Ben Simmons and Russell Westbrook are two of the best free agents available in the NBA market. But more than that, the decisions regarding the future of both are closely linked. While one does not decide on his new team, the other will remain waiting. According to Jake Fischer, from the website
Bleacher Report
, the Australian impasse “blocks” the market for players like the former league MVP.
“Ben is the player who can cause the most reactions in the market. I say this because his decision ‘keeps’ the situation of several free agents stable. Russell and
Malcolm Brogdon
, for example. He is the experienced goalkeeper that most teams lacking in this position aim for. That is why he has become the domino piece that several agents and players monitor closely,” said the journalist.
The information is not a surprise, as rumors surrounding the two athletes place them on similar paths. The main interested parties in Simmons would be the
New York Knicks
e o
Sacramento Kings
, just like in Westbrook. The 28-year-old athlete also received inquiries from
Boston Celtics
e
Phoenix Suns
In recent weeks. But Fischer believes that this list of interested parties is volatile and may change.
I think Phoenix makes less sense in the race for Ben after the signing of
Jordan Goodwin
. In turn, Boston has a somewhat uncertain situation as it is still considering trades with
Anfernee Simons
e
Georges Niang
. But there are also other open positions in the league. The Golden State Warriors, for now, is still looking for a veteran guard as well,” speculated the NBA market expert.
Ben Simmons
, as well as
Russell Westbrook
, it will not stay in the team that defended in the previous season. But the issue goes beyond that. In the case of the Australian, in particular, there has never been a sign of interest in renewing the contract. The
Los Angeles Clippers
It was not an option for the sequence of his career since the beginning of the agency. According to Law Murray, from the website
The Athletic
, this did not surprise anyone.
“Ben was part of the team’s rotation at the beginning of the playoffs, but he was already out before the elimination. Therefore, everyone assumed he would have better offers from other teams once the market reopened. Moreover, I know he is looking at teams with available salary exceptions. In other words, he doesn’t want to sign just for the minimum salary,” said the team’s reporter.
Simmons, who is a point guard by position, served as the reserve center for the Clippers during the last season. This gap is no longer present in the roster. The Californians have already signed with
Brook Lopez
to be the new substitute of
Ivica Zubac
. And the time has still acquired the power forward
John Collins
– which can play in the position – in exchange at the beginning of this month.
The case of Russell Westbrook, at first, is a bit different from Ben Simmons because he had the chance to continue in
Denver Nuggets
. The veteran declined a guaranteed salary of $3.4 million to test the market. After all, was this a good decision by the 36-year-old captain? For Michael Scotto, from the website
HoopsHype
, the panorama is more revealing than it seems.
“The way Russell’s time in Denver ended was certainly interesting. He was well praised by everyone in the organization. He just left because of his own decision, as he didn’t want to exercise an extension option on his contract. But when someone makes this kind of decision, the tendency is that they already have something in place elsewhere. Russell, as we are seeing, did not,” pointed out Scotto.
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