Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty ImagesThe NBA offseason will focus on Ben Simmons' future in Philadelphia, and whether or not the Sixers trade him.According to Darren Wolfson, 5 Eyewitness News, Minneapolis, the Minnesota Timberwolves are a team worth keeping an eye on if they decide to put him up for sale.I spoke with someone who knows Ben Simmons well and has a working knowledge of all things NBA. I sent a text to my friend asking how badly the Wolves wanted Ben Simmons traded. He replied with a message. It was one word: Very badly. It is clear that the Wolves are interested in Ben Simmons' trade.It is easy to see why Minnesota would want it. It has a Karl-Anthony Towns stretch-5 who would be more seamless with Simmons than Joel EmbiidKAT took 6.3 3s per game last season, shooting 38.7 % from deep, and a young, promising wing named Anthony Edwards.The Wolves could place four shooters around Simmons. Let him attack the basket and pass it to an open player or let KAT (or Edwards) create their own shot during crunch time. There is no denying that the fit is there.The larger question is how much return it might bring in. While a straight-up Simmons-for D'Angelo Russell deal would make financial sense, it wouldn't make any sense for Philly. Russell is a more skilled and willing scorer than Simmons, and could be used to run the pick-and roll with Embiid. A half-court upgrade would bring some relief after Simmons' inability to shoot the ball during the fourth quarter of these playoffs.Russell isn’t a player that can upgrade his passer skills and he’s not likely to be the elite perimeter player the Sixers need to consistently create their shot deep in the playoffs. He's also a drastic drop-off in defensive efficiency from Simmons.
