The Timberwolves have so far been the team that has tried the most insistently for Ben Simmons, but negotiations with the 76ers seem far from fruitful for now. The men Minnesotans are willing to include in their offers are of no interest to Philadelphia, to the point that recent rumors suggest a third team may be needed for this trade to take place. And, according to Chris Kirschner, a journalist from The Athletic, that third team could be Atlanta.
Specifically, it is the figure of Cameron Reddish that Kirschner highlights as a possible plunger, because, although he is not yet a star who is going to give a huge boost to the 76ers, he is a player with immense potential and whose characteristics they would be a good fit on Doc Rivers’ roster. In addition, the journalist already assured a few months ago that in Atlanta they were willing to listen to offers for the forward, since they have enough men in their position and many young people to renew, so that in that sense the operation does not seem unfeasible.
The point is, even if they don’t consider Reddish a centerpiece of the team, the Hawks aren’t going to get into a trade like that if they think they’re going to lose. To let the forward go and help Simmons head to Minnesota, Georgia’s will want at least several solid rotation men to bolster the roster or more young talent in less crowded positions. Is it possible for them to enter this movement receiving something better than what they give? Based on the templates of the other parties involved, the options are limited.
On the other hand, Kirschner points out that, if they were part of the operation, the Hawks would always do it as a third party, never as Ben Simmons’ destination. Whether this is a mere scoring or a real option remains to be seen, but what this rumor does seem to indicate is that the Wolves and 76ers are beginning to realize they need to get more teams involved.
(Cover photo: Sarah Stier / Getty Images)
