It was just over 15 months ago when Houston’s trade talks involving disgruntled star James Harden reached a boil, and a package from Philadelphia involving young All-Star Ben Simmons was a finalist. Clearly, the Rockets had at least some level of interest in January 2021.
Now, as the calendar turns to May 2022, is that still the case?
Today, there are certainly reasons for the Rockets and other teams to have less interest. After all, Simmons didn’t play in a single game during the 2021-22 season due reportedly to a combination of mental issues and a longstanding back injury. That adds considerable uncertainty to his future projections. On the other hand, Simmons is still only 25 years old and, on paper, still has his NBA prime years in front of him. While interest in Simmons is down, there’s a case to be made that it shouldn’t be zero.
