MyBookie oddsmakers: Timberwolves are favored to land Ben Simmons

According to MyBookie oddsmakers, the Minnesota Timberwolves are favored to trade for Ben Simmons. The sportsbook is now displaying +225 odds, regarding the team trading for the 25-year-old point guard from the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sacramento Kings have the second-best odds (+400) of trading for the three-time All-Star, followed by the Golden State Warriors (+650) and Toronto Raptors (+900). The fourth-year player has more to prove.

In the 2020-21 NBA season, the guard averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game in 58 games played. Shooting-wise, Simmons finished last season with a field goal percentage of 55.7 percent, and he shot 30 percent from three-point range. Additionally, the guard ranked seventh in steals last season, averaging 1.6 per game. The 2016 first overall pick also ranked 10th for triple-doubles, with a total of four.

Among active players, Simmons ranks sixth overall (32) for triple-doubles and 13th all-time. Last season, his defensive rating was 106.1, ranking fifth in the league. On February 15, 2021, in the 76ers’ 134-123 loss against the Utah Jazz, Simmons ended his performance with a career-high 42 points and 12 assists. In the Eastern Conference Semifinals series versus the Atlanta Hawks, the guard averaged 9.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists.

Not only was Simmons selected to his third All-Star Game last season, he also earned his second All-Defensive First-Team selection of his career. On July 16, 2019, the guard signed a five-year, $169.65 million contract extension with the organization. He accumulated $30,559,200 last season and will earn $31.590 million in the upcoming 2021-22 season.

Timberwolves’ salary cap and Simmons’ preferred teams

Referencing cap space statistics, the Timberwolves have $7,196,414 available in luxury tax space. Plus, the total cap allocations amount is $169,387,321. Karl Anthony-Towns’ cap figure is $31,650,600, which consumes nearly 19 percent of the team’s total salary cap. His contract is the largest on the roster, and his guaranteed cash amount is $101,500,200. Then, D’Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley become notable factors as well.

New Minnesota general manager Gersson Rosas will find a way to make the plan succeed in their favor. After all, Rosas was the executive vice president of basketball operations for the Houston Rockets, where he worked for sixteen seasons under Daryl Morey, the 76ers current president of basketball operations.

Moreover, Simmons restated a few weeks ago that he prefers to play for a contender in California. This includes the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers. As stated in another article, in June, the guard bought a mansion for $17.5 million in Hidden Hills, California. So, he is serious about playing somewhere on the west coast.

Regarding Cleveland Cavaliers trade rumors, Lauri Markkanen was mentioned as a potential trade target for the 76ers, if the Cavaliers front office are still interested in trading for the Australian. Based on a number of different credible sources, the Cavs are continuing to pursue the young player. While the Cavs could trade for Simmons, the Timberwolves are favored, nonetheless.