Sixers Reportedly Have ZERO Interest in Taking Russell Westbrook Back in Ben Simmons Trade

Russell Westbrook isn’t going anywhere, at least not to the Sixers.

If the Sixers don’t want Russell Westbrook, a Ben Simmons trade isn’t in the cards for the Lakers.

According to a report Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report on “The Anthony Irwin Show,” Westbrook isn’t on the list of players the Sixers would take back for Ben Simmons, and without Westbrook’s salary, the Lakers can’t acquire Simmons:

“What I was told is that the Lakers called Philly and they said ‘we’re interested in Ben.’ … It was a short conversation, being that to get there the only salary numbers that could match Ben Simmons’ own expensive salary is AD, or LeBron, or Russ’. THT and Kendrick Nunn and a bunch of minimums aren’t getting there. Like literally, the only way of getting there contractually is to put in Russell Westbrook. And he’s just not a player (the Sixers want).

“The Sixers have a literal, tangible (list). I don’t know how long it is, but somewhere between 20 and 30 players that they would take back for Ben Simmons. They do. And Damian Lillard is on it, James Harden is on it, and Bradley Beal is on it, and Jaylen Brown is on it, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is on it, you can think of the other guys that are on there but not becoming available … I know that they have these All-Stars that they want, and Russell Westbrook is not one of those guys.”

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The Sixers have a ‘tangible’ list of 20-30 players they’d take back for Ben Simmons, per @JakeLFischer

“Damian Lillard is on it, James Harden is on it, and Bradley Beal is on it, and Jaylen Brown is on it, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is on it.”

(Via The Anthony Irwin Show) pic.twitter.com/vxowhQin7r

— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) December 30, 2021

Westbrook is owed $44.2 million this season and $47 million next season, and if they can get him off the books, even knowing that Simmons hasn’t played since May, it would be a win.

Both teams are most likely stuck with their guys.

For now.

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