Ben Simmons Trade Rumors: Malcolm Brogdon Drawing Interest from 76ers in Pacers Talks

The Philadelphia 76ers “inquired” about Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon as they look to potentially move Ben Simmons, according to NBA insider Jordan Schultz.

SNY’s Ian Begley reported Tuesday that Pacers guard Caris LeVert had also been mentioned in preliminary discussions between the two teams.

On The Jump, Brian Windhorst of ESPN cited the Pacers as a “sleeper team” for Simmons.

Whereas Indiana doesn’t have a singular star (Damian Lillard, for example) who could easily tempt Philadelphia, the team can offer an enticing overall package.

The Pacers have all of their first-round draft picks for the foreseeable future, and they could pair multiple picks with some combination of Brogdon, LeVert, Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner and T.J. Warren.

Appearing on The Lowe Post, ESPN’s Bobby Marks said Oct. 18 could be an important date for Indiana’s front office to signal its intentions.

“That’s the last day for players like and [LeVert] to get extended because they’ve got two years left on their contract,” he said at the 52:23 mark. “Once they get extended, they’re off the board if that’s in place.”

If the Pacers and Sixers were to get something done, then Brogdon would almost have to be involved because he’s such a good fit in Philadelphia.

The 28-year-old averaged 21.2 points, 5.9 assists and 0.9 steals in 2020-21. He also shot 45.3 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Brogdon would help cover for the playmaking the Sixers would lose with Simmons (6.9 assists) while giving them a scorer who can find his own shot when games get tight in the postseason.

The Athletic’s David Aldridge reported in August that Philadelphia was looking for “control of at least four future first-round picks via direct trade or pick swaps, along with an All-Star-level player in most (but not all) scenarios.”

The absence of a Simmons trade leads one to believe the asking price remains either the same or somewhat similar. Should the Sixers’ resolve wane, the Pacers could be their best trading partner.