Raptors: Is Ben Simmons sign-and-trade feasible after nixed Pacers offer?

The Toronto Raptors, should they be looking to make a super-aggressive move in order to get back to the postseason, might need to call up a hated rival and potential Kyle Lowry destination in the Philadelphia 76ers, as they appear to be listening to offers on All-Star point guard and former No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons after a disappointing playoff series.

Simmons has made three straight All-Star games, but his inability to develop any sort of jump shot and his penchant for disappearing late in games contributed to Philly’s early playoff exit, and there are some rumblings that they swap him out in favor of a more traditional point guard.

The 76ers appear to have gotten the furthest in trade talks with the Indiana Pacers, who are also looking to put an unusually bad season behind them. Their starting offer included a first-round pick and point guard Malcolm Brogdon.

The Sixers turned that offer down, meaning that an All-Star player and a potentially very high draft pick may not be enough to get Simmons from Philly. Will the Raptors’ offer of Lowry and a first-rounder down the line be enough for the Sixers?

Can the Toronto Raptors rule out a Ben Simmons trade?

Brogdon might be one of the more unheralded studs in the game, but he’s playing at a near All-Star level with some very efficient shooting percentages. Apparently, 21.2 points per game as a second offensive option isn’t enough for the Sixers.

As good as Lowry is, his scoring averages were well below that of Brogdon this season, and at 35 years old, his championship pedigree and past accomplishments might not be enough to convince the Sixers to take a chance on him. The Raptors might need to include a second player or even more draft capital to get him.

As good as Simmons is on the defensive side, he is a rehabilitation project on that side of the ball, and if the going rate for him requires the Raptors to mortgage a huge part of the future in order to bring him in, they should look elsewhere for upgrades.

Getting something back for Lowry in a sign and trade that also nets Simmons could be a very worthwhile goal to pursue, but if any sort of Simmons trade would require Toronto to exceed Indiana’s offer that included Brogdon, they should look elsewhere when it comes to making new additions.