Option No. 2: Ben Simmons, Brooklyn Nets
Simmons recently gave an interview in which he repeated the same old offseason story: he’s been working hard on his game, has been getting healthy and is ready to make an impact this year.
We’ve heard that story before.
Still, the former NBA Rookie of the Year and two-time All-Defense player has talent in there somewhere. Whether that will ever resurface is a real question, but for a team like the Blazers who aren’t planning on winning anytime soon, it could be worth taking a flier on a player such as Simmons in the off chance he does rediscover some of that form.
His skill set would be perfect in Portland, too, as a big, athletic defender, ball handler and willing passer. Those attributes would all cover for what Henderson, Simons and Sharpe all lack.
The Nets, meanwhile, would be swapping a potentially useless and expensive player for another expensive player, but one that would definitely serve a purpose on an ascending team. Adding Grant to three-and-D wings Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson could make Brooklyn deeper and even more versatile as it continues to push its way up the Eastern Conference.