How Ben Simmons Being Done With 76ers Impacts the Clippers

Ben Simmons has interest in playing in California.

The Ben Simmons saga is one that seems to be never-ending all offseason long. There have been reports of him not wanting to join the Sixers training camp for months, and Adrian Wojnarowski has finally made that statement official - Ben Simmons does not want to play another game for the Philadelphia 76ers.

There were prior reports about Ben Simmons wanting to play for a California team, such as the: Clippers, Warriors, Lakers, and Kings. Sources have confirmed to AllClippers that Ben Simmons does have interest in the Clippers, confirming Keith Pompey's report.

However, the biggest hiccup in any Ben Simmons deal has always been the asking price for him. The Sixers have always wanted too much, and it also felt like Morey was keeping Simmons just in case Damian Lillard were to leave the Portland Trail Blazers.

With the way things are heading for the Sixers and Ben Simmons, it seems like the organization won't be getting the asking price it's hoping for from one of the California teams. This creates the question that plagues every star in an unhappy situation: Does the organization trade him for the best value, or does the organization trade him in a place where he'll likely re-sign? The player empowerment era gives players the advantage in these situations because they can choose not to re-sign with the team that they're traded to, but in this situation, Ben Simmons has four years left on his contract.

The Clippers have two options to play out in this situation:

1. Do they wait for the lowest possible offer they can get for Ben Simmons?
2. Do they pull the trigger knowing that Simmons will likely go to one of their direct competitors in the Pacific Divison?

In all likelihood, the Clippers will not blow up their team in a hasty offer for Ben Simmons. Even if they trade for him, the team will only go as far as Kawhi Leonard's health will take them. The team does not have the assets to meet Morey's demands for Simmons, but they do have some leverage in knowing Ben Simmons does not want to play for the Sixers again. 

The Ben Simmons drama has certainly been an incredibly slow-burning one, but now the clock is definitely ticking.