"Daryl Morey is still waiting for Portland’s Damian Lillard or Washington’s Bradley Beal to be made available down the line” - Sam Amick reveals the latest on Ben Simmons and trade talks around him

According to NBA trade rumors, the Philadelphia 76ers are still hunting for either Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal in exchange for Ben Simmons.

When the 2021-22 NBA season began, the Ben Simmons saga with the Philadelphia 76ers dominated headlines. The Australian point guard refused to join the team, and demanded a trade while camping out in Los Angeles for the summer.

After his disastrous outing in the 2021 NBA playoffs, Simmons' stock plummeted. To exacerbate matters, he showed the league that he was a poor locker room presence and not a reliable teammate.

Nevertheless, Simmons is a three-time All-Star, so the Sixers front office is not going to settle for a talent beneath that pedigree. They need an All-Star or at least someone in return who can contribute to a title run right away.

As reported by The Athletic's Sam Amick, the 76ers are still holding out hope for the Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard or the Washington Wizards' Bradley Beal. The report read:

"Still, sources say the Sixers — who have been on the lookout for an All-Star in return for Simmons for so long now — have continued to ask for a massive haul in return while frustrating some suitors along the way."

"As such, some team executives remain convinced that Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey is still waiting for Portland’s Damian Lillard or Washington’s Bradley Beal to be made available down the line (i.e. this summer at the earliest)."

The front office expects either of the two stars to be available in the upcoming offseason (summer). They are certainly optimistic that either star would enter the trade market before the NBA trade deadline in February. However, as that seems far-fetched at the moment, they are focusing on the offseason.

The Portland Trail Blazers and Washington Wizards are both out of championship contention, and many rumors suggest that their players might be available soon. The Blazers are on the cusp of triggering a rebuild, and Lillard or McCollum are expected to be on the trade block in exchange for assets.

Ben Simmons is in quite a tough spot right now. The Philadelphia 76ers are still winning games despite his absence, so he is proving to be a liability every game he doesn't lace up. His shenanigans are frustrating for everyone involved in this saga, and he risks not finding a trade partner at all.

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Ben Simmons has accumulated nearly $10 million in fines this season

Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2021 NBA playoffs

Ben Simmons has officially surpassed the $10 million mark in fines and suspensions this season.

The Philadelphia 76ers deduct the $360,305 game check for every game he misses; he hasn't laced up at all this season. He also gets fined for every missed practice and media session. According to Spotrac, Simmons has been fined nearly $10.3 million so far.

Tyrese Maxey has replaced Ben Simmons as the Sixers' point guard, and his entire four-year salary is $12 million. Simmons' fines could easily surpass that figure by the mid-season break.

Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey is adamant about not trading Simmons for subpar talent. In a statement in October via PhillyVoice, he said:

"You’re going to think I’m kidding, I’m not, this could take four years...We’re in the prime of Joel (Embiid])s career. This is not a day-to-day thing. Every day, we are going to expect Ben to be back here, or we trade him for a difference-maker."

With the February trade deadline barely five weeks away, the entire NBA community is waiting to see if a trade materializes for Simmons.