It appears that the Philadelphia 76ers lowered their demands in Ben Simmons trade talks. Despite previously insisting on an All-Star caliber player, the 76ers are now willing to accept a package that includes a reliable starter, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer‘s Keith Pompey.
Pompey reports that one of the discussions the 76ers had in recent days centered on a deal that would see Simmons go to the Detroit Pistons and forward Jerami Grant returning back to Philly. Grant, who emerged as the Pistons’ best player in the last couple of seasons, was drafted by the 76ers in 2014 and spent his first two years in NBA with the franchise.
The trade would also include Detroit sending other assets to Philadelphia. This would notably include a draft pick, a young player, and a forward. The 76ers reportedly identified Kelly Olynyk and Saddiq Bey as possible additions to the deal, but the Pistons are unwilling to part with either of them at the moment.
Ben Simmons asked the 76ers for a trade in the offseason and opted not to report to the team for the start of training camp. He ended his holdout in early October after the 76ers started fining him, but is yet to play a game in the 2021-22 season. The 25-year-old is currently out due to a lower back injury and mental health issues.
The 76ers are working the phones in the meantime and have a list of 30 players that they would accept for Simmons, according to The Athletic. Despite this, there is no indication that a potential deal will materialize anytime soon.
