76ers rejected Magic Johnson's offer to meet with Simmons 'over a month ago'

Philadelphia 76ers general manager Elton Brand is having none of Magic Johnson's public offer to talk shop with Sixers star Ben Simmons.

When asked about comments Johnson made Sunday - that Simmons wants to trade "big guard" secrets with the Hall of Famer, who's now president of the Los Angeles Lakers, in the coming summer - Brand said he long ago shut down any potential meeting.

"(Lakers GM) Rob Pelinka called me and said that Ben (Simmons) wanted to talk to Hall of Famers after the season, Magic was on the list," Brand said Monday on 97.5 The Fanatic's "Gargano & Myrtetus Middays" show. "He asked for authorization ... I said no. This was over a month ago."

Simmons' size and style of play have drawn comparisons to Johnson, who starred in the 1980s and '90s. The 6-foot-9 Lakers great averaged 19.5 points, 11.2 assists, and 7.2 rebounds per game for his career, while the 6-foot-10 Simmons has averaged 16.2 points, 8.1 assists, and 8.6 rebounds through two active seasons with the 76ers and earned his first All-Star Game selection this year.

But while Johnson might be able to help from a basketball perspective, he's also the top executive for a storied franchise that's looking to acquire star players. The Lakers have been fined multiple times over the past two years for violating the NBA's anti-tampering rules, including after Pelinka made inappropriate contact with Paul George's agent and following Johnson's public comments about Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.