The relationship between Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers is reportedly on the rocks, but should the Detroit Pistons be interested in a trade?
Traditionally, the Pistons have gotten their stars through the draft and trades, as Detroit is not a top-tier free agent destination. It’s not easy to get an All-NBA, All-Defensive talent who is only 25-years-old, so the Pistons are either going to have to wait for Cade Cunningham to become a superstar, or look to trade for an unhappy star.
As good as Simmons is at some things, he is still a flawed player who is making a lot of money, so there are some pros and cons to taking on a guy like that, especially when Philly is reportedly looking for a king’s ransom in return.
We suggested a trade that would get the Pistons there, but they’d be giving up seven players and a first round pick in a 3-team trade. The crazy thing is that still might be enough.
But let’s assume for a minute that the Detroit Pistons have the assets to trade for Ben Simmons. Would they even want to? Let’s look at the pros and cons in terms of finances and fit.
Detroit Pistons: Ben Simmons salary and the future
Pro: Ben Simmons is locked into a contract through 2024-25 and even though he’ll be making $38 million by then, that cost will be fairly average for max deals and won’t look so bad. He’s only 25-years-old, so the Pistons would be getting all of his prime years in a scenario where he is out to prove everyone wrong and has a chip on his shoulder.
Also, with Blake Griffin’s contract coming off the books next season, the Pistons will have the space to absorb him without risking the future of their young core. I can’t imagine a scenario where the Pistons get Simmons without giving up Jerami Grant, but even if they didn’t, his contract is off the books after 2022-23, so wouldn’t be problem.
The Pistons don’t have any bad contracts (other than the dead money) and are in perfect position to take on a mid-20’s star who fits into the timeline of their young core.
Also, there aren’t many free agents in this tier who will be available over the next few seasons, so if the Pistons want to get a young player of this caliber, they will have to trade for him.
Con: By taking on Simmons’ contract, the Pistons would be making him the financial centerpiece of their team for the next four years. He’s an elite defensive player and passer but he has huge flaws in his offensive game, so is he really worth 30+ million a season? The Pistons could sit on their cap space while they are developing and strike when they are ready to win.
If the Detroit Pistons sit on their money for the next few seasons, they would be in a position to add two max free agents right at the time when their young players are ready to compete.
I think the finances are ultimately a wash, as stars cost money and Simmons might actually look like a bargain in 3-4 seasons when some guys in the league are making well over $50 million a season.
Verdict: Go for it!
Detroit Pistons: Ben Simmons fit in Detroit-Part 1
Pro: Ben Simmons’ skill set would make him beloved in Detroit, as we like defense and he can play it as well as anyone in the NBA. Simmons is a Draymond Green-type defender who can guard 1-5 and would make everyone on the team better on that end.
The Detroit Pistons had a top-10 defense last year and with Simmons they could vault into the top-5 and when you consider that all of the Conference Finalists from last season were elite defensive teams, it makes sense to try to get there and worry about offense later.
Simmons is essentially a much-better Killian Hayes, a guy who can pass and defend but not shoot, so if you are going to try and make it work with Hayes, then surely Simmons would be an even better fit.
Con: The Detroit Pistons were already a poor shooting team last season and adding Simmons would not help. It’s possible that his inability to stretch a defense would hinder Cade Cunningham, who will need space to operate with the ball.
Of course, if Cunningham is as good a shooter as we think he’s going to be, then he could be the one creating space for Simmons, who can then do more of his damage from the post. But right now, Simmons doesn’t have a great post game and he can’t shoot a jumper, so he is more or less just taking up space on offense when he doesn’t have the ball.
I do think Simmons would take some of the pressure off Cade Cunningham and turn him into more of a scorer than a passer, which could be good or bad depending on how you see his future. All the same things people say about Simmons are also true of Draymond Green, so if Simmons embraced that role as a “do everything” defender and playmaker as Green has, then he is a fit on any team that has scorers.
The question is whether the Detroit Pistons have the guys to put around him. They don’t have the Splash Brothers drawing defenses to the perimeter, so could Simmons really morph into Green? Does he want to? I think this fit comes down to whether Simmons is ready to admit that he is more of a Draymond Green than a LeBron James.
Verdict: Hmmmm, maybe not
Detroit Pistons: Ben Simmons fit in Detroit- Part 2
Pro: Did I mention how amazing a Ben Simmons/Cade Cunningham backcourt would be defensively? This would easily be the best defensive backcourt in the league and it would be fun to watch.
The Pistons would have one of the best defenses in the NBA right away.
You know Simmons needs at least two scorers around him to be effective and that they need to be able to shoot from range. The Pistons already have one of those guys in Cunningham, so it would make their team-building goals clear: Get scoring.
If the Pistons could be elite on one side of the ball first, the offense will come, as it is easier to find shooters than guys who can defend like Simmons.
This is Detroit Basketball, build the defense first and the rest will fall into place.
Con: In a league that is dominated by shooting, can you really build your team around a guy who can’t do it? Philly has spent the last few seasons trying to find the most effective ways to use Simmons and has come up short, so why would the Pistons be able to figure it out?
Paying a huge chunk of your salary cap to a guy who can’t do the most important thing in basketball is probably not the smartest way to allocate your funds, even if the defense was elite.
Of course, teams like the New Orleans Pelicans have had top-5 offenses the last few seasons and didn’t even sniff the playoffs, so having an elite offense might be overrated.
I say the defensive potential is at least enough to get me interested, especially if the Detroit Pistons could somehow get Simmons without giving up Grant, which I think is pretty unlikely.
Verdict: I’m intrigued
I don’t think it’s a clear cut yes or no on whether the Pistons should pursue Ben Simmons, but I think the potential is there, as is the fit defensively. If the Detroit Pistons could put the right team around them, a Simmons/Cunningham backcourt could be championship caliber, but if not, they are a second-round playoff exit.
Is that such a bad thing? If I were Troy Weaver, I’d be sniffing around to see if Philly’s price drops into a range I am comfortable with and then I’d be ready to pounce with an offer.