NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz Surrounding Ben Simmons, Kemba Walker and More
Ben Simmons remains on the Philadelphia 76ers. But will that be the case by the end of the offseason?
Kemba Walker has already been traded this summer. Could he be dealt again before the 2021-22 season?
Plenty of NBA trade rumors continue to circulate, and the 2020-21 playoffs haven't even been completed. As the four remaining teams battle it out for a championship, the focus for the league's other 26 teams has shifted to the offseason and beyond.
Simmons and Walker have been among the biggest names featured in trade buzz. Here's some of the latest regarding those two and more.
76ers Hoping to Keep Simmons?
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Despite all the speculation that Simmons may not return to the 76ers after a disappointing end to the season, don't count out the 24-year-old point guard coming back to Philadelphia just yet.
On Thursday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Simmons' agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, and 76ers management have started discussions regarding Simmons while Paul, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and general manager Elton Brand are in Chicago for the draft combine. And Paul has reportedly not made a trade request.
In fact, things may be trending in the opposite direction regarding Simmons' status.
"The 76ers are committed to keeping Simmons as a central piece of their franchise, sources said," Wojnarowski wrote.
Simmons has spent his entire NBA career with Philadelphia, which took him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft. He's a three-time All-Star who likely still has plenty of big seasons ahead of him, even though his numbers were down a bit in 2020-21.
Could Walker Be Traded Again Soon?
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It didn't take long for the Boston Celtics to make a big move following their first-round exit from the playoffs. First, they dealt Walker, a 2021 first-round draft pick and a 2025 second-round draft pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Moses Brown, Al Horford and a 2023 second-round draft pick.
However, Walker may not play for the Thunder for long—if he even does at all.
According to Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News, another Walker trade is "imminent," although it's not certain whether the Thunder will trade the 31-year-old point guard before the start of the 2021-22 season or after. The Athletic's Jared Weiss reported that Walker was "heartbroken" after getting dealt by the Celtics.
Walker spent only two seasons in Boston, and his 2020-21 season started late because of his recovery from a left knee injury. He averaged 19.3 points and 4.9 assists in 43 games, but he shot 42 percent from the field, his lowest mark since 2014-15.
Dinwiddie Appears Unlikely to Return to Brooklyn
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Spencer Dinwiddie's fifth season with the Brooklyn Nets was limited to three games, with the 28-year-old point guard missing most of the year because of a torn right ACL. And Dinwiddie appears to be heading in a new direction.
Winfield reported Wednesday that Dinwiddie declined his $12.3 million player option with the Nets for the 2021-22 season, meaning he will become a free agent Aug. 6. And it seems that he may not be considering a return to Brooklyn unless it comes with a larger contract.
"A source told The Daily News the combo guard wants to go home, or 'wants the bag,'" Winfield wrote.
Dinwiddie, who was coming off a career season in 2019-20, may be heading to Los Angeles if that's the case considering he was born there and attended William Howard Taft Charter High School in Woodland Hills, California. So perhaps he will be suiting up for either the Lakers or Clippers next season.
