The Timberwolves “badly” want to trade for Sixers forward Ben Simmons, according to Darren Wolfson of SKOR North.
Simmons has essentially become public enemy number one in Philadelphia after his poor performance in their recent playoff series against the Hawks, as he failed to crack double figures in scoring during the last three games of the series, only attempting as many as six shots in one of those games.
The Simmons, Joel Embiid pairing may no longer be a great core to build around, as Embiid tends to clog the paint with his post-scoring abilities, especially on pull-up mid-range jumpers.
In Minnesota, Karl-Anthony Towns is the complete opposite. Towns gets significantly more offense from 3-point range than Embiid, especially on the catch and shoot.
Simmons is more effective when he drives to the rim, so a pairing of him and Towns could be mutually beneficial for the talented young stars, as Towns’s floor spacing will allow Simmons an open lane to take advantage of and if Simmons attracts a double team on the drive, he can just use his playmaking prowess to swing it to KAT behind the arc.
It will remain to be seen if the Timberwolves would be willing to part with Anthony Edwards, or if the Sixers believe D’Angelo Russell can thrive in a new setting. It’s also worth noting that KAT and D’Lo are close friends, and given that KAT is the Timberwolves’ franchise player, he will likely have to be consulted on any decision to move Russell.
More NBA Rumors
- The Heat are exploring Tyler Herro trades, according to Ethan Skolnick of Five Reasons Sports Network. Skolnick hears that there is at least a 75 percent chance at the shooting guard is dealt. Bam and Jimmy are the two core players on the team.
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Kenny Atkinson’s name continues to be linked to the Magic, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Atkinson developed a reputation of being a great player development coach during his time with the Nets, which is something the Magic need given all the young talent they have.
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Clint Capela feels the Rockets gave up on him too early, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “What I like about this team is we always beat the odds,” Capela said about the Hawks. “People just don’t expect us to do it. People keep doubting us, and we just keep shocking them. In Houston, it was really a championship mentality every year, so it was almost like a must-win game, every game, so there’s the difference right there.”
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Nate McMillan talks about his hesitancy to join Hawks as an assistant coach in an article written by Jeff Schultz of The Athletic. McMillan is currently their interim head coach after the Hawks fired Lloyd Pierce in March, as Atlanta went 27-11 to close out the season under McMillan. Given that the Hawks are improbably in the Eastern Conference Finals, it’s a safe bet that McMillan will draw serious consideration to take over as the full-time head coach in the offseason.
