5 trade targets the New Orleans Pelicans should avoid

Trade targets the New Orleans Pelicans should avoid

The Blockbuster

Ben Simmons

Ben Simmons has been on the trade block all season after refusing to play for the 76ers after Doc Rivers and Joel Embiid were mean to him after his playoff collapse.

The 76ers have made it known that they won’t trade Simmons for anything less than a king’s ransom, and so far they’ve had no offers that move the needle, though they have reportedly gotten a few.

The Pelicans are often listed as a potential destination for Simmons, and on paper, I would love to have him with Zion and B.I., as the three would represent the most talented under-25 trio in the NBA and would raise the ceiling of what the Pelicans could be.

The problem is that the 76ers would almost certainly want Ingram in any deal for Simmons, which should be a non-starter for several reasons.

The first is that Brandon Ingram might be better than Simmons already. He is certainly (and by a wide margin) the better offensive player, though Simmons’ playmaking and defense cannot be denied.

Simmons is also a questionable fit with Zion, as he isn’t happy playing second fiddle to Embiid, so why would he be doing so with Zion?

I also think Simmons’ refusal to play this season is a huge red flag, especially when you consider his massive contract. The guy is literally giving away over $30 million dollars because he got his feelings hurt and thinks he’s under appreciated.

I love Ben Simmons’ talent but that is not a guy I want to build around, sorry.

The New Orleans Pelicans will probably make some kind of move before the deadline but it shouldn’t be for any of these guys. Come back tomorrow, when we’ll have a list of players they should target.