August 06, 2021
At noon on Friday, all the free agency deals that have been agreed to throughout the week can officially be signed. And, of course, new deals can continue to be agreed to, but for the Sixers, it appears that the bulk of free agency is done.
Sure, they could add a bench piece or organizational depth, but the rotation players are more or less set barring any big trades, which could come at any moment as the Sixers continue to shop Ben Simmons and reports continue to come out that his time in Philly is more and more likely to be coming to an end.
However, that all depends on what Daryl Morey can get another team to give up. So far, the rumors have been coming fast and furious and his reported demands have been through the roof. But to those paying attention, that shouldn't be surprising given Morey's history and how he typically operates.
Interesting insight from @johnhollinger on Daryl Morey here:https://t.co/5S3sUN6HXN pic.twitter.com/2fHGSPSCfx
— Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) August 5, 2021
That suggests that Morey knows he isn't going to get four first-round picks for Simmons — or probably anything close to that, but by setting the price high, he's leaving plenty of room for negotiation. Moreover, those pick-heavy deals likely aren't what Morey is looking for. As we've said all along here, any trade of Simmons should be viewed as a win-now move, so in asking for all those picks, what Morey is essentially signaling is that he wants a massive haul that he could potentially flip for a Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal or other superstar (although those are the two biggest names out there at the moment).
In other words, NBA free agency, save for a minor addition here or there, is likely over for the Sixers. And that means Ben Simmons Watch is back on in full effect (as if it ever ended in the first place)
We'll have the latest news and rumors from around the NBA right here in our live tracker. And, as always, we'll top this post off with any updates directly involving the Sixers...
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