Raptors: Pass or Pursue 3 early trades that could improve the team

1. Ben Simmons, PG, Philadelphia 76ers

This transaction does not feel appropriate on any level. First, Philadelphia’s general manager Daryl Morey wants the moon and the stars for Ben Simmons. The 6-10 comes with flaws. Simmons seems thin-skinned and can’t take criticism or direction on what to do or how to improve his game.

This doesn’t necessarily change in a new locale. Efforts to unlock the as yet unseen potential of Simmons cost head coach Brett Brown his job in Philadelphia after the bubble in Florida. Simmons is now seemingly emotionally so put out by head coach Doc Rivers’ inference that Philadelphia might not be able to win with him as their point guard.

Rivers’ statement this past spring on his ability to help Philly win as a point guard has become infamous. It was probably meant to fire up the player to come to training camp raring to prove he is an elite NBA talent.

Instead, Simmons has spent the off-season feuding with Philadelphia at all levels.  He is unwilling to play with teammate Joel Embiid as well. At one point, he was not playing for Philadelphia ever again. With the season now underway and Simmons attending training camp late, he was disengaged at practice.

A subsequent one-game suspension earned last week resulted in Simmions informing the team he is not mentally ready to play.

Ben Simmons may be broken, and the Toronto Raptors shouldn’t add him.

The true problem here is Simmon’s last stint of basketball was horrible. He was good defensively but especially in the playoffs against Atlanta was gun shy refusing to take three-pointers, missing free throws, and was an offensive liability to his team.

It is with that performance last spring and the temper tantrum he has embarked on since that Morey is faced with trying to trade the point guard.

Ultimately, anything the Raptors give up in a deal for Simmons would be excessive and potentially dangerous to the harmonious chemistry dynamic the young roster is building.

Both Fred VanVleet and Dragic are dependable guards emotionally, and Simmons is not. Mortgaging the future whether it be two or four first-round picks will handicap the team’s future.

The return is a player who cannot shoot at all. At $30 million a year, his willingness to defer on a dunk to create a harder shot should be troubling as well. The Raptors are already expected to struggle with their halfcourt offense and Simmons would accelerate the struggles. Simmons seems broken and it’s not his physical talents.

Simmons’ stat line regressed last season dropping to 14.3 points and 6.9 assists per game. Career-wise he is a horrible 14.7% on three-point attempts. The Raptors are already trying to develop the long-range shooting of several players on the team. Simmons would only add to that weakness.

This is a situation that doesn’t get easier for Philadelphia especially the longer it drags on. It would also be severely unwise for the Raptors to help out a divisional rival by mortgaging the present and the future for Ben Simmons.

Verdict: Hard Pass.