Hawks an option for Ben Simmons?

The Atlanta Hawks, meanwhile, have emerged as a new Simmons suitor to watch, sources say, as last season’s Eastern Conference Cinderellas slide farther and farther away from the levels they reached during an unexpected run to the conference finals. The Hawks awoke Monday, courtesy of a 2-4 road trip, marooned in 12th in the East at 17-22 and down to No. 27 leaguewide in defense rating.
Source: Marc Stein @ marcstein.substack.com

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
The Hawks have popped up in connection to Ben Simmons multiple times over the last week, so I took a look at their fit as a potential Sixers trade partner phillyvoice.com/sixers-nba-tra… – 2:38 PM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
The NBA Trade Deadline is exactly one month away. So let’s start the new week like we ended last week: With more reporting and analysis of the Ben Simmons situation in Philadelphia.
Monday column: marcstein.substack.com/p/more-on-the-… – 11:28 AM Jon Hamm @JonMHamm
I’m generally pretty skeptical of any trade rumors that get reported, but I trust absolutely zero Ben Simmons rumors. – 11:09 AM Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
“If I’m a Philadelphia fan, I’d be pissed.”
@TheNBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts tells @Rick Kamla and @adaniels33 she would like the Sixers to do more to resolve the Ben Simmons situation. pic.twitter.com/x3bN1avBL3 – 7:25 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
In part 2 of my sit down with Danny Green, he talked to me about which of his 3 titles is his favorite, we talked Joel Embiid and Tim Duncan, what makes Ben Simmons so good, and the maturation process of LeBron James #Sixers sixerswire.usatoday.com/lists/danny-gr… via @SixersWire – 10:37 AM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
NBA trade season has arrived: marcstein.substack.com/p/trade-season…
My latest This Week In Basketball column covers:
🏀 The Sixers holding onto hope they can convince Ben Simmons to play for them this season.
🏀 The Hawks as a Simmons suitor to watch.
🏀 More around-the-league chatter. – 7:57 PM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#Sixers column: What would be a realistic return for Ben Simmons by the Feb. 10 trade deadline? And what are the chances something happens? https://t.co/xcTTHfAeid #NBA pic.twitter.com/cP2B0ughfE – 4:25 PM Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Sixers “number 1 goal” still to convince Ben Simmons to re-join the team
sportando.basketball/en/sixers-numb… – 6:11 AM Dave Early @DavidEarly
Damian Lillard would love to play with Ben Simmons.
Ben Simmons would love to play for any team but his.
The Sixers love Ben Simmons more than any other team.
The Sixers love Dame.
Dame loves Portland.
The maddening love triangle we can all relate to. – 1:25 AM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
The Atlanta Hawks would benefit greatly from a guy like Ben Simmons in all honesty. Their defense is atrocious. – 12:27 AM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
The Sixers’ foremost aim, some 30 days away from the trade deadline, remains trying to convince Ben Simmons to come back and play for them this season, league sources say.
This and many other elements of the NBA’s latest trade scuttle all explained here: marcstein.substack.com/p/trade-season… – 3:48 PM Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
I was chewing on this thought this morning and just decided to write about it — I don’t think it actually matters if the Sixers trade Ben Simmons this year or not (plus some trade intel) phillyvoice.com/sixers-ben-sim… – 2:36 PM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
This Week In Basketball: My around-the-league Weekend dime-dropping notes column details the latest on the Ben Simmons front and a new potential Simmons suitor and LOTS more trade scuttle as we inch closer to the Feb. 10 deadline.
It’s all one click away: marcstein.substack.com/p/trade-season… – 1:28 PM

More on this storyline

One source close to the situation insisted to me over the weekend that the Sixers have little-to-no hope of success if their intent is to let the trade deadline pass without dealing Simmons and then try to lobby him to rejoin the squad for the regular season’s stretch run as well as the postseason. While still listed as out game after game for personal reasons while focusing on his mental health, Simmons is said to be holding firm on his pledge to never again wear the uniform of the team that selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. -via marcstein.substack.com / January 10, 2022 The Sixers continue to regard the hard-for-outsiders-to-fathom prospect of convincing Ben Simmons to come back to the team this season as their “goal No. 1,” according to a source familiar with Philadelphia’s thinking. -via marcstein.substack.com / January 10, 2022 The Knicks have internally discussed pathways to landing Ben Simmons, but New York has never phoned Sixers brass regarding any potential deal structure, league sources told B/R. It is difficult to imagine a direct scenario where the Knicks could meet Philadelphia’s lofty asking price of a top-tier player without including a third team. -via Bleacher Report / January 8, 2022