Ben Simmons is not a happy camper in Philadelphia as he had made the NBA headlines recently for the wrong reasons.
Months after their disappointing second round exit against the Atlanta Hawks, the Australian point guard expressed his desire to switch teams in search for a new start.
Several clubs have already inquired for his services, but the Sixers have yet to find an appealing trade package.
In contrast, the Lakers, Nets, and the Celtics have done well in their early preparations for the 2021/22 season.
Los Angeles and Brooklyn have brought in players who can help them at least in the short-term, while Boston continue to retool their lineup.
Without further ado, read on below as SBOTOP has you covered with the latest NBA 2021 updates.
Ben Simmons puts immense pressure on the Sixers
Because of his disenchantment towards the whole Sixers organization, Ben Simmons has been linked to various clubs in trade talks.
So far this summer, the Warriors, Timberwolves, Blazers, and Spurs have been rumoured to be interested for the three-time All-Star, although there aren’t any imminent developments as of the moment.
Furthermore, reports claim that Simmons doesn’t intend to participate in training camp if he won’t be out of Philadelphia soon.
Such move would pose major implications which puts the team and Ben Simmons in a lose-lose situation. For the Sixers, it’ll be harder for them to attract bigger value for their wantaway star while Simmons will lose money in the process.
And now that teams are aware that he doesn’t want to play in a Sixers uniform again, they’ll try to exploit the desperation coming from Philly’s side.
According to ESPN writer Brian Windhorst, Simmons could draw up a fine of up to $227,000 for each practice that he’ll miss in the offseason.
Apparently, Simmons’ camp doesn’t seem to mind losing up to $1.3-M in the preseason and they’re ready to play hardball against Daryl Morey and co.
Lakers and Nets add more veterans
The Lakers and the Nets are two of the super early title favourites in the upcoming season according to the NBA 2021 odds, and they own two of the oldest groups in the league today.
Los Angeles are going to bring in DeAndre Jordan soon, who was recently waived by the Pistons after a trade with the Nets.
Jordan played last season for Brooklyn but he eventually fell out of the rotation. The 33-year-old is no longer as athletic as he used to be, but he’ll provide depth at the center position alongside Dwight Howard. His arrival, however, will signal the impending departure of Marc Gasol.
Brooklyn have new bigs of their own too in Paul Millsap and LaMarcus Aldridge.
After spending the last four years playing for the Nuggets, Millsap enters his 15th season in a Nets uniform. The 36-year-old can stretch the floor with his outside shooting, although he is undersized and he’s no longer as effective on the defencive end.
Aldridge joined the Nets last March but after five matches, he was forced to retire due to a heart problem. Fast forward to today, however, the 36-year-old has been medically cleared by his doctors to make a return for his 16th season.
Jordan, Millsap, and Aldridge aren’t necessarily the stars that they were before, but their additions definitely make the Lakers and the Nets more attractive to watch this season.
Celtics are having an underrated summer
Boston’s financial books have looked healthier since Brad Stevens took over as president of basketball operations.
Since replacing Danny Ainge last June, Brad Stevens has hired a new head coach, traded away his oft-injured starting point guard, signed two players to long-term extensions, as well as acquiring several new players.
Stevens’ first order of business was appointing Ime Udoka as the new head coach with him vacating the role. Udoka played 12 seasons in the NBA and he previously served as an assistant for Gregg Popovich, Brett Brown, and Steve Nash.
Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier both moved on to the Knicks, and the Celtics brought in Al Horford, Enes Kanter, Josh Richardson, Bruno Fernando, Dennis Schroder, and Juancho Hernangomez in separate transactions.
Marcus Smart and Robert Williams will stay for at least four more years in Boston via extensions that won’t hurt the team’s cap space.
These moves have boosted the Celtics’ financial flexibility entering the 2022 offseason where they could pursue a top-tier free agent.
With the roster as it is now, the Celtics should remain competitive in the NBA playoffs. But overall, Boston need one more star in order to give themselves a better chance of securing Banner No. 18.
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