One contender reportedly out of Ben Simmons trade race

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It feels like not a day goes by this summer without a new wrinkle in the Ben Simmons extravaganza, and we've got another one.

The 25-year-old All-Star is reportedly on the table in trade talks with teams around the league by the Sixers' front office as President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey looks to put Joel Embiid in the best situation to win a championship while he's at his MVP-level peak.

Fans and NBA experts alike have come up with lists - some speculative, some based on reporting - of potential Simmons destinations, but it sounds like we can take one off those lists.

The San Francisco Chronicle's Connor Letourneau reported Friday evening that Simmons is unlikely to land with one Western Conference contender: the Golden State Warriors.

Here's what Letourneau reported:

"Simmons, the only All-Star known to be shopped by his tea, is also unlikely to land with the Warriors. The 76ers are asking for a massive haul that includes an All-Star-level player. Per a league source, Golden State wouldn't be willing to give up what it would take to get Simmons."

Okay then! Barring some huge change, it sounds like we can go ahead and strike the Warriors off the list of potential Simmons destinations. 

Simmons has been linked to the Warriors in a possible swap for years now, in large part because surrounding him with shooters is a winning scenario.

But the Warriors only have two All-Star-level players on their team in Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. They're not trading the face of the franchise in Curry, and parting ways with Thompson after he struggled through so many injury-related roadblocks to come back ready for another title run would both be bad optics for the Warriors organization and just not worth it. Thompson may be 31 and coming off a major injury, but he's one of the greatest shooters of all-time and was also a top-tier defender. 

Thompson would be a glorious fit on the Sixers, but it's just not happening, and any other trade package would be based around Andrew Wiggins (no thanks!) and a bevy of draft picks (not interested!) so this is just a no-go all around.

The most likely Simmons destinations still feel like Portland, either in a C.J. McCollum or Damian Lillard swap; Sacramento, in a DeAaron Fox swap; the Pacers, in a Malcolm Brogdon-and-more deal; or perhaps the Raptors, in a sign-and-trade Kyle Lowry situation.

There is, of course, the possibility that Simmons returns next year and the Sixers try to improve around the fringes as they gear up for another playoff run with their core intact. Fans might not love that answer, but it sounds like Morey wants to get value in return for a player like Simmons (he's right to do so) and so, come October, the guy might still be around. We shall see!

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