Philadelphia 76ers: Trading Jonathon Simmons has to be a priority

As the Philadelphia 76ers turn their attention to the draft and free agency, trading Jonathon Simmons has to be a priority to ensure max cap flexibility.

Sometimes two Simmons aren’t better than one, and with only 17 roster spots on any given NBA team (15 plus two two-ways), the Philadelphia 76ers would be wise to diversify their jersey portfolio with a few new options.

Now for some, the idea of trading 2017 first overall pick Ben Simmons has become a hot topic around the fan base and beyond, as some believe the 6-foot-10 Australian guard-forward will never be able to fit alongside Joel Embiid long-term and both parties would be wise to separate amicably and maximize their value, but I don’t want to open that can of worms (at least not yet).

No, to me, there’s only one player with the surname Simmons that’s earned a one-way ticket out of the City of Brotherly Love, and that’s Jonathan.

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Initially an intriguing throw in as part of the 2019 trade deadline Markelle Fultz deal, essentially to make money work, some thought Simmons could quietly be the steal of Elton Brand‘s free agency haul and become that backcourt defender the Sixers have been sorely lacking since Robert Covington was traded to Minnesota.

However, that didn’t happen.

Despite being given a chance to compete with James Ennis and Furkan Korkmaz for a spot in Brett Brown‘s rotation over the course of 15 regular season games, Simmons ultimately proved that his reputation as the worst offensive guard in the NBA was well-earned, as he averaged a career-low 5.5 points in 14.6 minutes a night while making nine 3 pointers.

Needless to say, when Ennis was ultimately named the team’s de facto top wing reserve alongside Mike Scott, the 76ers’ offense took off, and the team became much more potent on both ends of the court.

From there, the 76ers made a healthy playoff run, over much of which the other Simmons enjoyed from the bench. With only 52 minutes of on-court action over the playoff run, it seemed like the chances of Simmons making a return to Philly in 2019-20 seemed like a longshot at best.

However, that’s probably not the case.

You see, Simmons actually is under contract next season, with part of his $5.7 million cap hit guaranteed. Though the team could release him with minimal cap hangups compared to, say, Embiid, the team needs to add a lot of players moving forward, and may try to squeeze out every possible dollar to ensure they can reload going into the summer and have a better roster when the 2019-20 season tips off this fall.

Next. It’s time to go all in on D’Angelo Russell. dark

Though it may cost a second round pick, or even multiple second-round picks, one this year and one in the future, to get a deal done, moving off Jonathon Simmons’ contract has to be a priority for the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason, especially if his role with the team is once again going to be spotty at best.