Third Wheel: How the Cavs could be part of a Ben Simmons trade

Many of the dominant storylines in the NBA this season have had nothing to do with the play on the court. COVID outbreaks, vaccine mandates and part-time players have all been top of mind. So also has been the status of Ben Simmons.

The Philadelphia 76ers are adamant they will trade Simmons only for a high-level package, and are currently posturing that they will wait until this summer. Simmons is equally dug into never playing for Philadelphia again. We have covered the idea of Cleveland trading for Simmons, which is a topic sure to get Cavs fans riled up — as with the fan base of any team; Simmons is an incredibly polarizing player.

Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers continue their trade dance. Could the Cavs be the third wheel in a Simmons trade?

Yet if and when a Simmons trade goes down, the Cavs don’t have to choose between sitting out and trying to fit Simmons onto their roster. Instead they can take another option and become the “third wheel” in a Simmons trade. That is, they can jump in to facilitate the deal without sending Simmons out or taking him in.

How might that happen? Let’s look at three different ways the Cavs could jump into a Simmons trade, starting with the roadmap the team wrote a year ago when they leapt into a different star trade and brought home an excellent return.