2 reasons why the Rockets won’t pull off Jalen Rose’s trade idea

2. The 76ers would be against the deal

To put it bluntly, this trade would be a disaster for Philly. There are several reasons as to why it would be a monumental mistake for Morey’s first move, the first of which being the fit between Russell Westbrook and Ben Simmons.

Philadelphia already has a versatile point guard who can score at an elite level. The Sixers almost certainly do not want two.

The two players are not identical in style, with Simmons being a lengthy defender and Russ being an athletic anomaly. But they are similar enough to grossly negate any positive impact of those differences.

Both players have been heavily criticized for their inability to shoot from the outside at an efficient level, and in an era where shooting is one of the most important aspects of play, the Sixers simply cannot afford to have these two on the same team.

Another reason the Sixers’ organization should stand in aggressive opposition to this trade revolves around their existing contracts. Westbrook’s contract would be yet another massive one for the Sixers to take in, joining the contracts of Tobias Harris and Al Horford, as they combine for over $60 million alone.

A straight up swap of Russ for Embiid is also not financially possible, as the salaries of each player are not close enough for the trade to happen. The Sixers would have to include other players with Embiid to land Russ, and with the idea of a swap already as ill-advised as it is, that is out of the question.

Next: No. 1