San Antonio Spurs: Dissecting latest Ben Simmons rumors

Rumors about the biggest name surrounding the San Antonio Spurs all summer long still aren't going away. With limited trade options and the season drawing closer, the Philadelphia 76ers are still at the center of various trade scenarios involving Ben Simmons.

So far, actual concrete information regarding a potential blockbuster deal landing the three-time NBA All-Star in the Alamo City has been minimal at best. The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor is a source I trust, and he had a bit to say about interactions between the Spurs and Sixers last month. In short, Daryl Morey wanted a haul in return for his point guard, which San Antonio politely declined.

Other than that, most Ben Simmons rumors have been ridiculous trade ideas, aggregated rumors that Dejounte Murray himself laughed off, and speculation via unnamed sources. The latest information from Bleacher Report appears to be more of the latter.

On Tuesday, Jake Fischer brought up the San Antonio Spurs as perhaps "the most interesting potential trade partner" for Simmons. "There is a faction of the Spurs front office rumored to strongly covet Simmons," says Fischer.

Neither of these statements is hard to believe. I mean, the Sixers have limited options at this point and Simmons is very much an all-world defensive talent, so he should be coveted.

The article then talks about how Gregg Popovich has a history of bringing in Australian talent and how Chip Engelland's world-class shooting coaching can help Simmons. Both true, I suppose, but more just commentary than anything that actually moves the trade needle forward.

The Bleacher Report article then says San Antonio was open to discussing trading Dejounte Murray and Lonnie Walker before the NBA Draft "according to sources." This is certainly possible but I haven't quite found Bleacher Report as a reliable direct source yet.

By the end of the article, Fischer admits Simmons is likely sticking around Philadelphia for the time being, with their ultimate decision likely waiting until Damian Lillard decides what he wants to do.

All in all, we're not really any further into a potential trade between the 76ers and Spurs than we were at the start of the summer. Daryl Morey's need for a King's Ransom in return for his disgruntled star will likely diminish as the season begins, however, so don't be surprised if the rumors continue for the next few months.