- Ben Simmons has reiterated his stand to sit out the remainder of the season if the Sixers won’t trade him.
- The latest Bovada odds have the Sixers as the +180 betting favorite to keep Simmons.
- Atlanta and Sacramento are the top non-Sixers destinations for Simmons at +500.
With the NBA’s trade deadline less than a month away on February 10th, the NBA rumor mill has turned its attention back to Sixers guard Ben Simmons who has been on the trading block since the start of the season.
Simmons has demanded to be traded and has insisted he will never play for the Sixers again. But the Sixers have been choosy about the return they want from Simmons so with the regular season halfway complete, the two parties are still locked in a stalemate.
Things could change however with the trade deadline fast approaching.
Simmons Reiterates Stand on Sitting Out Season if Not Traded
Ben Simmons plans to sit out all season if not traded by deadline. https://t.co/pES2dO4KUj pic.twitter.com/n0uYuQZ0so
— theScore (@theScore) January 19, 2022
According to a report from ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Simmons is willing to sit out the entire season if the Sixers won’t trade him. The All-Star guard is firm with his decision not to play for the Sixers anymore, even if it means that he will continue paying a hefty fine for refusing to suit up for his mother team.
With Simmons’ hard stance and the Sixers’ steep asking price, there is a real possibility that the standoff could extend up to the next offseason. There is also a report by NBA journalist Marc Stein that says that Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey is holding Simmons until summer so he can attempt to execute a sign-and-trade deal with the Nets for James Harden.
But if the Sixers want to make a run for the title this season, they will have to trade him before the deadline and get a second star that will help Joel Embiid take the Sixers to the upper echelon in the East. Currently, Philadelphia is just 5th in the East at 26-18. However, they are just 2.5 games off the top spot, and getting a player in Simmons’ caliber will most certainly help their cause.
Updated Ben Simmons Odds
Updated Odds on Where #BenSimmons Play after #NBATrade Deadline?https://t.co/T5SNl9B8n5 pic.twitter.com/trovQKJiuq
— LasVegasBetting (@lasvegasbetting) January 12, 2022
According to online sportsbook Bovada however, Simmons is a +180 betting favorite to remain with the Sixers after the NBA trade deadline. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings are the top non-Philadelphia destinations for Simmons at +500 apiece.
The Hawks reportedly offered John Collins, Cam Reddish, and a future first-round pick for Simmons but the negotiations ended when the Sixers attempted to include Tobias Harris and his over $100 million salary in the deal. The Kings meanwhile are allegedly offering a package centered around Marvin Bagley III and Buddy Hield.
Next on the Bovada odds board are the Cleveland Cavaliers and Portland TrailBlazers at +800. Cleveland is believed to have explored a deal for Simmons during the offseason and preseason while the Blazers have been long rumored to be eyeing to break up the Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum backcourt. The Boston Celtics are next at +900 while the San Antonio Spurs complete the list at +1000.
