With NBA training camp officially underway, we are still waiting for a resolution to the standoff between the Philadelphia 76ers and Ben Simmons. Simmons wants to be traded and he has dug in on that demand.
The 76ers can fine him for everything that he misses, but at this point, that doesn’t seem like it will phase him.
With reports circulating that Simmons is willing to sit out the entire season if it comes down to it, fines for missing games and practices are unlikely to phase him.
There has been a lot of speculation as to how this all came about. The 76ers have fallen short during the postseason, but to make trade demands this emphatically with the threat of sitting out an entire season is unprecedented.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Ben Simmons Prepared To Sit “All Year” If No Trade Occurs
The shortcomings in the postseason certainly didn’t help, but over at The Ringer, they provided some more insight into the inner thinking of why Simmons no longer wants to be in Philadelphia.
“League sources say the primary motivation for Klutch Sports’ aggressive holdout is to steer him to a team built around him on offense. No matter the roster makeup in Philly, he will only ever be no. 2 as long as Joel Embiid is healthy.”
The Philadelphia 76ers have decided to build around Joel Embiid as their No. 1 option, but this sounds like something that could have had a compromise worked out without things getting to the level it has. The Ringer also shared that Doc Rivers had discussions with Simmons and if he was unhappy with his role, he said no.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Ben Simmons Prepared To Sit “All Year” If No Trade Occurs
That wasn’t the case as the basis for Simmons’ trade demand now is that he wants to be the No. 1 guy. Had he voiced that, something could have been worked out. Now, instead, Simmons isn’t talking to anyone within the organization.
Simmons has the potential to be one of the best players in the NBA. If a team can get creative on how they use him and the personnel fits around him, he could be the centerpiece of a winning team. Figuring out which team has the pieces to make that work and is willing to adjust to make those changes, now that is a different story.
