look like?