NBA Analyst Wants to See Ben Simmons Traded for Zach LaVine

Since the beginning of the Ben Simmons trade talks, one thing has remained constant. Daryl Morey expects an All-Star caliber player or a massive haul of draft

Since the beginning of the Ben Simmons trade talks, one thing has remained constant. Daryl Morey expects an All-Star caliber player or a massive haul of draft picks in return for the 25-year-old. 

This steep asking price has narrowed down the list of teams Morey will entertain calls from. At this point, all signs point towards the Sixers' front office waiting for one specific star to become available. 

Before Team USA left for the Olympics, all eyes were on Damian Lillard. Multiple reports indicated that the All-Star guard was close to requesting a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers. Now that the games have concluded in Tokyo, the rumor mill will be back in full swing. 

While many have discussed what it would take to get Lillard in Philadelphia, one longtime NBA analyst thinks the Sixers should be eyeing a different All-Star. 

On the latest episode of The Bill Simmons podcast, Simmons gave his thoughts on what the Sixers will end up doing with their former number one pick. He suggested a scenario that sends Simmons to Chicago in exchange for Zach LaVine. 

"I feel like he's a really nice fit with Philly. I think that trade makes sense," said Simmons in regards to LaVine. 

LaVine fits the All-Star criteria, making his first appearance this past season. The 25-year-old posted career-highs across the board for the Bulls, including an incredible 27.4 points per game. 

From a fit standpoint, swapping LaVine and Simmons fixes some of the offensive issues that hurt the team in the postseason. This is an interesting trade to speculate on but is not one that seems realistic. 

The Chicago Bulls just completely revamped the roster in free agency, it is unlikely they trade their star player. LaVine is also in the last year of his contract. Morey will not move on from a player like Simmons for a possible rental. 

Morey continues to show great patience throughout this Simmons saga. He is not going to make his move until the right deal emerges.

Kevin McCormick covers the Philadelphia 76ers for South Jersey's 97.3 ESPN and Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @KevinMcCNBA.