Sixers reportedly among teams interested in trading for Detroit’s Derrick Rose

NEW YORK — It turns out that Langston Galloway and Luke Kennard may not be the only Detroit Pistons the 76ers have interest in acquiring in a trade.

Yahoo Sports reported Monday that the Sixers and Los Angeles Lakers are among multiple teams with NBA title aspirations interested in acquiring Derrick Rose.

In Rose, the Sixers would get a point guard to back up Ben Simmons or play alongside him in certain scenarios. He could also be the closer the team covets.

The 31-year-old started in the Pistons’ last three games and four games overall. However, he has been used mostly as their sixth man. That hasn’t stopped him from being their most consistent offensive player and an NBA All-Star candidate.

Rose is averaging 18.3 points and 5.8 assists this season. He scored a season-high 31 points against the Sixers on Oct. 26. If there’s a knock on his game, it’s his struggles to make shots from the perimeter.

He’s shooting just 36-for-115, or 31.3%, on three-pointers this season and 460-for-1,509, or 30.4%, in 11 NBA seasons. His hometown Chicago Bulls drafted him first overall in 2008.

Rose was the league’s MVP in 2011 and garnered three All-Star berths. He was slowed by several knee injures before reestablishing himself as a solid go-to player last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

He signed a two-year, $15 million contract with the Pistons in July.

Before his stellar performance Monday, Ben Simmons was receiving criticism for a perceived lack of offensive aggressiveness in fourth quarters. That’s when the 76ers point guard defers to teammates Tobias Harris and Josh Richardson and just about anyone else on the court.

Simmons averaged 11.4 shots per game heading into the 117-111 victory Monday against the Brooklyn Nets. However, the All-Star averaged only 1.59 shots in the final quarter of games.

He attempted three shots and scored seven of his career-high-tying 34 points in the final quarter on Monday.

Coach Brett Brown called the criticism “bizarre” and "oftentimes amazingly unfair, a little bit inaccurate, because it is driven out of a stat sheet.

“You look at, ‘Did he shoot a three tonight? No, he didn’t. Did he take two shots in the fourth period or 10?’ ”

Brown said he judges Simmons’ performances on the 23-year-old’s defense and how he creates opportunities for teammates.

The 6-foot-10, 240-pounder was averaging 15.5 points, a league-fifth-best 8.4 assists, 7.7 rebounds, and a league-leading 2.1 steals.

“Did he play defense?" Brown said. “Did he lead the team? Did he get the team shots that needed to be taken? Yes, yes, and yes.”

Simmons has excelled in the early offense with the Sixers playing at a more sustained uptempo pace since center Joel Embiid was sidelined Jan. 6 with a torn ligament in his left ring finger.

“It’s just a dunk fest, dunk, dunk, dunk,” Brown said. “He’s running through people, and it’s generated a lot through our defense and him running a lot in open court.”

In addition to his 34 points, Simmons finished with 12 rebounds, 12 assists, 5 steals, 2 blocks, and 3turnovers Monday. He made 12 of 14 shots and went 10-for-14 from the foul line.

Simmons was the second Sixer in as many weeks to be named the Eastern Conference player of the week. Josh Richardson won the award last week.

“It’s a blessing, but I’ve got a lot more work to do,” Simmons said. “It’s great to get individual accolades. But I want team success.”

He received the award for averaging 21.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 7.3 assists while leading the Sixers to a 3-1 record last week.

The 23-year-old’s highest-scoring game of the week came last Monday in a loss to the Indiana Pacers. He finished with 24 points and 14 rebounds. That was the first of three consecutive double-doubles during the week.