Team comes from nowhere to snatch at Ben Simmons

An NBA team is reportedly talking to the Philadelphia 76ers over a trade for Ben Simmons centred around a star nobody saw coming.

The Indiana Pacers are reportedly in talks with the 76ers to snatch Ben Simmons out of Philadelphia.

Sixers team officials, including coach Doc Rivers and basketball operations boss Daryl Morey, have been publicly holding out hope the Aussie superstar will stay with the team despite the bad blood.

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But the relationship deteriorated further in recent days with revelations Simmons has listed his 3000 square foot home at the Ritz-Carlton Residence for sale for $AUD4.3 million. That suggests he’s already committed to shipping out.

While a bonanza of teams have been linked with expressions of interest in Simmons, reports on Wednesday claim the Pacers are now serious players in the trade game and are talking about a deal that would see Indiana send shooting guard Caris Levert to Philadelphia.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst last week reported the Pacers were a “sleeper” in the market surrounding Simmons’ future.

No town is big enough for both Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Photo by Christian Petersen / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP.

Now SNY NBA reporter Ian Begley reports the Pacers are a very real contender for Simmons.

Simmons is refusing to suit up for the Sixers and is boycotting pre-season camp, not turning up to Philadelphia’s first practice match against Toronto on Tuesday. It was revealed yesterday just how much his holdout will cost him.

ESPN reports he was fined approximately $AUD494,000 for missing the clash. That same penalty will be extended for every game Simmons misses from here on out — both in the pre-season and when the campaign proper gets underway later this month.

Despite the messy situation, teams are lining up for Simmons.

The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey reported last week the Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Indiana have all inquired about Simmons’ availability.

Simmons was earlier also linked with Portland and Golden State.

Simmons and the 76ers remain at an impasse because the franchise hasn’t been able to agree to a trade package with any other teams it believes compensates it fairly for the loss of a three-time NBA All-Star.

Ben Simmons. Photo: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images/AFP.

Speaking on SEN’s Breakfast with Garry and Tim on Monday, Bobby Marks of ESPN said the saga could drag on into “early December”.

“He’s (Simmons) gonna be home (in Philadelphia when the season starts),” Marks said. “I think he’ll be home, he’ll still have the Sixer name attached to him.

“I don’t think he’s gonna be traded by the time the season starts.

“I think it gets dragged into mid-November, maybe even into early December.

“But I still think he’s gonna be a Sixer when we get going in a couple of weeks.”