The Cleveland Cavaliers' victory over the Golden State Warriors in the previous season had been one of the most celebrated championship games in NBA history. With LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love leading the JR Smith squad, the basketball community was stunned as they beat Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green despite the 3-1 lead of the latter. However, the addition of Kevin Durant in the Dub Nation has instilled uncertainty in the Tristan Thompson team. How will they cope?
Earlier this NBA season, one of the most sought after basketball stars was Ben Simmons. After reportedly engaing in rigorous talks involving the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets, the rookie was eventually drafted to the Philadelphia 76ers to join Jahlil Okafor. However, his first year in the NBA came to an abrupt halt due to injuries - the same concerns that hounded the Sixers with Joel Embiid.
"He's heartbroken. He wants to play, be out there. It's eating him alive, I'm sure," shared Bryan Colangelo of the Ben Simmons injury concerns. The Sixers GM further commented, "It's not the way you want to start your career, but it happens."
The Australian rookie went through a minor surgery to heal his right foot. The procedure involved injecting a bone marrow to the injured body part to "stimulate bone growth" and help him heal faster. The injury, called Jones fracture of his fifth metatarsal, has Ben Simmons benched for the rest of the NBA season.
Rumors are rife that the Sixers could be open to a Ben Simmons trade. After losing years to the Joel Embiid injury problems, the Jahlil Okafor team is reportedly wary of having yet another star player sitting out games. While Ben Simmons is undoubtedly a talented star, the Philadelphia 76ers are running out of time. Speculations indicate that since they are filled to the brim with talented young stars, their goal might focus on signing veterans to lead and guide the team. At this point though, no official comment has been given by the parties tagged in this NBA trade rumor.
Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers are filled with veterans. Although LeBron James signed a massive deal with them, the Kyrie Irving team has to focus on the future of the roster. This means slowly bringing in fresh talent that would eventually take over - pretty much the same strategy used by the San Antonio Spurs when Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili already started showing signs of aging and injuries.
