Sixers not interested in a Russell Westbrook-Ben Simmons trade

Jake Fischer: The only outgoing call I confirmed was to Philadelphia for Ben Simmons… When I got the information that they called about Ben, the conversation pretty much was, “We’re interested in Ben. How would we get there?” The obvious solution is Russell Westbrook. He’s not a player on that Sixers list that they have.
Source: Michael Scotto @ HoopsHype

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Oleh Kosel @OlehKosel
Betting odds on Ben Simmons’ next team if traded, per @betonline_ag
Trail Blazers: 7/4
Pacers: 2/1
Pelicans: 5/2
Knicks: 3/1
Celtics: 5/1
Lakers: 7/1
Nets: 10/1
Raptors: 10/1
Pistons: 12/1
Timberwolves: 12/1
Kings: 14/1
Cavaliers: 16/1 – 2:44 PM Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Is Russell Westbrook a good fit for the Lakers?
ESPN/ABC Analyst Jeff Van Gundy tells @TermineRadio & @Eddie Johnson why you shouldn’t jump to conclusions on this summer’s blockbuster deal. #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/6Yl0RXxB58 – 2:15 PM Quinton Mayo @RealQuintonMayo
What about Ben Simmons in Atlanta? – 1:58 PM Bob Garcia @bgarciaivsports
Could the #Lakers be no longer sold on Russell Westbrook?
#NBA
sportscasting.com/lakers-no-long… – 1:06 PM Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Fresh odds have surfaced on Ben Simmons regarding his next team. The Lakers are rumored to be interested in Simmons, but 5 teams have better odds, according to @betonline_ag:
FAVORITE – Blazers: 7/4
Pacers: 2/1
Pelicans: 5/2
Knicks: 3/1
Celtics: 5/1
LAKERS: 7/1 – 12:59 PM Jordan Schultz @Schultz_Report
#Sixers have received an influx of calls for Ben Simmons to get a jump on today, league sources say. One GM I spoke with remains pessimistic any deal gets done. “Daryl is asking for the moon. I’m not sure he even wants to trade him right now.” – 12:02 PM Matt Williams @StatsWilliams
Kevin Durant is averaging 42.5 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in his last 2 games.
Over the last 40 years, the only other players to average a 40-point triple-double over a 2-game span are:
James Harden
Russell Westbrook
Michael Jordan – 11:07 AM Jon Hamm @JonMHamm
Kevin Durant Russell Westbrook
🤝
Publicly telling people they do not like them – 11:03 AM Michael Scotto @MikeAScotto
Sources: Pelicans discussed trading future first-round picks and pick swaps for Ben Simmons, I’m told.
More on the NBA trade market, including Jaylen Brown, Ben Simmons, Russell Westbrook, Jerami Grant and more with @Jake Fischer on the @Jorge Sierra podcast hoopshype.com/lists/nba-trad… – 11:01 AM Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
While more players are now trade-eligible, the #Sixers still don’t have a swift solution to the Ben Simmons saga inquirer.com/sixers/76ers-b… via @phillyinquirer – 10:48 AM Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA
ICYMI, today is December 15th, when a good portion of the league becomes trade eligible. As a result, the Ben Simmons discussions are, reportedly, heating up
Should you expect something to happen immediately? I have my doubts, which I explained on Monday: dailysix.com/sixers-week-in… – 10:28 AM Serena Winters @SerenaWinters
The 𝑢𝑛𝑜𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 start to NBA trade season has officially begun!
@Derek Bodner joins me!
🏀Who would make a good trade partner?
🏀Best/worst case Ben Simmons scenarios
🏀Maximizing Maxey
🎧 on 🍎: https://t.co/I8J6eWkFmX
Everywhere else: https://t.co/JTqtPprnV1 pic.twitter.com/9Ls9TMGcJQ – 9:50 AM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Kevin Durant last night:
34 PTS
13 REB
11 AST
Durant is the fourth player since the ABA-NBA merger to average a 40-point triple-double over a two-game span.
He joins Michael Jordan, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden. Westbrook and Harden have done so multiple times. pic.twitter.com/9WuFs9Rstd – 9:01 AM Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
For the sickos who like to watch, Tuesday’s @LockedOnLakers podcast, Youtube version. Among the topics, the Lakers have been linked to trade talk w/Ben Simmons and Jerami Grant. Are either realistic scenarios? @LockedOnNetwork @LockedOnNBAPods
youtu.be/RlkJKiKgnVI?t=… – 7:21 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Sixers injury report for Wednesday vs. Heat:
Questionable
Seth Curry, Right shoulder soreness
Joel Embiid, Rib soreness
Out
Aaron Henry, G League
Paul Reed, G League
Grant Riller, Right shoulder soreness
Ben Simmons, Personal Reasons
Jaden, Springer, Concussion protocol – 5:34 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
The Lakers gave up so much to get Russell Westbrook, both in the deal itself and through the way they managed free agency afterward, that I don’t think there’d be much point in trading him for anything but Ben Simmons. They can’t get back the defense and depth they’ve lost. – 12:10 PM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Nikola Jokic last night:
28 PTS
19 REB
9 AST
3 STL
Jokic has recorded at least 15p/10r/5a in each of his last 10 games.
The only other player since the ABA-NBA merger to record at least 10 such games in a row is Russell Westbrook (13). pic.twitter.com/LK0LOjOn8B – 9:01 AM Gary Washburn @GwashburnGlobe
Udoka said he showed his team video of the 5-game road trip were guys like D. Mitchell, LeBron and Westbrook were driving lanes unimpeded and his team needed to be more physical. Said he showed Tatum what he said to young Kawhi about not respecting the opponent too much. #Celtics – 10:18 PM Jay King @ByJayKing
Ime Udoka said the Celtics showed film of Russell Westbrook flexing, LeBron James going down the lane while Boston players basically walked the other way. He said the film session from the road trip had more than 100 clips. Celtics wanted to get back to defensive identity. – 10:11 PM StatMuse @statmuse

Shiv: Westbrook
Tom: Kawhi
Logan: PG pic.twitter.com/DstczNQTWT – 3:48 PM Bill Oram @billoram
Russell Westbrook heads to the locker room with a pretty good limp after that collision at the rim. Lakers trail 52-49. LeBron with 11 points, 7 rebounds. – 10:38 PM Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
A LeBron putback of a Westbrook miss was the final bucket of the first half, as LAL trail 52-49.
Lakers were out-boarded 24-20, including 6-3 on the offensive glass, and shot 43.2% overall. – 10:37 PM

More on this storyline

The trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook simply hasn’t blended as well as Lakers figures hoped, and Los Angeles has held internal discussions on trade scenarios for Russell Westbrook, league sources told B/R. But moving Westbrook and the two years, $91 million remaining on his contract does seem unlikely. -via Bleacher Report / December 14, 2021 Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio’s salaries would match Westbrook’s pricey deal, reuniting James with a former championship counterpart. But that structure would have little interest from the Cavaliers’ side and has not yet been discussed by the two teams, sources said. Outside of Love’s large number, there are simply few players aside from John Wall, for whom Westbrook was traded to Washington last summer, who are available for trade and come close to Westbrook’s earnings. -via Bleacher Report / December 14, 2021 The Wizards’ decision to trade Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason may have been in the best interest of the star point guard, but Washington GM Tommy Sheppard attests that Westbrook was “professional” and never demanded a trade from the team. “I really have to make sure the record is straight on that,” Sheppard said in an interview with NBC Sports Washington’s Chris Miller. “Russell actually never asked to move on. He just said, ‘If I can get to the Lakers, that’d be something I would love to do. If not, I’ll be back here.’ I said, ‘What about the Clippers?’ He said, ‘Hell no.’ So Russell was happy being here and we were very grateful for him being here.” -via NBC Sports / September 29, 2021