Spurs Rumors: Shams Charania Provides Update on Ben Simmons Interest

If the San Antonio Spurs still have interest in acquiring Ben Simmons from the Philadelphia 76ers, they're not showing their hand publicly.

According to a Monday morning report (subscription required) from The Athletic's Shams Charania, the following are among the teams interested in Simmons: The Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Notably absent from the list was the San Antonio Spurs, who have been linked to the three-time NBA All-Star guard in the past. It's no secret that Head Coach Gregg Popovich is a fan of Simmons' game, and the latest chatter that Ben would welcome a chance to play for him only added to the rumor mill.

Does This Rule the San Antonio Spurs out of the Ben Simmons Sweepstakes?

It's important to note the verbiage Shams uses in his report here. By saying "among the teams interested", he still leaves the door open to add other teams to the mix, which I expect to happen starting on Wednesday. December 15th marks when over 100 newly-signed NBA players can officially be traded, including five San Antonio Spurs.

The report seems to me like a way to generate interest from readers and other NBA media, as Charania basically lists two of the biggets markets, Los Angeles and New York, as having interest "among other teams", which could be any or all of the remaining 23.

Personally, I don't feel like the Spurs are in any rush to package several future assets and young developing talent in their first true year of a rebuild. They also have been allergic to the in-season trade for as long as I can remember.

But hey, anything can happen. I think just about any player in the league would be thrilled to unlock their fullest potential under a coach like Popovich. Simmons would instantly become the Spurs' most accomplished and best player and likely catapult them into the playoff picture earlier than expected.

According to Shams, the 76ers are asking for an All-Star-caliber player and/or multiple first-round draft picks for Simmons. The Spurs don't have any current All-Stars, but it could be argued that Derrick White is approaching All-Star-caliber status while Dejounte Murray is already there.

Would San Antonio be willing to break up their dynamic backcourt so early in their tenure as the top two options on the team? That remains to be seen.