Warriors Trade Rumors: Ben Simmons Seen as Best Possible D'Angelo Russell Return

Philadelphia has given point guard Ben Simmons a rather long leash when it comes to developing his outside game, but if time is indeed running out for the Sixers, there's at least one possibility for trade that would truly shake up the league. 

The Athletic's Marcus Thompson II reports that while the Golden State Warriors aren't necessarily looking to move guard D'Angelo Russell, a package for Simmons would be hard to ignore. 

"Some believe the pairing of Simmons and big man Joel Embiid isn't viable in their pursuit of a championship," Thompson wrote on Wednesday. "Simmons, as one source told me, is probably the best player the Warriors could possibly get for Russell, just considering the needs of the Warriors and their potential trade partners."

It's impossible for NBA fans to not immediately get excited about the thought of a healthy Warriors team trotting out Simmons with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green next year, but it's more likely than not this is just looking at some of the options that are available for both squads — not preparing to fax anything official to the league.

As Thompson notes, he doesn't expect the Warriors to move Russell, and if they do, it won't be for cheap. The trade couldn't be one-for-one, either, as the Sixers would be about $17 million over the luxury tax threshold while Golden State would be about $6 million over the tax line. The Warriors have also shown a willingness to build towards the future — which Russell is likely a part of.

But it's hard not to imagine what a point guard like Russell would do for the Sixers. As talented as Simmons is, it's rare to have a point guard in today's NBA who is a liability from three-point range. Russell would give Philly a go-to shooter who can help space the floor a bit better for Joel Embiid and spread the defense out a bit more. 

Maybe the Sixers can still win with Simmons. Maybe that doesn't happen with him running the offense. Championship windows can close awfully fast in the NBA and the Sixers have felt they're on the cusp of a title for quite some time now. If it takes moving a homegrown player to get there, that's something you have to consider. 

As for Golden State, it wouldn't have to worry about Simmons' three-point shooting with the likes of Curry and Thompson still manning the backcourt. Instead it could let the 23-year-old focus on his inside game and take some of the pressure off him to make sure the ball is moving around the floor. 

There are some serious positives to pulling off a deal like this. Whether or not it's able to happen is a much different conversation.