The first move has been made in the “catch-and-mouse” game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Ben Simmons, as the three-time NBA All-Star did not show up to Media Day on Monday and has yet to report to the team for training camp. In fact, Simmons does not plan on reporting to the team at all and is insisting that the Sixers trade him.
Just one year into a max contract extension, Simmons has requested a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers and things are not looking good for this organization right now.
Having Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris on the team makes the Sixers one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference still, but not replacing Ben Simmons could really do some damage to this team’s chances of winning a title.
With the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks being the two juggernauts on top of the Eastern Conference at the moment, there is little room for error for the 76ers and their championship window is closing, but Daryl Morey and this front office does not seem eager to make a change.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Joel Embiid Sounds Off On Ben Simmons Amid Holdout
In fact, Morey and head coach Doc Rivers have been persistent over the last week or so about advocating for Ben Simmons to return to the team. In fact, Rivers was on First Take with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith last week and stated that he “would love to have Ben back,” even though he was one of the main reasons Ben Simmons was frustrated with the organization.
Following their Game 7 defeat to the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in response to a question about if Simmons could be a championship-level point guard for this team, Doc Rivers responded by saying, “I don’t know the answer to that.” Since making this comment, Rivers has tried to go back and give more meaning to what he said and has been adamant on the fact that he did not disrespect the 7-foot All-Star.
The damage has been done in Philadelphia and whether it is this week, next week, or in the future, Ben Simmons appears to be on the move to another team, but what does this mean for the Philadelphia 76ers heading into the 2021-22 season?
Simmons has been a big part of their plan of attack the last few years, so here are some adjustments that will likely be made without Ben Simmons on the roster in Philly.
