“Steph will save his career”: Warriors nearly leading race to land Ben Simmons in offseason leaves NBA fans stunned 

Fans have reacted to the likelihood of Brooklyn Nets guard-forward Ben Simmons getting shipped out of the team following this season. The series of injuries he's experienced, paired with his decline in production, has led the team to consider this option, sources say. With that, Simmons also commands a $40 million salary for next season, which the Nets might be unwilling to pay.

Simmons has been shut down for the rest of the season as he continues to deal with a back injury. He's only played 15 games this season, averaging 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists. With his decline and injuries, there have been speculations that the Nets could trade him this summer or even consider buying out his contract.

For the option where Brooklyn trades the star, it could be difficult. Simmons isn't the All-Star he used to be and any team that's willing to trade for him will have to pay the final year of his deal, which amounts to $40 million.

In an interesting turn of events, the Golden State Warriors emerged as one of the top teams that could land the three-time All-Star. Leading the charge is the Minnesota Timberwolves.

This has surprised the fans, as no one expected the Warriors to be interested in trading for the Australian player. After all, the team is still looking to negotiate a new contract with Klay Thompson. Here is what fans had to say about the new possibility.

Nothing has been confirmed yet, and things could still change depending on the situation. For Simmons, his health is his priority before any team can even consider trading for him in the summer.

---

How can the Warriors trade for Ben Simmons?

Trading for Ben Simmons could be quite tricky. Just based on the financial side of things, most teams would hesitate to trade for him. Additionally, Simmons has never been healthy since he was traded from the Philadelphia 76ers.

Simmons' deal could demand two players from the Warriors. The two players outside of the team's Big 3 that could be traded for the former LSU star are Chris Paul and Kevon Looney. Paul is earning $30.8 million this season, and the same amount will be given to him next year. For Looney, he's earning $7.5 million this season. For the following campaign, the Warriors big man has a partial guaranteed contract of $8 million.

Trading for Simmons is a risky move as he isn't a star-caliber player anymore. The only option where the Warriors could benefit from acquiring the 27-year-old would be to sign him via free agency if he's bought out by the Nets.

Recommended Video

Guess the Lakers players!