Ben Simmons of the Nets was excluded from Damian Lillard’s negotiations with the Miami Heat, and the impasse persists

Author: Monojit Mandal

According to inside sources, the Brooklyn Nets have not yet had substantial talks involving Ben Simmons as part of a possible three-way deal with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Miami Heat, despite ongoing trade discussions involving Damian Lillard.

According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, nothing has been resolved between the Nets, Trail Blazers or Heat about including Simmons in the planned blockbuster deal that would send Lillard to Miami.

The issue is currently at an impasse. Lillard, who sought a trade with the Trail Blazers, has shown interest in joining the Heat. However, with few other clubs interested, Portland’s bargaining power has been weakened, and the Heat have yet to make an offer that meets the Trail Blazers’ expectations.

According to Aaron Fentress of the Oregonian, Miami’s offers to Portland didn’t come close to matching the kind of compensation acquired by the San Antonio Spurs for Dejounte Murray, which included three first-round picks and forward Danilo Gallinari.

To make Lillard’s possible move to Miami possible, it seems that a third club will need to be involved in the negotiation discussions.

Although there have been rumors that the Nets could explore acquiring Tyler Herro and include Simmons in the deal, Brooklyn’s top team is eager to see a healthy, three-time All-Star perform in a new environment.

Simmons’ big contract, which has around US$80 million remaining over the next two years, has also been difficult to negotiate.

Simmons’ value has diminished due to injuries and a lack of offensive aggression. Despite awards such as Rookie of the Year, three All-Star picks and two selections to the All-Defensive team, his recent performance has been underwhelming.

Simmons didn’t play a single game during the 2021-22 season and averaged a paltry 6.9 points in 42 games before being suspended. A possible change of scenery in Brooklyn, where he would be surrounded by guys like Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, could offer Simmons the opportunity to regain his previous form.

However, it seems that Simmons will not be included in any deal involving Lillard for the time being. The standoff between the parties involved continues as they search for an agreement that is acceptable to all concerned.