NBA Rumors: Miami Heat Target Ben Simmons Contract; Hassan Whiteside, Justise Winslow Want Sixers Big Man

By Mitch de Leon
2016 NBA Draft
New York, NY, USA; Ben Simmons (LSU) reacts as he walks off stage after being selected as the number one overall pick to the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat are in a roster rebuilding mode in the past weeks especially in light of the Dwyane Wade exit. Without LeBron James and possibly Chris Bosh, not to mention their failure to win the Kevin Durant free agency campaign, the Hassan Whiteside squad is headed to another era. However, it looks like they lack one thing - a franchise face. While the NBA team bulk up their roster, Pat Riley is said to be targeting a Ben Simmons trade to bring home to the Miami Heat its very own Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan or Carmelo Anthony.

The first-round pick of the Philadelphia 76ers is one of the most exciting rookies in the NBA today. With training camp in full steam, Ben Simmons has been recently given a remarkable praise by basketball fans. According to the observers of the games, the Philadelphia 76ers star is the rookie version of the great LeBron James. With this in mind, it comes as no surprise that Pat Riley is eager to sign the Australian basketball phenomenon.

At the moment, Ben Simmons is serving as an inspiration to the rest of the Philadelphia 76ers squad. Due to the abundance of centers in the group, composed of Jahlil Okafor, Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid, it is a good move for the NBA team to explore the versatility of the Australian star. In his training, it looks like Ben Simmons will also be expected to work as a point guard for the Sixers.

"I can't wait for the season to begin and all over the place I'm very, very excited to start our season," Brett Brown shared. The Philadelphia 76ers coach added, "I think [Simmons] is going to have some taste of [point guard] for sure. He'll dictate that himself when he rebounds and leads the break. I've said it many times, I think the NBA point guard is the hardest position in the NBA."

Brown further noted of Ben Simmons, "He's going to be a facilitator. You're going to see [Simmons] making plays. The ball will be in his hands and you can call what position you want. He's certainly going to have the ball in his hands a lot, and everybody will certainly be reaping the benefits of that and truly enjoy playing with him. What we will say is we will give him the ball as much as we can."

A Ben Simmons trade would be an ideal move to splurge on especially since the Miami Heat just lost its Big Three in Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James. Moreover, the fact that the Hassan Whiteside team is the same basketball squad that earned the now Cleveland Cavaliers leader his three championship rings should serve as an incentive for the Philadelphia 76ers rookie. At this point though, no official comment has been released by any of the parties involved in this NBA trade rumor.

What do you think? Should the Miami Heat make a move to execute a Ben Simmons trade? Will the Philadelphia 76ers give up their rookie? Is Ben Simmons truly the next LeBron James of the NBA?

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