PHILADELPHIA — The Sixers met with Rich Paul to discuss Ben Simmons‘ future this week in order to discuss the former No. 1 overall pick’s future with the franchise, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com reports.
President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey and GM Elton Brand met Paul at the pre-draft combine in Chicago, at Paul’s request, to evaluate whether it makes sense for the team to find a trade partner for his client. The conversation was simply exploratory and no trade request has been made.
Philadelphia remains committed to keeping Simmons as a centerpiece of their team.
“We have a very strong group we believe in,” Morey told FortyEightMinutes and other media earlier this week after being repeatedly asked about Simmons’ future.
“None of us can predict the future of what’s going to happen in any, in any place. We love what Ben brings, we love what Joel brings, we love what Tobias [Harris] brings. In terms of what’s next, we’re going to do what’s best for the 76ers to give us the best chance to win the championship with every single player on the roster.”
Wojnarowski hears that Simmons’ trade value on the market remains significant and teams have been gauging the Sixers’ interest in making a trade.
Simmons made his third All-Star appearance this season and was the runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
