A Western Conference powerhouse is reportedly weighing up a play for Ben Simmons.
Plus the LA Lakers are considering all options to dig themselves out of their current mess.
Catch up on all of the latest whispers in our NBA Rumor Mill!
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Tue, 08 Nov
Tuesday November 8th
MAVS CIRCLING SIMMONS
The Dallas Mavericks are a team to keep an eye on for a potential Ben Simmons trade, according to Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney.
It comes ahead of a showdown between Simmons’ Brooklyn Nets and the Mavericks on Tuesday (all times AEDT), with the Aussie set to return from a knee injury, but is expected to be limited to 20 minutes.
Simmons has been rusty in his return to the court for the struggling 4-6 Nets, and a rival Western Conference executive said Dallas is monitoring the situation.
“Dallas is a team to watch, Simmons would be an interesting fit next to Luka (Doncic) if the Nets were willing to take back (Tim) Hardaway and (Davis) Bertans. I am not sure how much higher the Mavs could go in terms of an offer but that would definitely be interesting for Luka.”‘
Celtics overcome tough Bulls in Boston 01:01
It comes after a report from SNY’s Ian Begley that at least one Western Conference team has engaged with the Nets on a Simmons trade.
“In the days before (Sunday’s) brutal loss to the Indiana Pacers, the Nets had been in cursory talks with one Western Conference team about a deal that would return a veteran shooter, per SNY sources. Ben Simmons’ name came up in the talks, sources say,” Begley wrote last week.
“It’s unclear if talks advanced past the cursory stage, but Brooklyn was said to be aggressive in its pursuit of perimeter shooting.”
Simmons is contracted until the 2024/25 season for an average of $37 million per campaign.
Through six games for the Nets, he averaged 6.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists in 31.8 minutes.
DAVIS LAKERS’ ‘PLAN B’ OPTION
The LA Lakers have stumbled badly out of the gates this season at 2-7, prompting calls for them to make a trade and rejig their roster to add more outside shooting they desperately need.
Russell Westbrook has been at the center of such trade talks, however a move would likely require the Lakers surrendering two first-round picks – while their first rounder this year is already tied to the Pelicans.
According to the Ringer’s Bill Simmons, the Lakers are considering all options, even hinting that Anthony Davis could be put on the trade table.
Fox sinks DEEP 3 for the win! | 00:37
“So, the Lakers lost again (Monday). There’s some buzz, some buzzing that AD might be available,” he said on The Bill Simmons Podcast.
“That’s a Plan B. Because the Westbrook trade, or whatever they think they can get for Westbrook and whether you want to give up future assets, maybe that doesn’t even make sense because what are you getting if you’re the Lakers ?”
Despite declining from his previous epic heights, the 29-year-old Davis has still averaged 22.5 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks from eight games this season and is shooting 52.9 percent from the field, while his 24.3 PER ranks 12th in the league among qualified players.
The star big man is contracted until the end of the 2024/25 season for a total of over $120 million (AUD $185m)
Davis and LeBron James, 37, came off the Lakers’ books at the same time and both have player options for the 2024/25 campaign.
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