Australian basketball star Ben Simmons has been linked with a shock trade from the Brooklyn Nets to the Golden State Warriors.
According to NBA insider Sean Wright, the two franchises have “held trade discussions” over a deal that would land Simmons at the Warriors.
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Although a prospective trade is “not close”, Wright claims “the framework for the deal is favoured” by the Warriors given Simmons is in the last year of his $AUD60.4 million deal with the Nets.
Simmons has struggled with playing time ever since his move away from the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 28-year-old has played just 57 games for the Nets in the past three seasons due to injury and mental health-related absences.
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In the 23/24 season, Simmons averaged 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists across the 15 games he appeared in.
Brooklyn have also indicated they are looking towards the future given they traded Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks in return for a whopping five first round picks as well as Bojan Bogdanovic.
Should Simmons move to the Warriors, he would link up with superstar duo Steph Curry and Draymond Green and work under coach Steve Kerr.
Despite the Warriors’ star power they are not the force they once were, finishing 10th in the Western Conference last season and crashing out of the play-in tournament in a 118-94 loss to the Sacramento Kings.