There is a report the Detroit Pistons offered Jerami Grant, Kelly Olynyk and Saddiq Bey plus a first-rounder to the Philadelphia 76ers in return for Ben Simmons. The Sixers demurred, but to Pistons fans, it now seems like a big overpay for what they would get.
Many basketball fans are probably sick of hearing about disgruntled guard Ben Simmons of the 76ers and proposed trades. We might be a little bit too.
Simmons wants out of Philly because …. he is a whiny crybaby whose feelings were hurt because the coach and Joel Embiid talked mean about him, after he fell apart in the Atlanta playoff series? Whatever, not Detroit’s problem.
However, there is a report from Jake Fischer of the Bleacher Report that the Pistons made a legitimate offer for Simmons back in the fall.
(h/t to Sixers Wire for excerpt)
"The situation in Philadelphia hasn’t changed since July: Daryl Morey’s front office has thus far rebuffed any Simmons offer that hasn’t included an All-Star-caliber partner for Joel Embiid who’s on the Sixers’ wish list. The Pistons’ package of Grant, Saddiq Bey, Kelly Olynyk and a first-round pick, for example, was not met with much enthusiasm by Philadelphia brass, league sources told B/R. But when that deal construct began to circle around rival NBA front offices this fall, it also alerted teams to Grant’s surprising availability."
Now it was made clear in the story this was not something that occured recently. Here are the details of the proposed trade:
Yes, Simmons is a great passer and defender, but he also can not shoot outside of two-feet from the basket, and he folded like a paper napkin in the playoffs against the Hawks (as well as the Celtics three years earlier).
Sixers general manager Daryl Morey was not thrilled with this offer for a three-time All-Star who was second in NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting last year, and is just 25-years-old. However, to Detroit fans who have watched these players this season, it actually looks like an overpay for Simmons and the Sixers should have grabbed it when they had the chance.
Did Detroit Pistons actually offer too much to get Ben Simmons?
Now, we do not know the exact details of the first-round draft choice offered the Sixers. Detroit owes Oklahoma CIty a first-rounder in the next few years (basically the first year they are no longer in the lottery). They must fulfill this obligation before they can trade a first to another team.
Undoubtedly, there were some protections attached to it, like 1 thru 12th place, which makes it not quite as attractive as, say, an unprotected 2022 first-rounder would have been.
But a first rounder is always good to get. The76ers replacement at point guard for Simmons, second-year player Tyrese Maxey, was drafted 21st last year, so you never know what will come of it.
Looking at the players the Pistons offered, it would have been a really good haul for Philly, even if they did not think so at the time. If you watch the 76ers at all (and unlike the Pistons, they are on national TV all the time), you can see the Detroit players could have really plugged some gaping holes on the roster:
- Kelly Olynyk could have served as a solid backup for Joel Embiid at power forward as well as former Piston Tobias Harris at power forward. Right now, a completely washed Andre Drummond is the backup to ‘The Process’ (as Embiid calls himself) and Harris’ backup is, well, sort of, Georges Niang, the slow-footed three-point specialist from Utah.
- Saddiq Bey was a first team All-NBA Rookie selection as well as making the USA Select team in the summer. He is even better this year, having exploded for 30 points in the win over Sacramento. He would have given the Sixers outside shooting (which with Embiid you always need) plus rebounding and defense at the small forward position. At Bey’s spot, the 76ers are running out a completely washed Danny Green at small forward or Furkan Korkmaz, a three-point shooting specialist who is not good at making three-pointers (only 28.9% this year).
- Of course, the main piece of the trade, from the Pistons end, would be Jerami Grant. Is he as good as Simmons overall? Maybe not. But he can shoot (which Simmons can’t) and would not pass up an easy dunk (unlike Simmons) in a big game. Grant is also as a strong defender. His defense of LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the 2020 Western Conference finals opened a lot of eyes.
Coming up big in the playoffs is something Grant definitely has an advantage of over Simmons. Also, he has an Olympic gold medal. Simmons was suppose to play for Australia in the 2021 Olympics but dropped out after to playoffs to work on his skills.
Jerami Grant or Ben Simmons in playoffs. Who is more valuable?
The argument against Grant going to the Sixers is that he would be a wonky fit with Embiid and Harris. However, the 76ers are playing a lot of Harris-Embiid-Niang lineup, and Grant is far more athletic and flexible position-wise, than Niang.
Before Blake Griffin was traded, Grant was the Pistons small forward last season, and scoring over 20 points a game in that role. In a pinch, Grant can also play small-ball center. Grant can provide offense and defense, as well as versatility, since he can play all three frontcourt spots.
Grant is valuable enough as a player that Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard lobbied for him to be on the USA Olympic team. Of course, about half the NBA seems to be interested in acquiring him at the moment.
Is Grant an All-Star? Not yet, but he is a good player to have on a club with title aspirations. Collectively, Grant, Olynyk and Bey would have really helped the 76ers this season, if general manager Daryl Morey had pulled the trigger, plus they would have received a first round pick to boot.
Considering the breakout season Bey has had, and Grant averaging 20 points a game before his thumb injury, plus Olynyk a solid vet for Miami and Boston teams that went far in the playoffs, one can argue that Detroit general manager Troy Weaver was overpaying for Simmons.
These three players, when healthy, contribute far more to a team than Simmons by himself. Ask the Kings, who saw Bey score 30 and Olynyk drop 22 in his first action in over two months.
Yeah, the 6-foot-10 Australian is really good, not denying it, but he has never gotten out of the second round of the playoffs, and, as we all know, he can not shoot.
If the Sixers had taken the Detroit deal, it would have been a vast overpay, looking at it now. So the Pistons should be glad they still have (for now) those three of those players, plus the first rounder they were going to give them.