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Golden State Warriors Owner Rules Out Ben Simmons as a Potential Teammate of Steph Curry

Published 09/22/2021, 2:00 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

The Warriors have tons of potential and the last season was its proof. They pulled some heroic stuff with a shorthanded squad and almost entered the playoffs. But with the WC getting more and more competitive, merely entering the postseason is all they can hope for if their roster does not match with other units.

This is where Ben Simmons comes into the picture. After what happened with the star point guard and his controversy with the Sixers, the GSW could’ve taken advantage of it. However, as far as their owner is concerned, that trade is now off the books.

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Warriors not interested in the trade for Ben Simmons

As per the latest interview, Warriors owner Joe Lacob sees no benefit in the acquisition of Ben Simmons. While the 3x All-Star can help the Bay Area with dependable defense, decent transition play, and playmaking, the GSW finds more doubts than worth in Ben.

The 65-YO detailed, “Hopefully, this year, we’ll compete for a championship. I think we should. Over the next 4-5 years, I think we should continue that and have a second great decade in a row.”

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Now, if they wanted to add Ben, they could’ve done it in several ways. The GSW could’ve cut Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole with a couple of future picks. Or they could’ve thrown James Wiseman or any of their rookies into the mix, too. However, they opted against that and saved some luxury tax too.

As Joe added, “We like having three lottery picks to develop while we’ve got our guys still playing at a high level. I just think it’s a really nice position to be in.”

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Which other reasons kept GSW from acquiring the Sixers player?

Apart from Ben’s ability to stay clutch and deliver under pressure, he is also extremely expensive. The Warriors have already shelled out $215 million towards Steph Curry and they’re heading towards $350 million in tax this year. This ‘repeater tax’ can prove detrimental if they make even one big blunder. 

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via Imago

They’ve already failed to get their hands on Quinn Cook and Bradley Beal, among others. So now, they’d rather build around the rookies, the entrants in Nemanja Bjelica & Otto Porter Jr., and trust their old trio (plus Andre Iguodala). 

As the part-owner described best, “To go and get another star… You can’t do it. It’s just not doable. It’s just not a doable thing. We’re trying to do everything we possibly can to win. The numbers explode because of the salary-cap process, the luxury-tax tax, and the multipliers… You can’t just manufacture it out of thin air.”

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So now, Ben Simmons to GSW is out of the rumor rail. Do you see this as a wise choice from the Dubs Nation? Help us know what you think in the comments below.

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Written by:

Sourabh Singh

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Sourabh Singh is an NBA sports analyst for EssentiallySports, who has been working with the site since May 2020. Prior to this, he functioned as Managing Editor at WittyFeed, followed by a stint at Decathlon. The Sports Management graduate leads an active lifestyle, veering to the mountains for off-trail adventures.
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