Four players Sixers should target in Ben Simmons trade

On the negative side, Fox still isn’t quite the missing piece of the puzzle. Similar to Simmons, it lacks creating plans and perimeter shots, but not to the same extent. The 6’3 goaltender is a career 32.6% shooter from beyond the three-point arc with 3.4 attempts per game. This year has been his highest percentage of perimeter attempts as Fox has taken 28.8% of his attempts from beyond the arc, but he’s still at his best when driving and attacking the basket.

After signing a five-year, $ 163 million extension with the Kings, De’Aaron Fox would be able to work financially in a direct deal for Ben Simmons. At 23, there is still room for the former fifth overall pick to reach his full potential. He might be a cut below the legitimate star counterpart that the Sixers are looking to pair Joel Embiid with, but he might not be in that category by the end of the season.

CJ McCollum

The Portland Trail Blazers are in a similar situation to the Sixers as a franchise. With a legitimate star in the fold and the franchise desperate to find the right supporting cast, each team has been trapped in mediocrity with the countdown to their respective championship window. While Dame Lillard is arguably the biggest prize on the list, the Blazers clearly want to do everything they can to keep it. His calls for roster changes must be answered if Portland is to retain, which will likely result in the McCollum trade in the offseason.

He’s not Dame Lillard but CJ McCollum would also fit very well alongside Joel Embiid. The 29-year-old has averaged 23.1 points and 4.7 assists per game this season while throwing a refreshing 8.9 three-pointers per game. The old Lehigh product logged on 40.2% of those attempts and McCollum is effective in creating his own shot.

While he’s a great theoretical fit on the pitch, there’s a reason the Trail Blazers haven’t made it to the next level as a team. McCollum is not capable of being the leader of the team and, like what happens with the Sixers and Embiid, the Blazers are forced to simply stand still without Dame Lillard on the field.

He’s a bit more of a complete player, but CJ McCollum also has a lot of similarities to Seth Curry. The Sixers would have a lot of trouble defensively when these two guys are on the pitch, which was seen during their time in Portland together. Plus, McCollum isn’t a great offensive starter, which would likely mean the Sixers will need to add a point guard as well. At 6’3, the Sixers would start to set up an undersized backcourt, which isn’t ideal either.

The lingering problem is also that it could end up cementing Lillard’s place in Portland. Dame has openly said how the front office needs to make changes and help them make it less likely the Sixers will see him demand it. These are the kind of chess decisions that make running a front office so difficult and where the balance between form and talent comes into play.

D’Angelo Russell

After almost falling to the Sixers in Jahlil Okafor’s draft (2015), D’Angelo Russell would be a great story to complete The Process. The Minnesota Timberwolves have shown great interest in Ben Simmons and it looks like he’s one of the most likely landing spots at this point.

The 25-year-old’s style of play is almost perfect for the Sixers. He is an efficient ball handler, has some playing ability and can score in a variety of ways. Russell averaged 19 points and 5.8 assists last season and is a 36% three-point shooter in his career. Since entering the league, the combo guard has the appearance of a future star but has failed to make any further progress in his game.