Matt Rourke/Associated Press
While there haven’t been any trades taking place around the NBA of late, plenty of rumors have been circulating. And it shouldn’t come as a surprise which players have been featured in the recent buzz.
Ben Simmons still hasn’t played during the 2021-22 season, and it’s possible the Philadelphia 76ers will eventually deal him. And there have been reports of the Indianapolis Pacers considering a rebuild, so they could end up moving some of their core players.
Of course, not all rumors end up materializing. So it’s impossible to know what will happen down the line.
But in the meantime, here’s some of the latest buzz from around the NBA regarding potential trades.
76ers ‘More Engaged’ in Simmons Trade Talks of Late
Even though there have been trade rumors involving Simmons all season, he’s remained on the 76ers’ roster, although he hasn’t played in any games. But there could finally be some negotiations taking place that could eventually result in a deal being completed.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe, the 76ers are “becoming more engaged on multiple fronts” in trade talks revolving around Simmons. And Philadelphia has made it clear what it will be looking for in exchange for the 25-year-old point guard.
“Philadelphia has been aggressively trying to assemble two- and three-team deal structures to land a package that would include a top 25-level player, sources said,” Wojnarowski and Lowe wrote.
One player who won’t be heading to the 76ers anytime soon appears to be Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard, another player who has frequently been included in trade rumors this season. Wojnarowski and Lowe reported that the Trail Blazers have reiterated that Lillard is “not available to be discussed.”
Portland interim general manager Joe Cronin recently told Philadelphia that his franchise “still plans to continue building around Lillard,” per Wojnarowski and Lowe.
Lillard likely would have met the 76ers’ requirement of acquiring a top 25-level player in return for Simmons. But now, they’ll have to see which other stars may be available in trade discussions and try to arrange a deal in order to move Simmons.
There could soon be more players on the market, as players who signed free-agent contracts this past offseason will be eligible to be traded beginning on Wednesday.
Turner Drawing Interest from Teams Around the League?
AJ MAST/Associated Press
Several Pacers players have been involved in trade rumors of late, but perhaps none more so than center Myles Turner. The 25-year-old has spent his entire seven-year NBA career in Indiana, though it seems some teams have had interest in trying to change that.
SNY’s Ian Begley reported that the New York Knicks are interested in pursuing a Turner trade during the season, but it’s not known what the Pacers would want in return. However, Begley pointed out that New York has a lot of draft capital and that it would likely be open to dealing one of its centers.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers have had “some talks” with Indiana regarding Turner while the Charlotte Hornets have “checked in several times,” according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. However, these reports may not mean a Turner deal is imminent.
“But really, he hasn’t been in consistent trade talks. His name has been mentioned by outside people,” Agness said on his podcast (h/t HoopsHype).
If the Pacers are heading toward a rebuild, it would make sense that they may consider trading Turner, who is one of their most valuable assets. Turner is set to become a free agent after the 2022-23 season, so he still has another year of team control on his contract.
Turner is averaging 13.1 points and 7.4 rebounds in 27 games this season.
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Read More: NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz on Ben Simmons, Myles Turner Trade Markets
